Spořilov Chateau

Spořilov occupies the southwestern part of the cadastral territory of Zázělice and since 1922 it has been part of the Great Prague. With an area of 2,05 km ² and a population of around 14 000 inhabitants (according to the 2000 census), the separate district is also separated from the rest of Prague by the valley of Botič and Hamer pond.

The creation of Spořilova is linked to 1924, when the City Savings Bank in Vinohrady founded a construction cooperative named Spořilov on the proposal of its director Václav Gláčka. The construction was carried out in 1926-1929 according to the design of architects J. Barka and Professor J. Bertla. It became one of the oldest garden cities on the territory of Great Prague. During World War II from 1939 to 1945, the territory became a city-state of the German Empire under the artificially created name "Rosenbühl." After the war, Spořilov gradually introduced into the system of Prague Circuits: first it belonged to the circuit Praha XIII-Vršovice, then to the respective organizational units to anchor firmly in Prague 4 since 1960 and especially since 1990.

Old Spořilov is characterized by a unique street naming system inspired by American urbanism. Instead of traditional names, we can find streets named by sides of the world and practice: South I-XVII, North I-XI, Northwest I-VI and others. The natural centers of this district were Roztylská Square with a church and tram end on the former Bratislava Square. In 1933 there was a new sokolovna in Northwest VI, where two WelkIist lites were planted in memory of the founders of the Czech village of Sokol, Dr. Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner. In 1935, the functionalist church of St. Anežka was built with the design of architects Nikolai Pashkovsky and Stanislav Režný, who has been managing the Franciscan Order from the very beginning. The memorial is also a monument to the heroes of Zborov from 1937-1940 in Roztylsky Square, commemorating the victory of the Czechoslovak legionnaires of July 2, 1917.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the modern estate designed by architects J. Holechek and J. Krákor was built around Old Spořilova. The first part (Spořilov I) was established in 1961- 1967 with originally 3667 housing units for 15 000 inhabitants. The completion of the 1980s (1976- 1981) added additional 288 housing units. On Božkovská street no. 4 there is a building of the clinic designed by Z. Vodou and P. Bečvář. The Spořilov II site occupies the eastern part of the entire territory.

However, Spořilova was gradually transformed into a geographical and social island. From the 1960s to the 1980s, it was surrounded by wide speed roads: from the left, it is bounded by a six-striped D1, from the northeast by a six-striped City Circuit and from the east by an Spořilov connection, which also divided Spořilov into two parts. The original Spořilov can only be reached by bridge or underpass today, which has significantly changed its character and links to the surrounding area.

Spořilov is a fascinating example of urban evolution: from a pioneering garden town with a unique urban system to a modernist settlement that has become a geographically isolated neighborhood over time. Its architecture, interesting history and preserved monuments from various periods of the 20th century make it an interesting location for those interested in the development of Czech Prague and architectural styles of the second half of the last century.