#Apartment block #Prague (Praha) #1938
Victor Fürth, Josef Havlíček, Ernst Mühlstein, Leo Lauermann, Karl Kohn, Otto Kohn
Milady Horákové 845/96, 846/94, 847/92, 848/90, 849/88, 850/86, 851/84, 852/82, 853/80, 854/78, 860/76, 861/74, 862/72
170 00
Prague (Praha),
Czechia
Public transport: Korunovační / Sparta
Today's use: Apartments and shops
Description
The elongated block has 14 houses with 13 entrances. One house is designed as a semi-detached house. Originally, the houses designed by the different architects were planned with different designs. But the magistrate of the city of Prague demanded that the facade has to be unified. For this purpose, the Kohn brothers worked out an overall concept in 1937. In the end, Josef Havlíček was responsible for the final unification, as Otto Kohn had already had to emigrate in 1938. After all, the individual houses differ slightly. For example, the front doors, the staircases and also the flat sizes. In the entire block there are both one-room flats and a flat withup to 10 rooms.
The several houses were designed by:
- 846/94, 861/74: Arnošt Mühlstein and Victor Fürth- 847/92: František Votava- 848/90, 849/88, 850/86, 851/84, 862/72: Otto and Karl Kohn- 852/82, 853/80: Josef Havlíček- 854/78, 860/76: Leo Lauermann.
To have a look inside of the houses, click here to see a short video. From minute 3:09, the interior of a house designed by Leo Lauermann is shown. The Prague architect and historian Zdeněk Lukeš also presents a flat on the top floor in which many original details have been preserved. For example, the window knobs, mechanical levers for windows or partition walls made of glass. These allow the interior corridors to be lit with daylight. In addition, the houses were technically very well equipped, for example with lifts, central heating and laudries.
The original pure white plaster facades were only restored on the two head buildings during the last restoration.
Description
The elongated block has 14 houses with 13 entrances. One house is designed as a semi-detached house. Originally, the houses designed by the different architects were planned with different designs. But the magistrate of the city of Prague demanded that the facade has to be unified. For this purpose, the Kohn brothers worked out an overall concept in 1937. In the end, Josef Havlíček was responsible for the final unification, as Otto Kohn had already had to emigrate in 1938. After all, the individual houses differ slightly. For example, the front doors, the staircases and also the flat sizes. In the entire block there are both one-room flats and a flat withup to 10 rooms.
The several houses were designed by:
- 846/94, 861/74: Arnošt Mühlstein and Victor Fürth- 847/92: František Votava- 848/90, 849/88, 850/86, 851/84, 862/72: Otto and Karl Kohn- 852/82, 853/80: Josef Havlíček- 854/78, 860/76: Leo Lauermann.
To have a look inside of the houses, click here to see a short video. From minute 3:09, the interior of a house designed by Leo Lauermann is shown. The Prague architect and historian Zdeněk Lukeš also presents a flat on the top floor in which many original details have been preserved. For example, the window knobs, mechanical levers for windows or partition walls made of glass. These allow the interior corridors to be lit with daylight. In addition, the houses were technically very well equipped, for example with lifts, central heating and laudries.
The original pure white plaster facades were only restored on the two head buildings during the last restoration.
History
At a prominent location in the city, the idea for a long row of large apartment buildings was born in 1937. Initially, the houses were to stand individually. But in the course of planning, they were lined up right next to each other. The construction work was completed in 1938. During the different political regimes, people in leading positions always lived in the flats. Thus, in the First Czechoslovak Republic they were directors, in the time of the German occupation employees of the film industry and in socialism functionaries. They watched the frequent political parades directly from their window, as they were held on Letenská pláň, the large square/park next to the block. Perhaps for this reason, the building complex was declared a national cultural monument as early as 1958. After the political turnaround in 1989, the perception of the block as a particularly luxurious address ended. What remained the same for all residents, however, was the grandiose view over the city near Prague Castle.There is some debate as to where the colloquial name of the house comes from. The most probable is that it was derived from Moloch. The meaning is large, repulsive, negative - which could refer to the enormous size.
History
At a prominent location in the city, the idea for a long row of large apartment buildings was born in 1937. Initially, the houses were to stand individually. But in the course of planning, they were lined up right next to each other. The construction work was completed in 1938. During the different political regimes, people in leading positions always lived in the flats. Thus, in the First Czechoslovak Republic they were directors, in the time of the German occupation employees of the film industry and in socialism functionaries. They watched the frequent political parades directly from their window, as they were held on Letenská pláň, the large square/park next to the block. Perhaps for this reason, the building complex was declared a national cultural monument as early as 1958. After the political turnaround in 1989, the perception of the block as a particularly luxurious address ended. What remained the same for all residents, however, was the grandiose view over the city near Prague Castle.There is some debate as to where the colloquial name of the house comes from. The most probable is that it was derived from Moloch. The meaning is large, repulsive, negative - which could refer to the enormous size.
Sources
Sources
