Hotel Zlatá labuť Hotel building

Welcome to Rabbit. You are standing right in front of one of its most prominent and oldest building dominants. Take a comfortable seat or stand still, take a deep breath of the atmosphere of this submountain town and take a careful look at the house with the number described by three hundred fifty-eight, which bears the traditional and poetic name Hotel Zlatá labuť.

The first sight of you will breathe the peace, balance and dignity of the building, which has been here for centuries. In front of you, you see a large one-storey corner building that has a supremely defined space between the main square and the mouth of the side aisle. It acts with a firm, anchored impression as if it had been a natural part of this place forever. And it really almost is. Its walls remember a time when horse carriages were on the pavement, when buyers from far away regions came to the city and the town square lived a busy market day full of sounds, smells and human hustle.

Now let's go back almost 300 years in time, until this building saw the light of day. Construction of this originally Baroque house was completed in 1736. At that time, Baroque shaped the face of Czech and Moravian cities, bringing a new generosity and a sense of representation. In Rabbits, which were an important centre of crafts, trade and also spiritual life, it was necessary to offer facilities for those who visited the city from far away. And that is the purpose of this house. From the very beginning, i.e. from 1736, it was conceived and operated as an inn.

When you think about this fact, you realize the extraordinary continuity you have ahead of you. Few buildings can maintain their original mission for so many centuries. The Golden Swan was not a private palace closed to the public or an inaccessible mansion. It was a building with an open door, a place to meet, a haven for tired pilgrims, a room for fun, serious business meetings and everyday interviews of local townspeople.

Now pay attention to the architectural representation of the building, which tells you the story of successive changes. Although the roots of the house are deeply embedded in the Baroque epoch, its present form bears a significant mark of the nineteenth century. In this period the house underwent a major classical reconstruction. Classicism brought moderation, order, symmetry and geometric purity to architecture. He cleaned the facades from the lush baroque curves and replaced them with a calm, harmonious breakdown.

First look at the facade that goes directly to the Grand Square. You can easily calculate that it is broken by five window axes. This five windows creates a balanced rhythm of the entire front wall. If you look closely at individual windows, notice how they are framed. Around them come the champagne, a decorative plastic frame, which gives the window openings depth and distinct shape. Under the windows you can see horizontal parapet rims, which support the entire composition from the bottom elegantly and optically.

Then move your view a little further away, towards the corner of the house and along the side wall that stretches to the next street. Here the construction is even longer. Instead of the five window axes you saw from the square, six of them are headed for the side street. This corner position was ideal for the inn. It ensured excellent visibility from the main area, while at the same time allowing comfortable access from quieter secondary communication, which was very practical for the supply, housing of horses and the day-to-day operation of the economic background.

Now raise your eyes a little higher. Above the first floor is a significant crown ledge. This massive horizontal line separates the living floor itself from the roof and gives the whole house a solid crown. And above this ledge is one of the most beautiful elements of the entire building. Look up at the building shield.

This shield is three axes, which means it's divided into three vertical fields. Notice its shape and especially small circular windows that are placed in it. This round window, sometimes called the oxen eye, illuminated the soil space and still gives the shield an extremely picturesque, playful character. Right here, in contrast between the stricter classical facade on the floor and the picturesque shape of the shield with round views, you can still sense the ancient Baroque heritage of the whole house.

You may be wondering who actually designed and built this remarkable building. The names of the builders and architects who stood at her birth in 1736, as well as the names of the masters who led her classicism in the nineteenth century, remain covered in mystery. Their records were not preserved in the sources. Nor do we know the particular famous historical figures who would leave their indelible entries in the commemorative books. But that's where the greatest magic and the most impressive of this place lies.

The Golden Swan is a monument to the honest craft of baroque masons and carpenters. It is an imprint of the lives of hundreds and thousands of ordinary people, formans, craftsmen, passengers of merchants and rabbit neighbors who sought rest behind these walls, a glass of good fluid and warm food after a long journey through difficult mountain terrain. Every stone in the foundation and every brick in the façade were witnessed by calls about crops, weather, political changes, and major historical twists that crossed the country.

What's also interesting is how much seriousness the house has preserved in modern times. In 1964 the building of the Hotel Zlatá swan was officially listed on the list of cultural monuments of the Czech Republic. This move confirmed its exceptional architectural and urban value for the city of Králíky. State landmark care has thus recognised that this one-storey corner building with its three-axis shield, parapet ledge and balanced facades represents an indispensable jewel of the historical core.

Imagine for a moment what it must have been like when a stagecoach arrived at this house on a messy autumn evening in 1750. There was a warm candlelight coming from the windows, smoke rising from the chimney, and there was laughter and tinned corbels outside the massive walls. The inn offered safety and warmth in the rough foothills, a lighthouse in the middle of the night. And even today, when you stand on the pavement of the square and observe its peaceful facade, you can still perceive the warm friendliness.

Now you can look around the facade once more. Enjoy the fine line of shambrans, the rhythmic layout of windows and the charm of circular holes in the shield high above you. If you want, you can go around the building and look into the side street to appreciate its true depth and dimension.

Thank you for your attention. I wish you a pleasant continuation of your walk around the rabbits and many other beautiful experiences while discovering the secrets and beauty of this historic city.