Stará radnice v Humpolci Town hall

Audio Guide - Stará radnice v Humpolci

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Welcome, dear visitors! You are standing in front of one of the oldest and most impressive monuments in our city. Look at what's in front of you - an old town hall that welcomes you with its historical appearance. It's a building that consists of stone walls and decorated window frames that remind you of the past. Notice how her facade alternates with small windows with a half-circle arch that gives a view of the square. You wouldn't be able to see the interior of the building right now, but from the outside, it's a place that will charm you with its calm and fair appearance.

Let's move on to the past. This town hall was built in 1872 as a new administrative building for the city of Humpolec. At that time, there was supposed to be administrative bodies to manage the city's life. It was originally designed by two architects, but was eventually realized according to Josef Zítek's design. The building was built in a place where it used to be an older building and became a symbol of a new beginning for the city.

Now pay attention to the architecture. The town hall is typical of the early Neo-Renaissance style, which is characterized by rich decoration and symmetry. Take a look at the facade - here you can see how the windows are decorated with blocks and how the brick wall alternates with the niche. These details are proof that the architects were trying to create a building that was not only functional but also beautiful. Note also how the water is in the guttering pipes that evaporates and creates a small corner of silence.

This place has many stories. In 1910 the county and tax authorities were located here, while the city office moved to a new building on the Upper Square. That means the town hall was an important place at the time to decide the life of the whole town. Around 1960, the building began to undergo the first reconstruction, which adapted it for new purposes. In the 1990s, further modernization took place, making the town hall a home for a library run by the famous author Jiřina Zábranová.

One interesting thing is that the town hall was built in 1872 as a new administrative building. Before that, there might have been other buildings, but this one became the center of administration. The architects tried to build a building that was not only functional, but beautiful. Note how the windows are decorated with blocks and how the brick wall alternates with niche that gives the building a distinctive look.

Now we're going to talk about some of the personalities involved in this building. Josef Gočár was a famous Czech architect who devoted himself to modern art and architecture. Jiřina Zábranová is a writer who resides here as a librarian and associates the surroundings with books and literary stories. Milada Horáková was an important Czech politician whose name is associated with resistance to nausea and whose merits were forced to leave the country. Jan Zábrana was an important writer and publicist who was responsible for the development of Czech literature.

The interesting thing is that the town hall was built to be visible from all over the square. That means everyone who looked at the Lower Square saw this building. By the time it was built, it was a new building that became a symbol of urban development. Note also how the water is in the guttering pipes that evaporates and creates a small corner of silence.

Now, let's talk about how the town hall evolved. In 1912, the city council moved to a new building in the Upper Square, and so the district authorities remained. In the 1960s, the building began to undergo reconstruction, which adapted it to new purposes. In the 1990's, there was another modernization that brought her into today's form.

Notice how the town hall alternates with the surrounding buildings and how its appearance is linked to the history of the city. It's a place where history, architecture and the life of the city meet. If you have time, also explore the surrounding square where various events occurred in the past. Town Hall is just one of many places to welcome you to the beautiful city of Humpolec.

Thank you for your attention and we wish you to be interested in this historical object. Feel free to look at the library that is based here, or take a walk around the square and discover other great places. The city awaits you with many experiences and stories that deserve to be recognized. May your visit to Humpolci bring you much joy and inspiration.