Palác Letná House

Welcome to Prague seven, where the history of everyday life meets great architecture. You are standing in front of one of the most important building units in this neighborhood, which bears the name Palác Letná. Look at him. It may not act at first glance as a monumental fortress with high towers or richly decorated columns, but in its purity, its simplicity and its adaptation to the surrounding urban space, its true strength. Feel the atmosphere, feel the calm yet very clear energy this building emits. It's a building that doesn't try to scream, but instead it wants to tell you a story about the modern world and how people started to organize in it.

In order to fully understand why this house is standing right here and why it has that look, we need to go back in time together. Let us move on to a time when our country was building up in the form that we still love so much today. This was an era of great hope and rapid progress. It was in these years, namely between the year one thousand nine hundred thirty-six and one thousand nine hundred thirty-seven, that this building was born here. Behind this ambitious project was a man with a great vision, architect Eugen Rosenberg. He was the one who put his idea of what modern urban life should look like in these walls. The construction was carried out by the company Českomoravská building a.s., which at the time played an important role in the development of our city. It wasn't just an ordinary house built for a few families. It was an elaborate whole with the integrity of the entire city block. He had business spaces in him, he had a cafe in him, and at the same time he had homes for residents who could live here in close proximity to all services.

Now pay attention to what you see right in front of you. Notice the lines, the clean edges and the overall geometry of the building. What you're seeing right now is pure functionalism. This direction of architecture, which was a huge shift at the time, believed in one fundamental thing: that every thing must have a clear purpose. No ornament shall be for decoration only if it serves no purpose. Everything must be based on utility and practicality. Look at the layout of the floors. On the ground floor there are premises for shops and cafés, allowing people in the vicinity easy and direct access to the necessary services. On the first and second floors you will find other business premises and rooms for living. This whole building is a perfect example of how work, business and private life were thought of in one place at the time. It's an architecture that serves man and his needs.

Now when you look at these facades and the overall form of the palace, remember the people who breathed life into this place. Architect Eugen Rosenberg has put his expertise in every detail and his faith in a new, functional way of life. He was the one who defined this space. And we must not forget the other names associated with this place, such as Bohuslav J. Hanák. These people were part of the era that this palace was born, and their presence in this place is still echoing.

And now I'm going to tell you something that makes this place really special and what makes it a real treasure. You may think it's just another historical house in Prague, but Palác Letná is hiding something incredible. It's the only coffee shop from the time of the first republic that managed to preserve its original, functional and very specific interior. That's absolutely rare in today's world. Most of these areas have been somehow changed, rebuilt or completely destroyed by new scales over the years. But here, in this palace, you have managed to find a piece of history that remains preserved in all its glory. In the year two thousand seven, this confectionery and coffee shop was restored very carefully again so that this unique spirit could continue to preserve itself and that people could reexperience the strange atmosphere of the time when it was believed in progress and the pure beauty of utility.

This building is not just an ordinary house. Since the year two thousand and two, this monument has been included in the list of cultural monuments of our country and is protected as a real estate monument. This means that its value is recognised by the whole state and its appearance and essence must be preserved for future generations. It's an inheritance we have in common.

Now, I'm going to sound you in order to be invited into this space. Explore it, see its details and let it drift through the history that still lives here in every corner. Look at its premises, perceive its peace and energy and try to imagine how it was lived and done almost 100 years ago. Thank you for your time and for taking this short journey of history with me. I wish you a beautiful and inspiring tour of the whole Palace Letná.