Pařížská 17 Tenement house

Welcome to the heart of Prague, one of the most beautiful and most important streets of our city. You're standing outside the house with the number 17 in Paris. Stop for a moment, take a deep breath and let the atmosphere of this place surround you. In front of you is a noble five-story building that occupies its presence for anyone who passes through here. The first thing your eyes probably picked up is its distinctive appearance on the corner of Paris and Red. If you look towards Paris Street, notice how the facade is ended by an elegant tower that supplies the whole house with a stage and a certain rhythm within the entire block. It's a building that carries the spirit of its time and tells the story of the transformation of the entire neighborhood you're in right now.

Let us now look together at how this building was built and in what context it was built. One thousand nine hundred and seven were crucial to this place. It was this year that the house was completed. But in order to understand why this house is standing here, we need to go back to a process called Prague rendering. Imagine that there was a historical Jewish ghetto in a place where you are walking on wide and luxurious pavement today. It was narrow alleys, cramped buildings and very heavy hygiene conditions. The city decided to take a radical step, and the old building collapsed to make room for a modern, spacious and hygienic city. It was in this great city intervention that this tenement house was built. The architects Richard Klenka and František Weyr were responsible for its design and implementation. These two creators have decided to create a building that matches the new standard of luxury and representativeness that the new Paris street should have radiated.

Now that you know the history of the site, pay attention to the architecture itself. Look carefully at the front of the house. The building is an excellent example of so-called eclectism. This means that architects did not copy only one style, but combined different elements from different periods. Notice how two worlds intersect here. On the one hand, here we see the elements of reeling historism, a style that has returned to the classic patterns of the past, to their nobility and order. On the other hand, however, you can feel in the details a breath of the coming Art Nouveau. The Art Nouveau was the peak of modernity at that time, bringing organic shapes, smooth lines and new playfulness to the architecture. It is this connection between old and new that makes the Paris 17 house such an interesting object. It's like a bridge between two epoch.

When you observe the facade, think that at the time of your creation the building was not accepted by everyone with enthusiasm. Although we perceive its beauty today, in the year one thousand nine hundred and seven, criticism emerged from the supporters of the most modern architecture. For some criticisms at the time, the combination of historism and Art Nouveau was perhaps too traditional or inconsistent. It's fascinating to see the perception of beauty change in time. What was once the target of a critic is now valued as a quality art craft.

Although we do not know in the background the specific personalities who would live in this house and leave a deep mark in history, the house itself is a witness to history. In the year one thousand nine hundred fifty, the building was commonly used as a combination of commercial premises on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors. Imagine the people who came here to shop, or the families who lived here and watched Prague change over the decades.

Allow me to interest you now with one interesting thing that cannot be seen at first sight from the sidewalk. While the facade with the tower attracts us from the outside, the real treasure hides within. If you had the opportunity to see the interiors, you would find that the original decorative tiles and precise carpentry details were preserved. It is this internal care detail that confirms that Richard Klenka and František Weyr wanted to create a work that will be of quality in every centimeter, not only in what you can see from the street. It is a reminder of the time when the craft was treated with great respect and precision.

Now, if you look at this five-story house again, think of it as part of a larger picture. It is a monument to the courage to make a radical change in the city, as well as proof of the talent of architects who have been able to combine tradition with modern. The tower on the right side of the facade that rises to heaven is like an exclamation point in this street.

Thank you for stopping by the Paris 17 house with me. I hope this short trip to the year one thousand nine hundred and seven helped you better understand the beauty and importance of this building. Now invited to further explore the surroundings. Go through the rest of this beautiful street, feel its atmosphere and look for further traces of Prague's rendering and architectural styles that you will find here. I wish you a pleasant continued walk around Prague. Goodbye.