Steinův rodinný dům Family house

Welcome to the tour of the Masaryk district in Brno. Right now, you're standing on the street in the Stránice district, and before your eyes, there's a significant functionalist structure known as Steinův rodinný dům. Take some time, take a deep breath, and let the atmosphere of this place take hold. If you look in front of you, you see an object in the shape of a simple block, which is very sensitively placed in the steep slope of the Yellow Hill. It is this position in the slope that strongly affects the outer shape of the building floor, which you can now observe.

Let's look into the past and remember how this monument came into being and what fates followed it. The year is nineteen hundred twenty-five and on this slope construction begins according to the project of an important architect, which was Ernst Wiesner. The house was built by the director of the telephone company Willy Leo Stein along with his Mrs. Margaret Stein. They wanted to find a comfortable and modern living here, which thanks to Wiesner's skill they managed to do the most. Ernst Wiesner was based on the great ideas and influences that came from the famous architect Adolf Loos at the time. These marks are still visible on the house today, especially in the cleanliness of shapes, efficiency and overall concept of the building as a simple geometric body.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and the details that extend before you. Note how the building uses demanding terrain. Architect Ernst Wiesner was great in connecting human work to the natural impact of the steep slope of the Yellow Hill. The object has the shape of a simple block and its outer floor changes depending on where you look at it because the slope below it is falling. When you look at the front of the house, you realize that this part was officially declared a cultural monument in nineteen-hundred and fifty-eight. It reflects clean lines and emphasis on the function of each part of the house, which are the main features of functionalism, the villa of which is a key representative in the entire Masaryk district of Brno.

But the stories associated with this place are far from just the beauty of architecture and modern housing. Steinův rodinný dům also carries a deep and tragic subtext. It reminds us of the dark fates of the Jewish elite in Brno during World War II. The original owners, married to Stein, had to face terrible events of that time. Their home was taken from them, and in nineteen hundred forty-three houses were bought by the Nazi leader Karl Schwabe. Imagine for a moment the sudden upheaval of fate, when in a building that was designed for the joy, peace and development of family life, suddenly there were representatives of power who bore destruction. It's a memento that we should always remember when we look at these walls.

The garden that belongs to the house also carries an interesting chronology. The original space was supplemented by a modern swimming pool in nineteen hundred thirty-seven. Imagine what technical and social news it was at the time. The owners could enjoy relaxing right by their house, set on the slope with a beautiful view. Today, the garden and pool form an integral part of the historical complex, which breathes the atmosphere of interwar modernity, but also bears the scars of the twentieth century.

When we're slowly finishing our stop today, look again at this clean functionalist facade. Steinův rodinný dům is not only an example of the masterful work of architect Ernst Wiesner and influence of Adolf Loos, but it is also a witness of human joys, of building enthusiasm, but also of great human tragedies. Thank you for listening to this audio guide. I hope there was a walk for you in the Masaryk district and a stop at this villa rewarding. I wish you a beautiful rest of the day and a happy journey on your next discovery of the historical beauty of Brno. Goodbye.