Zdrazilův dům Building

Welcome to the village part of Předměstí. You are standing in front of a building that immediately draws attention to its appearance and brings us back to the time when the city was modernising and looking for its new face. In front of you is Zdrazilův dům, a beautiful tenement house that carries the spirit of the turn of the century. The first impression of this building is very strong, especially thanks to its location and bold form, which is very confident in the area of the street.

Let us now stop at how this house was built and in what historical context it was built. The building was built in the year of the ninth. At that time, very interesting things started happening in architecture. Old ways of building slowly gave way to new trends that brought more ease, ornaments and inspiration to nature. It is this house that is one of the first swallows of a new style known today as Art Nouveau, here in Opava. It is fascinating to think that at the time of its construction, this house represented modernity and a new beginning for the whole neighborhood.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and look carefully at the details you see right in front of you. Notice how the building works with space. The dominant feature of the entire building is the corner prism tower, which optically raises the house and gives it a proud character. It's an element that was used at the time to make the building in the corner of the street look representative and visible from a distance. But if you look at the total mass composition of the house, you'll see something very interesting. Although the house brings the elements of the Art Nouveau, we still feel the aftermath of the previous period, which was history. It's a bridge between two worlds. The building combines organic shapes that are typical of newer style, with rugged and structure that resembles older traditions. It is this contrast that makes the house a unique piece of the Pops architecture.

If we focus on the personalities associated with this place, we can't forget the name by which the house bears its name today. In the year of a thousand and nine hundred four, the painter Adolf Zdrazil moved into this house. Imagine how the atmosphere in the house must have been when he lived and created an artist. The presence of such a personality of the house added a cultural dimension and connected architecture with art. It is likely that it is because of the connection with the artist that the house has become seen in people as a place of inspiration.

Now I bring you to one of the greatest attractions you can see right on the facade of the house. Look up at the wall of the building. Notice the fresco there, the painting on the plaster. The picture depicts the dancing girls in the famous landscape. It is a detail that gives the house a poetic mood and perfectly complements the Art Nouveau character of the whole building. This painting is a reminder of the time when architecture and painting intertwined in one harmonious whole. It is an element that gives the visitor a sense of peace and joy, while at the same time testifying to the aesthetic demands of the people who made this house.

It is important to realize that the value of this house is not only in its beauty, but also in its historical significance. That's why the building has been officially protected since a thousand and nine hundred fifty-eight. This means that the state has recognised that this house is an essential part of the city's identity and that it must be preserved for future generations in its original form. When you look at it, you don't just see masonry and plaster, but you see a monument to the Opava urbanism from the early 20th century.

Stop for a moment and feel the atmosphere of this place. Imagine how, over a century ago, people were walking through here in contemporary clothes, how in the tower window maybe someone was watching the streets and how painter Adolf Zdrazil was entering his home. This house is living proof of how the city changed and how different architectural directions intertwined.

Now that you've become familiar with the main features of the House of Health, I suggest you go around it again slowly and observe from different angles how light hits it, which can highlight the details of its facade and the depth of the corner tower. Note how the building is registered in the vicinity of Předměstí and how it creates contrast with the surrounding buildings.

Thank you for your attention, and I hope you are interested in this short trip to the history of the Opava Art Nouveau. You can now continue to explore other beautiful corners of our city. I wish you a pleasant walk and many other discoveries. Goodbye.