vila Artemis Villa

Welcome to Karlovy Vary, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in this city. Right now, you're standing in front of a building that carries more than a century of history and elegance. The vila Artemis stands before you. If you look at her, the first thing that's likely to interest you is her balance and calm. It's not a building that wants to impress you with excessive pomp, but rather with its purity and proper arrangement. It is a home that matures with time and still retains its dignity.

Let us now return in time many years back, to the year one thousand eight hundred seventy-five. It was this year that the villa was built. At that time, a new neighborhood began to emerge in this part of town, which we now know as Westend, and this building is one of the very first to grow up here. It was created by the ambitions of a man named Anton Stainl who wished for a place where he could live in comfort and style. To achieve a perfect result, he entrusted the project to the experienced creator Conrad Eckl. Alfred Bayer and Heinrich Johann Vieth worked with him on the shape and appearance of the villa. Imagine what this neighborhood looked like at the time this villa was one of the first signs of the bloom of the whole neighborhood.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself. If you look at the building as a whole, notice its regular shape. The villa has a square plan, which gives it a sense of stability and harmony. It's a two-storey building that's stand-alone, so you can admire it from all sides. Notice how the whole structure of the building is symmetrical. This means that the left side mirrors the right side, which creates a sense of total peace and balance. This style is called neopalladianism and in Karlovy Vary this villa is considered one of the purest examples of this direction. It is an architecture that has returned to the foundations of ancient order and purity, without unnecessary ornaments that would distract attention from the form itself.

When we think about who lived and worked in these walls, we think of other names. In addition to Anton Stainl's founder, J. Milton was associated with the villa. The significant break in the history of the house was the year of a thousand and nine hundred and eight when Josef Klimmer bought the building. Each of these men brought his own energy into the house and helped him survive a stormy period of European history. The villa was thus not just an ordinary house, but a witness to the social rise and fall of the people who formed the face of the then Karlovy Vary.

And now I'm going to lead you to one really interesting thing that may be invisible at first glance, but essential. Notice how loyal the building is to its original form. You may be surprised that it's not because the owners never want to change anything, but rather because of historical coincidence. During a certain period, a large reconstruction was planned, which was to convert the building into a geometrical secession style. This would mean a completely different look, different lines and probably a different atmosphere. But the First World War came and all the reconstruction plans stopped. Paradoxically, however, this tragic event preserved the original appearance of the villa from the year one thousand eight hundred seventy-five. It's fascinating that the war that destroyed so many others, in this case, helped to preserve the architectural jewel in its purest form.

If you have the opportunity to look inside, I suggest you focus on the ceilings. In the interior, the building has preserved its original stucco ceilings, which are a beautiful addition to its exterior appearance. It's rare to maintain such a unity between the outer murmur and the inner core of the house.

Villa Artemis has undergone other changes in a more recent act. In the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine it was officially declared a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, which guaranteed protection for future generations. In the year two thousand and five, it was restarted. Today it is no longer a private house, but it has become part of the luxury hotel complex Savoy Westend Hotel. By integrating it into this resort, it can be accessible today and maintained in perfect condition, while still retaining its identity as a separate historical building.

Now, if you look at this building again, think of it as a bridge between the past and the present. You're standing in front of a house that survived two world wars, regime changes and fashion trends in architecture. It's a symbol of stability in a constantly changing world. It is a reminder of the time when it was built with regard to eternity and symmetry.

I hope this short trip to history has helped you see Artemis Villa in a new light. Now you can look at the details of the facade in peace, perceive the atmosphere of this quiet neighborhood and maybe think about how many stories have taken place in these walls. I invite you to another walk around and discover other hidden pearls of Karlovy Vary. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a pleasant rest of the day in our beautiful city.