Spořitelna (Slaný) Building

Welcome to Salty. You have just stopped in front of a building that is a significant symbol of the modern approach to architecture in this city. You're standing in front of the city savings bank. Take a look at this two-storey corner building that dominates the western edge of the city. It's a place where two important roads meet, Husova Street and Palacky Street. Feel her appearance, her purity and the way she fills this space. It's a building that carries within itself the spirit of its time and also reminds us of how the city changed over the years.

Let us now return together in time almost a hundred years back to the time of the first republic. It was an era of great change, enthusiasm for the new state and intensive construction. It is in this spirit that this building was created as well. It all began in the year one thousand nine hundred twenty-eight, when the city announced a public tender to design a new building for the city savings bank. It was clear at that time that the old bank that was standing here no longer meets the needs of the city's times or ambitions. In a thousand and nine hundred and thirty, the original building was demolished to make room for something completely new and modern. The 12th of June of that year was laid the cornerstone, which was at that time a great urban event that signalled a new beginning. The whole building was subsequently completed and ceremonially opened in the year one thousand nine hundred thirty-one.

Now pay attention to the very style of the building. It's called functionalism. What does it even mean in practice when you look at a building? Look at her facade. Functionalism emphasizes that the appearance of a building is exactly the same as its function. It means the absence of unnecessary ornaments, no complex ornaments that merely mask the purpose of the construction. Everything here is clear, direct and practical. The architect from Hradec Králové named Jan Rejchl was the author of this realized project. Here, however, is a very interesting detail from history, which tells us how the creation was going at that time. In the original competition, the design of another architect, Aloise Space, was better evaluated. In the end, it was decided to implement the project of Jan Rejchl. It's fascinating to think about what this corner of town would look like if he had won the Space at that time. But it was Reichle's approach that defined the face of this place and brought it to the Salty Modern aesthetics.

Now, if you look closely at the front of the building, notice the statue that is part of her appearance. It's the shape of Václav Nejtek. This statue has its own, separate story that teaches us patience and the care of monuments. It wasn't placed here all the time. In the year a thousand nine hundred ninety-four was returned to its place on the facade after an important repair of the static was made. It's a reminder of the personalities who left their mark in the history of this place and whose names should not be forgotten. In addition to the exterior appearance surrounding you now, the building has undergone internal changes. In the year two thousand a large reconstruction was carried out, which focused mainly on the interior. The aim was for the building to remain useful for the current generation, while maintaining its unique historical character and atmosphere from the time of its creation.

And now I want to invite you to one brief imagination that will help you better understand the importance of this particular place. You're standing right at a point that looked completely different in the past. It was here, on this corner of Husova and Palacky Street, that the Louna Gate once stood. Stop for a moment and try to imagine. Instead of modern lines of functionalism and the Bank's pure appearance, there once stood a massive gate that guarded the city entrance and separated it from the outside world. It's a fascinating contrast. A modern bank from the first republic grew up in a place where the city walls once ended. It is a symbol of the transition from a closed, fortified medieval city to an open, modern 20th century city. It's where the old defense meets the new economy and modern mind.

This building of the savings bank is not just an ordinary place for financial affairs, but is a living testament to how Slaný has evolved and how its citizens' priorities have changed. It is a combination of courage to new architectural directions and at the same time respect for history that has been breathing in this place for hundreds of years. Feel how this building is being inserted into the surroundings and how the memory of Václav Nejtek lives there as well as the shadow of the long-gone Lounna Gate.

I hope you are interested in this short trip in time and that you are now looking at this corner building with different eyes. You may have noticed only simple buildings before, but now you see a battle of architectural design, the ambition of the first republic and the layers of history that overlap here. Now I encourage you to continue to explore the beauty of the Salty. Go through the surrounding alleys, feel the city's atmosphere, and look for more clues of the past that are hidden here in every stone and every house. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a pleasant continued journey through the city.