Grossmannova vila Villa

Grossmannova vila in Moravian Ostrava is a representative building in the style of decorativism from 1923-1924. It is a monument protected object, which after extensive reconstruction serves as a public landmark. This residence represents one of the most important interwar residential properties in Ostrava.

The villa was built as a residence for a prosperous construction firm Grosssmann and Fiala. Its founder was František Grossmann, originally a separate builder in Frýdek. After meeting with architect František Fiala, graduate of the Vienna school Otto Wagner, he moved to Ostrava and founded the company together in 1906. For his villa Grosssmann chose the land on the border of the cadastres of Moravian Ostrava and Mariánské Hor.

The storey building is an example of the 1920s residential architecture and stands out for its expansiveness. On the ground floor, the villa is connected by a passage to the office of the company, where housing was also located in the attic. The front of the house is decorated with plant and figural motifs on the pillars between the windows, while on the floor there are wooden shutters of green color. The tent roof is supplemented with a skylight and a circular view, which leads to the spindle staircase from the soil. The original entrance was preserved with late Art Nouveau ceramic tiles, metal bars and window windows.

The internal layout is centered around the staircase hall. The large dining room and social rooms are led by entrances oriented towards the south side, while the northern part of the building occupies a kitchen with facilities and preparation. A wooden staircase leads to the gallery of the central hall. The original built-in furniture was preserved in the dining room and living rooms.

Originally, the villa was surrounded by a garden with exotic plants and trees. The complex also included pergols, gazes and swimming pools with sculpture decoration, but nothing has been preserved until now.

The history of the villa is marked by the tragic fate of its founders. At the turn of the 1920s and 1930s, the construction company got into financial difficulties due to the failure to pay orders and the pressure of creditors. In 1933 František Grossmann and his wife ended their lives voluntarily. In the subsequent survivor's proceedings the house was sold and slightly rebuilt by the new owner. After 1948, children's educational facilities were set up in the building, although the interiors remained largely preserved.

Since 1992, the villa has been protected historically. The town of Ostrava, which became the owner of the building, during the years 2021-2024 it carried out a costly reconstruction which returned the original look to the building. Since April 2024 the monument has been opened to the public.

Grossmannova vila is a unique witness to interwar architecture and social rise and the fall of a local builder. Her visit offers insight into period aesthetics of decoratism and preserved interior details.