Na Kropáčce 1 House

Welcome to Hradec Kralove in the Grand Square. Right now, you're standing in front of a major historical structure that's right in front of you. You put on your headphones, and I will show you through the history and the presence of this special place. Raise your head and let the atmosphere of the house, which bears the name of Lamb.

When you look around in this picturesque square, the Lamb House will attract your attention with its elegance and harmony of shapes. But before we immerse ourselves in deeper history, feel the proportion and overall character of this neo-Baroque building, which is an integral part of the panorama here.

Let's move forward in time to the beginning of the 20th century. Today's appearance of the house was not an accident, but it was a reaction to the need to solve the building problems of the time. Between a thousand and nine hundred and six and a thousand and nine hundred seven, this Neo-Baroque building grew up in the place where the older Hotel U Zlatý Beránek and the neighbouring tower Kropaček used to stand. It may surprise you that the original object had to retreat due to severe static problems. In the year one thousand and nine hundred and five, the old hotel was torn down, and a year later, the decision was made to tear down the Tower of Cropaèek. The entire project was given the green light of the then enlightened mayor František Ulrich, who approved the project of the new house.

The investor of this challenging event was the Roman Catholic Church and the house subsequently served the needs of Jesuits. Their arrival in Hradec Kralove took place at the invitation of Bishop Edvard Jan Brynych in the year of a thousand nine hundred. And the Jesuits repaired the house and breathed into it a specific spirit. The architectural design of the whole building was developed by a talented architect Rudolf Němec and Robert Schmidt's company took care of the actual construction.

Now pay attention to the facade itself and the architectural representation before you. The House U Lamb, also known in historical sources as the House U Golden Lamb, bears all the features of the neo-Baroque style. Take a look at the richly divided facade and note the details that the architect Rudolf Němec reflected in this form. Each element of the construction that was completed between a thousand and nine hundred and six and a thousand and nine hundred and seven reflects the craftsmanship of Robert Schmidt's construction company. Stop for a moment and let your eyes cross the lines of windows and stucco ornaments, which indicate the generous transformation of this part of the Great Square.

When we look back at the stories associated with this place, we have specific historical figures. Imagine Bishop Edvard Jan Brynych, who at the very beginning of the twentieth century invited the Jesuits to the city. Their presence here was not just an episode, but the beginning of long spiritual and cultural governance. And it was the mayor of František Ulrich, the key figure of the modern history of Hradec Králové, whose name is firmly linked to the approval of the new house project. The combination of the church initiative, the visionary mayor and the handy hands of architect Rudolf the German and builder Robert Schmidt gave rise to a work that you are looking at right now.

Interestingly, this building carries the memory of two extinct objects. It grew not only in the place of the old Hotel U Zlatý Beránek, which had to be torn down for poor statics, but also in the place where the historical tower Kropačka used to stand. Today, when you walk past the address Na Kropáček one, few realize that the name of the ancient tower lives on in the street name and reminds of the changes that this space has undergone over the centuries. It's a fascinating example of how the city is constantly burrowing its past and how new beauty grows on the solid foundations of the old.

I hope this stop has been rewarding for you and that you will look at the Lamb house with different eyes. Your journey to Hradec Kralove is far from over. The great square hides countless other stories, hidden details and monuments that await your discovery. I wish you a beautiful rest of the day, enjoy more wandering in this picturesque city and see you at one of the other stops of our guide.