Vila Vladimíra Čelakovského Villa

Vila Vladimíra Čelakovského, located on a slope in Barrando, Prague, between the streets of Barrandov and Skalni, is a unique example of functionalism from the early 1930s. This family house was built in 1932-1933 by the architect Vladimir Grégr for JUDr. Vladimir Čelakovský and since 1992 it has been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

The history of the villa begins in 1932-1933 when it was built for Dr. Vladimir Čelakovsky, son of publicist Marie Čelakovsky and Jaromir Čelakovsky, Director of the Earth Bank. The villa became part of family life, where it was connected to a significant cultural tradition - the great-grandfather of Vladimir Čelakovský was the poet František Ladislav Čelakovský. The architect Vladimír Grégr, who designed and built the villa, was influenced by a modern design, especially by a visit to the exhibition in Stuttgart in 1927 and by the work of Hans Scharoun.

Architecturally, the villa is characterized by an irregular ground plan that adapts to the narrow terrain. The main entrance part of the building is located from Skalní Street and is ground-floor, while the two-storey part extends towards Barrandovská Street. The villa has a rounded western part that avoids the neighboring Vorl villa, and the middle part pushed into the garden. The large terrace is connected to the reduced eastern part of the building. Both floors are bright with wide windows, which is typical of the functional style of the time. The entrance upper floor is connected with the living floor of two snail staircases and the rounded living hall contains the upper gallery, which provides a view of the Vltava valley.

The villa was built for Dr. Vladimir Čelakovský, who belonged to an important family with a rich cultural tradition. After his death, the house became part of the history of Czech architecture and was declared a cultural monument in 1992.

Among the interesting things are the original passageway between the grounds of Čelakovský and Vorlov Villa, which connected the streets of Barrandovská and Skalná. From this old clutch there was a concrete entrance staircase near Barrandov Street, which was restored from November 2019.

Today, Vladimir Čelakovský's villa stands as a reminder of the architectural trends of the early 20th century and is an important place for visitors who want to discover the history of Czech functionalism. Its protection as a cultural monument ensures the preservation of this unique architectural work for future generations.

Vila Vladimíra Čelakovského is not only a monument to Czech architecture, but also a testament to the cultural tradition of the Čelakovsky family. Her visit offers a view of history and enables appreciation of the beauty of functionalist design in the context of Prague landscape.