#Sports facility #Prague (Praha) #Czechia #1926
Letenské sady 32
170 00
Prague (Praha),
Czechia
Public transport: Letenské náměstí
Today's use: abandoned
Description
The relatively small building fulfilled its functions adequately. On the outside, architect Bohumír Kozák designed an elegant two-storey building. A wooden pergola is set in front of the restaurant on the south side. This makes it a very pleasant place to sit in summer. The building is also surrounded by trees from Letná Park. The abandoned building has luckily been preserved in its original form. The middle part is dominated by the entrance and the terrace above it.
Originally a lettering with the tennis club's name was stretched between two flagpoles.
Inside, next to the main entrance opposite the tennis courts, there were changing rooms with showers for men and women. The upper floor once housed the lounge, from which the terraces could be accessed.
Description
The relatively small building fulfilled its functions adequately. On the outside, architect Bohumír Kozák designed an elegant two-storey building. A wooden pergola is set in front of the restaurant on the south side. This makes it a very pleasant place to sit in summer. The building is also surrounded by trees from Letná Park. The abandoned building has luckily been preserved in its original form. The middle part is dominated by the entrance and the terrace above it.
Originally a lettering with the tennis club's name was stretched between two flagpoles.
Inside, next to the main entrance opposite the tennis courts, there were changing rooms with showers for men and women. The upper floor once housed the lounge, from which the terraces could be accessed.
History
The tennis club was founded in 1904 by students of the Prague Faculty of Law. The number of members grew over the years, so it was decided to plan a new clubhouse in 1925.
The idea of building purely wooden houses is of course relatively old. But planning them rationally and industrially is part of industrial history. Garden sheds and construction site buildings were built, and there were companies such as Christoph & Unmack from Germany, that specifically focussed on timber construction and its distribution. The construction method is very widespread in North America.
The club was nationalised in 1950, but tennis continued to be played on the premises. Although it was possible for the club to lay claim to its old property after 1989, the club building in the eastern part of the grounds remained in state ownership. The building was used for various purposes, but has been empty since 2012.
Well-known Czech tennis players and, before World War II, the famous Czech actresses Lída Baarová and Nataša Gollová trained on the grounds.
An important year was 2014, when the clubhouse was registered as a cultural monument.
In 2023, the club managed to regain ownership of the entire site. In 2024, a contract was agreed that the City of Prague would lease the property for the next 30 years. In return, the club will pay rent to the municipality every year. The contract also stipulates that the tenant, as the club, must renovate the run-down clubhouse.
History
The tennis club was founded in 1904 by students of the Prague Faculty of Law. The number of members grew over the years, so it was decided to plan a new clubhouse in 1925.
The idea of building purely wooden houses is of course relatively old. But planning them rationally and industrially is part of industrial history. Garden sheds and construction site buildings were built, and there were companies such as Christoph & Unmack from Germany, that specifically focussed on timber construction and its distribution. The construction method is very widespread in North America.
The club was nationalised in 1950, but tennis continued to be played on the premises. Although it was possible for the club to lay claim to its old property after 1989, the club building in the eastern part of the grounds remained in state ownership. The building was used for various purposes, but has been empty since 2012.
Well-known Czech tennis players and, before World War II, the famous Czech actresses Lída Baarová and Nataša Gollová trained on the grounds.
An important year was 2014, when the clubhouse was registered as a cultural monument.
In 2023, the club managed to regain ownership of the entire site. In 2024, a contract was agreed that the City of Prague would lease the property for the next 30 years. In return, the club will pay rent to the municipality every year. The contract also stipulates that the tenant, as the club, must renovate the run-down clubhouse.
Sources
