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Villa Petschek
9
OTTO PETSCHEK VILLA PRAGUE
Ronalda Reagana 181/3
Praha 6
Otto Petschek Villa
Otto Petschek
- Born in 1882
- Original owner of the villa
- Married, had four children
- Doctor of law
- Wealthy coal magnate, industrialist, and banker
- Petschek family were German-speaking Jews
- One of the wealthiest families in Czechoslovakia
- Allegedly an "armchair architect," his designs are still in the villa's library
- Inspired in particular by Versailles
- Died four years after the villa's construction
- The Petscheks fled Prague for New York in 1938 at the onset of the war
Petschek Palace
/ other buildings
Spielmann also built the Petschek Palace, a bank that would become the notorious headquarters of the Gestapo during the war.
Petschek Palace
/ other buildings
Chinese Embassy in Prague
Chinese Embassy in Prague
Russian Embassy in Prague
Russian Embassy in Prague
Petschek Family overview
http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Petschek_Family
Petschek Family overview
Max Spielmann
- Spielmann is perhaps best known for the Villa and the Petschek Palace
- Built villas in Prague for many members of the Petschek family
- Born in 1881 in Kroměříž, Moravia (a region of Czechia), Jewish descent
- Studied architecture in Vienna
- Died in 1970 in Wiesbaden, Germany
- It appears he fled for France at the beginning of the war
- http://arch-pavouk.cz/index.php/architekti/533-spielmann-max
Historical Timeline
Historical Timeline
1924 - 1929 Villa Construction,
during Czechoslovakia's First Republic
1934- Otto Petschek dies
1938 - Petschek family escapes Europe
Nazi occupation of the villa under
General Toussaint
1945 - Soviet occupation
followed by Czechoslovak General Staff
1948 - Leased to the US ambassador Laurence Steinhardt
1948 - 1989 Communist era of Czechoslovakia
1968 - Prague Spring
1989 - 1992 Shirley Temple Black serves as US Ambassador
1993 - Czechoslovakia dissolves, Czech Republic forms
US Acquisition of the Villa
US Acquisition of the Villa
An excellent write up of how Steinhardt acquired the villa in a book about Cold War diplomacy in Prague:
goo.gl/5Uwgfx
Some interesting points: Steinhardt was able to lower the price of the villa by counting the cost of abandoned US Army equipment in Czechoslovakia as debt to the US. This was a sore point between the US and Czechoslovakia for years. This was resolved during negotiations in 1982, in which the surviving Petscheks were also compensated.
Structure and Style
- Over 50,000 s.ft.
- 148 rooms
- Different publications describe the building in terms of different styles (Neo-Baroque, Reinassance, French Bauxs Arts)
- Inspired by Versailles and the Musee Carnavalet
Structure and Style
2007
Renovation by EYP
- Addition of a new, enclosed elevator
- New accessible route from first floor to garden
- "all new building systems"
https://www.eypae.com/client/us-department-state/us-ambassadors-residence
2007 Restoration by GEM Art Group
2007 Restoration by GEM Art Group
"GEMA ART GROUP performed the work in scope of the restoration of statuaries, decorative metal railings, restoration and replicas of historical lamps and restoration of decorative art glass components"
http://www.gemaart.cz/en/international-projects/280-czech-republic-the-chief-of-mission-s-residence-prague-6-bubenec
Interiors
The villa was built with many state of art accomodations, such as zinc storage for coats, an elevator, and operable glass walls that open onto the terrace.
A slide show of the interior provided by the state department:
http://www.aic.cz/slides/residence/
Interiors
Blue Carpet
A particularly important furnishing is the 45 meter blue carpet that connects the corridors on the first and second floors
Blue Carpet
Wasserman Apartment
Otto Petschek's in-laws lived in the villa, which the state deparment says is a "miniature replica of the downstairs rooms"... an interesting design choice...
Nazi Insignias
Many pieces of furniture were labeled with Nazi insignias during the occupation. These insignias remain in the house. Pictured here is one such insignia
Nazi Insignias
Pool
Site & Context
Site & Context
- Located in the Bubeneč district of Prague
- Prior to 1922 Bubeneč, was an indepedent village
- https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubene%C4%8D
- Google map: https://goo.gl/AaBGmA
- Area is an embassy hub: https://goo.gl/fjHszu
- 2 hectare site
Exterior features
- Rose garden
- Winter garden (?)
- Staff-house
- Deputy-Chief of Mission's house (?)
- Greenhouse?
I could only find cursory references to all these features.
Resource List
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z4VgDVO8ipZN1daeUdWN89iAL4lyMapWKzWTv63ppFs/edit?usp=sharing