Lázeňský pavilón Pavilion

Welcome, distinguished visitors. Please stop for a moment and take a breath. You're standing in front of a building that is a silent witness to over a hundred and fifty years of Pilsen history. In front of you is the Lobhodinian Pavilion, a building that tells the story of health search, social life and incredible ability to adapt to times. If you look at it now, you may see only a beautiful historical building in it, but behind its walls is a fascinating journey from luxury spa baths to night club.

Let's go back many years together, namely by the year one thousand eight hundred thirty-three. It was this year that this building was built. At that time in Pilsen, the Lběbín Spa was developing and this pavilion was their heart. It was designed to serve for bath baths. So imagine that at a time when the city was much smaller and quieter, people from around here and from far away came to find relief from their diseases in hot vans and to clear their minds and bodies. The whole project was worth the builder František Filous, who put the modern aesthetics of his time into the building.

Now pay attention to the very form of the building you see before you. Notice its arrangement. The architecture is based on a central hall from which two adjacent wings extend to the sides. This schedule was not only an aesthetic decision, but it should have been functional in order to move efficiently in the building and to allow patients to have access to the necessary procedures. Look at the overall composition of the facade and feel the atmosphere of the place. It is a building that emits peace and stability, which was absolutely essential for spa operations. Since the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-three, this object has been registered as a cultural monument, confirming its invaluable value for the entire North Suburb region.

But the history of this place is much more varied than just therapeutic baths. The building has changed its face many times over the decades. It's fascinating to think about how energy changed here. After its beginning as a spa came the time for sport and healthy movement. In the year one thousand nine hundred nineteen, the building was lent to the body unity of Košutka. Instead of quiet and relaxing in the spa vans, the voices of athletes and the sound of exercise in the gym started to ring. The building became a centre of vitality in a different way than it was originally intended to be.

In addition to sports there were workshops at different times, where people were engaged in craft work, and in later years the building turned into a place of social activity as a night club. It's an incredible contrast when we realize that in an area where healing procedures were used in total peace, people danced later and enjoyed music. In connection with the building, names of personalities such as Martin Kopecký, Bernard Říha or Ladislav Lábek appear in history who have been associated with this place or its surroundings by their activities or influence.

Now, I want to take you to one of the most interesting facts that ties to this pavilion. Try to imagine how in the year one thousand eight hundred thirty-three they got into the active substance building. For procedures, peat was imported from the painful forests. Not just ordinary cars, but a special stage line. Imagine the modern technical system that transported peat directly to the building so it could be used to treat patients. It's a detail that shows us how ambitious and technologically advanced these baths were.

Another interesting thing is the influence of local business on the development of this whole. In the year one thousand eight hundred forty-nine, the town brewery in Pilsen bought a spa. You may be surprised that the brewing business and the spa went hand in hand. Thanks to this purchase there was a huge expansion of the spa park. Originally, the park had an area of only five hectares, but after the brewery hit, it increased to more than seventy-one hectares. This made the spa a real resort for outdoor rest, which was accompanied by this very building.

Of course, the path of this pavilion was not without obstacles. The building suffered a serious fire during its existence. However, in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty eight, the building was reopened under the patronage of the Park of Culture and rest, which breathed her new life. The highlight of the newer era was the completion of the reconstruction of the remaining spa facilities in the year two thousand fifteen, when it returned to its original form, which you can admire right now.

When you look at this pavilion today, you see more than just walls and a roof. You see the symbol of Pilsen endurance and transformation. From peat medicine to sports enthusiasm to cultural memory that survived fire and regime changes. It's a place where health, sport and social life meet.

I suggest you now slowly rewind the building around, perceive its proportions, and try to imagine the violence that existed here in different centuries. Whether you felt the smell of peat, heard the impact of the balls in the gym or the music from the nightclub, it's up to your imagination.

Thank you for taking a walk in the history of the Lběbín pavilion. I hope you are interested in this story and that you will take away some of the atmosphere of this unique place. I will now invite you to further explore the surroundings of North Suburbia and discover other hidden treasures of our city. I wish you a pleasant rest of the day and a wonderful experience on your next discovery. Goodbye.