Kuchyňka Homestead

Welcome to Libni, one of those Prague neighborhoods where history still blends with everyday life. You're standing in front of a building called Kuchyňka. The first impression of this place is very pleasant because it welcomes you to a large storey residential house, which looks very dignified in size and appearance. When you look at it, you immediately notice its characteristic valbic roof and balcony, located directly above the middle entrance. It's a place that carries a trail of different times and destinies, and even though it may look like a quiet corner in Florist Street today, her past was full of changes and twists.

Now let's stop a little bit at how this place was created and what its original meaning was. Kuchyňka has not always been just an ordinary house, as we see it today. In the original sense, it was a vineyard estate. So imagine that in the areas around you once the vineyards flourished, the grapes of the grape matured here in the sun, and this whole area was designed to grow wine and its subsequent processing. In the middle of the eighteenth century, namely around the year one thousand seven hundred fifty, this vineyard belonged to the mayor František Jakub Unkoffer. He was a man with a certain social status who was probably here looking for peace outside the city centre and enjoying the fruits of the earth.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself before you. If you look closely at the main building, you will see its balanced composition. In addition to the main house, note the baroque ground house with the Mansard, which is adjacent to the main building. This smaller object gives the whole set some asymmetry and charm. The whole complex took the form that we see today as an empirical castle in the mid-nineteenth century. The style of the Empire is characterized by a clean line and a certain nobility, which you can also see when looking at the front of the house. Note how the building acts harmoniously and how the balcony above the entrance creates a natural central point of the entire object.

When we talk about the personalities connected to the Kitchen, we must not forget Johanna Würtenberg. In the year of the thousand and eight hundred and fifty, it was she who took possession of the estate, and it was during her time that the building acquired the look of the Empire castle that now surrounds you. It's fascinating to think of how every new owner has changed the functions of this place. At the beginning of the twentieth century, about a thousand and nine hundred years ago, the estate went into the hands of the Ubellie family. With them, the atmosphere of the family estate probably returned, although the times were constantly changing.

Now I want to take you to one of the most dramatic parts of the history of this place. You might wonder why you don't see any vineyards here today. The answer goes back to history, a thousand seven hundred and seven. At that time, French soldiers invaded Prague. During this invasion, the local vineyards were completely destroyed. Imagine the loss when carefully grown vines were destroyed and in some cases even fed to animals. That was the end of the golden era of winery in this particular place. The vineyards were so destroyed that they never returned in the original range.

What's interesting is how the building adapted to new times. After the demise of vineyards and after times as a family residence, Kuchyňka started to serve as a garden restaurant. So imagine people coming here for afternoon coffee or lunch, enjoying the shade of trees and the atmosphere of the garden. This operation lasted until a thousand nine hundred forty eight, when everything changed with the arrival of the new political regime. The building lost its character as a restaurant and in a thousand seven hundred seventy it was converted into a hostel for employees of the local factory. The luxury castle and pleasant restaurant have become a functional place for the workers to stay.

It is a strange contrast that one and the same building could have been home to the mayor, the nobility, the place of social gatherings in the restaurant and finally a hostel for industry workers. In this contrast lies the value of Kitchenette. It is a living proof of how the functions of urban areas in Prague changed and how Libeň transformed from the wine suburb into an industrial district. Today, however, Kuchyňka is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, which means that its values are recognised and the building is to be preserved for future generations.

Take one last look at the total building set. Feel the serenity that exists here today, and try to shape up all those layers of time. From the charm of leaves in forgotten vineyards to the laughter of guests in the garden restaurant to the footsteps of workers in the halls of the hostel. All these stories are carved into these walls and imprinted into the architecture that you admire right now.

Thank you for coming with me to this fascinating place. Kuchyňka is a silent monument, but its history speaks very loudly about the fate of people and the city. Now invited to further explore the surroundings of Libna, where you will have many other hidden treasures and stories. I wish you a pleasant continued walk and I hope this short trip to the past has enriched you. Goodbye.