Vila Löw-Beer (Půlpecen) Villa

Vila Löw-Beer in Pohlpecn near the village Chrastavec in Svitavsk is a representative Art Nouveau building from 1912-1913. Originally served as a summer residence for a major business family. The building is a cultural monument and has an excellent preserved layout of the interior as well as a number of authentic elements that illustrate the lifestyle of the industrial elite in the early 20th century.

The construction was carried out by Arnold Löw-Beer, owner of textile factories in nearby Brno. The original project of 1910 was not implemented because the owner was not satisfied with a proposal which he considered to be insufficiently representative. The new project, probably by Brno builder Johann Weisz, was carried out in 1912-1913. The foundation of the villa falls within the period of late industrial expansion of Austria-Hungary, when the wealthy families built luxury homes in close proximity to their production sites.

The architecture of the villa combines elements of late history and Art Nouveau. The three-storey building of a rectangular plan with a mansard roof stands on an artificial terrace on a steep slope above the Svitavou river. The main entrance in the basement level is decorated with a semi-circular porticus, above which is the bay of the winter garden. The interior was originally equipped with marble lining foyer, wooden tiles and fabric wallpaper with plant motifs. The technical features of the time included an electric dining elevator. The complex included an extensive garden of park character, tennis courts and tiles lined with oval swimming pool.

After the death of Arnold Löw-Beer in 1922, his eldest son Felix inherited the villa, who moved to it from the original premises of the factory. Subsequently, the building was owned by other family members, August and Walter, along with Felix's children. After the German occupation in 1939, the family property was confiscated by the Nazis. After the end of World War II in 1945 the villa was nationalized. In the 1950s it underwent construction modifications and was divided into seven housing units. In the 1970s, the original two-arm stone staircase leading from the road was removed as part of the construction of the water pipeline.

Since 1989, Chrastavec has been the owner of the building, which uses it as an apartment building. In 2006 the villa was declared a cultural monument, which prompted subsequent repairs. Total reconstruction of the facade, roof and windows took place between 2010 and 2012. At the same time, a prefix of the building and a new side access staircase were built.

Villa Löw-Beer represents a valuable proof of architecture and lifestyle in the early 20th century, which has been preserved despite adverse historical events and later building interventions. Visiting this place offers the opportunity to look into the history of the industrial heritage of the region and appreciate the effort to preserve the monument protected building.