Hotel Otava Hotel building

Welcome to Internal City. You're standing in front of an important historical building you know as Otava Hotel. Raise your head and look around you. You have a large three-story building in front of you, one of the most prominent houses in the city. Its solid walls carry stories of decades and perceive the buzz of the surrounding streets.

Let's look into the past and see how this building came into being. The year is a thousand eight hundred ninety-nine, and there is a great transformation in this place. In earlier times, the old Budejovice Gate was built here, which was part of the city fortification. But when the gate stopped serving its purpose and the city grew, it had to give way to new needs. A new hotel building grew up in her place. The first owner was the local pharmacist Dvořáček, which is why this house was originally named after him.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and the details you have right in front of you. Take a look at the south and east facade of the building, because that is where its greatest decorative pride is hiding. Notice the eleven sgraffiti that cover the walls. These works of art didn't just happen by accident. Their designs were created by the famous painter Mikoláš Aleš and the artist Josef Bosáček performed them on the walls until the end. The exhibition decoration captures interesting motifs that are worth a longer examination. Stop for a moment, examine the individual paintings on the walls and let the skill of the old masters be on you.

This house wasn't just an ordinary place to sleep in travelers. Over the years, a number of prominent personalities have been replaced here. In a thousand and nine hundred and twenty, the city welcomed an important visit when the first Czechoslovak President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk came here. Seven years later, in the year one thousand nine hundred thirty-seven, the actions of another statesman led to this place, as President Edvard Beneš also came here. The famous violinist Otakar Ševčík is also connected to this space. We can easily imagine how these great people went through the same places you're standing right now and perceived the atmosphere of the then Sand.

When we think about the history of this house, we find that every epoch has left its mark in its walls. Breaking down the old gate and building a new hotel in a thousand eight hundred ninety-nine meant a big step for the entire Vnitřní Město. The pharmacist Dvořáček then laid the foundation of the tradition of hospitality, which lasts until today. Moreover, the association of names such as Mikoláš Aleš and Josef Bosáček gave this place a permanent artistic value that is admired by generations of residents and visitors.

I believe you were intrigued by the tour of this place and brought you closer to the rich history of the region. When you walk the other streets of the inner city, remember the stories of the people who shaped the face of the Sand. Thank you for your attention, I wish you a wonderful rest of the day and I look forward to seeing you again when you discover our sights.