Vila Marianum Villa

Welcome to the beautiful Janan Spa. Right now, when you're standing right in front of this beautiful building, I believe you can feel the strange, noble atmosphere of a place where the calm of nature and the elegance and art of the last century are united. The Vila Marianum stands before your eyes. It is a building that immediately captures your view with its richness and its chosen style. Before you go on your next trip, I suggest you stop for a while, take a deep breath and just watch. Feel the beauty that surrounds you right now. This villa is not just an ordinary house or building for accommodation. It is a living witness of ancient times when architecture sought harmony, beauty and expression of something higher through detail.

Let us now return together to the time when the first stones of this building began to lay down. More than one hundred and twenty years ago, precisely in the year one thousand and nine hundred and four, construction began to take place, which was to fundamentally change this place. The aim of the then builders was not only to build a beautiful mansion, but above all a place of treatment, peace and rest. The villa was designed and built as a sanatorium, a place intended for healing and care of the sick priest of the royal hradec diocese. Imagine those times when people were looking for shelter from diseases in these quiet and clean areas. The whole construction process was very fast and effective, the following year, i.e. in the year one thousand nine hundred and five, the whole building was completed. Since then, the villa has undergone many changes, but its original spirit and character have remained intact. Its importance to our heritage is so great that, since the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-two, this building has been recognized as a monument which must be strictly protected for future generations, so that the beauty and the work that you see right in front of you today is not lost.

Now pay attention to what you see right in front of you on the very body of this building. Look up and look at the facade. Vila Marianum is an excellent and clean example of Art Nouveau style, which was so extremely popular and sought after at the beginning of the twentieth century. This style, often referred to as Art Nouveau, is known for loving smooth, organic lines and rich, almost playful decoration. Notice this dominant tower that's standing in the corner of the building. The tower gives the whole object a sense of grandeur, strength and orientation in space. It is she who makes this villa so easily recognizable even from far away and who gives it the right, majestic look. And then look at the amazing details on the walls. See the rich stucco decorations? These decorative elements, which are formed directly on the facade, are typical of this period. They are fine shapes that give the building depth, richness and movement. Every detail, every line and every decorative form that you are now observing has its meaning and creates the overall impression of luxury and immense care with which the whole building was invented and realized.

Every such important building has its own people behind it, and even though the names of the architects themselves who drew these lines remain unknown in history, we can learn about the people who made this villa possible at all. One of the most important names in the story of this villa is Hugo Wihard. That wasn't just an ordinary contributor. He donated the very building site on which this beautiful villa stands. However, its support did not only end with a gift of land; He helped with his generosity to supply everything needed for the actual implementation of the construction. Without his decision and support, this place would probably never look the way you see him today. In the history of this place there are also other names associated with it, such as Josef Doubrava or Helena Wihardová. These people are deeply associated with the spirit of this place and its development in time.

Perhaps you are now interested in the fascinating transformation this object has undergone over decades. Imagine how priests once moved here looking for healing and peace for their soul and body. The place that was originally established as a closed area for treatment and care of a selected group of people became something completely different over time. In the year one thousand nine hundred eighty eight, a diocesan centre was set up here and today the villa serves the wider public as a guesthouse. It is a fascinating idea how a place that was once intended for a very specific purpose opened up to all people looking for accommodation, comfort and peace in this beautiful environment. This transformation from a healing sanatorium to a place for guests shows how architecture can remain alive and useful despite changes in social conditions.

I hope that this brief insight into the history and details of Marianum Villa has at least interested you a little bit and helped you better understand what you are looking at. Vila Marianum is the real treasure of the Janské Spa and its beauty is a clear proof of the art and effort of the ancient masters. Before you go on your next trip and continue to search this place, I suggest you try again to perceive the harmony between this building and its surroundings. Feel the beauty that surrounds you. I wish you a very pleasant and beautiful walk and many other interesting experiences in this wonderful city. Goodbye.