Hotel Cristal Hotel building

Welcome to Iron Broda. Right now, thanks to your headphones, you're becoming part of the living history of this place. You are standing right in front of a building that, by its presence, determines the character of this whole part of the city. Look around you and see how this building dominates the south side of the square on May 3rd. It is a demanding object that immediately captures your view and dictates the rhythm of the entire square with its strength and scope. It's Hotel Cristal. Feel the weight, the stability that this building emits when you look at it from this angle. Its presence here is not random, it is a fixed point that has been standing here for many decades, and it shows the many changes that this region has undergone.

Let us now move further into time together and try to understand why this building was created. If we now return in our minds to the period when the first building blocks of this building began to lay down, we will reach the years one thousand nine hundred forty-two and forty-three. It was a period that was very difficult for the whole country and for this region and full of constant changes that affected not only architecture, but also the very life of people in this city. This building wasn't built as a random new object, but it was meant to have a specific purpose. It was created as a replacement for an older building, which served as a district economic reserve. However, its original use at the time was very specific and difficult for many perhaps. In these areas, German troops originally grew stronger. It was a place where German officers met, and the building was closely linked to the political and military situation in our state.

Now pay attention to the very form of the building that you are observing right now. Notice its shape and how it intersects with the square space. This is an excellent example of architecture known as functionalism. This style does not seek unnecessary ornaments, sculptures or complex ornaments to distract you from the essence of the matter. Instead, it focuses on the purity of the lines and on the building fully fulfilling its useful function. Look at the monolithic structure. It's made of reinforced concrete, which gives her the feeling of the impenetrable strength and uniformity that you're feeling right now. Notice how her floor plan is irregular. The building does not follow simple squares, but its shapes adapt to demanding corners and space around it. Look up at the flat roof. It's a typical sign of the time when architecture tried to make a modern and clean appearance without unnecessary roof-shaped surfaces. Two important men, architects František Stalmach and Jan Hanuš Svoboda, are behind this work, who have inserted their vision of modern and functional space into this project.

But when we look at how the fate of this building was unfolding after the war ended, we find that her life's journey was very varied. After a thousand and nine hundred forty-five, the building took over the state. At that time, his role changed completely. Instead of a military assembly site, it became part of the everyday life of the people. On the ground floor there was a self-service restaurant where people could find rest and food. The hotel rooms were located on the other floors. The building has also become part of a wider economic unit linked to the Ironbrod Glass, which is a crucial activity for this region. Later, in the 1990s, there was another big change in privatization. The building went through a period when it was used in the short term as a hotel, but also as a place for a restaurant and even as a place for dancing and entertainment, which gave it a completely different, more dynamic atmosphere.

Even though the building seems solid and unchanging, it has to face unforeseen events. Several years ago, a thousand and nine hundred eleven years ago, an unfortunate event took place in her premises. There was a failure in the pipes that caused a large flood in the basement areas. This event was a great test for the building, but fortunately it recovered from it. Thanks to its historical value and importance to the city, this building was officially registered as a cultural monument in the year one thousand and nine hundred and twelve, which allows us to see and protect it today.

But now I want to tell you something that you can't see at first sight, something that is hidden in the dark corners of history and in the depths of this building. This building is not only about concrete and architecture, but also about secrets. They say there was a safe in her basement once. And this safe wasn't ordinary. In his bowels were hidden valuables that were stolen. Imagine the tension, the constant question that really took place in those spaces and what fate was associated with these things. This mystery also gives the monolithic concrete mass a little unrest and fascination.

Now that you've been through the main milestones of the history of this place and you perceive its architecture and hidden stories, I suggest you continue your next walk around the square. Feel the history of the city intertwined with every detail you see around you. Hotel Cristal will still stand here as a silent witness for many years that have come and gone. Thank you for choosing to make this journey with us. We will brighten up the pleasant rest of your day and look forward to meeting you again at the next historical monument.