Today, Beneš's villa in Sezimovo Ústí was visited by around three hundred people

Sezimovo Ústí (Táborsko) - About three hundred people visited the villa of Hana and Edvard Beneš today in Sezimovo Ústí in Táborsko. They took advantage of this year's penultimate date when the government office, which owns the property, is holding open days at the villa. These continue on Sunday, and the public can visit the places where President Beneš spent time with his wife for the last time on October 27 and 28, said Petr Musil from the press department of the government office to ČTK.
    "People are most interested in Edvard Beneš's study and then the bedroom where the former president died on September 3, 1948," Musil stated. The public views the interior of the building, which is surrounded by extensive gardens and the Lužnice River, in groups of fifteen with a guide. The guide provides commentary about the villa and the Beneš couple. The tour lasts about 45 minutes. "All guides are historians and have excellent knowledge, so the public learns interesting things during the tour," Musil said.
    He added that there are a number of visitors who return to Sezimovo Ústí. Even though they have been waiting since 2009 when the government office reconstructed the building, the exhibition has remained practically unchanged. "But people come back just for the garden by the villa. They are interested in how it looks in spring, summer, or autumn," Musil noted.
    The villa, after a recent restoration, corresponds to the original design of architect Petr Kropáček from the 1930s. The reconstruction, including the interior furnishings, cost nearly 20 million crowns. The building is the only government residence outside of Prague.
    Edvard Beneš spent the last moments of his life in the villa. He mainly went there to rest, but he also received significant visitors. Hana Benešová bequeathed the house and grounds to the Tábor Museum in 1973 to serve as a memorial to her husband. However, during socialism, the building was converted into a government recreational residence. It is no longer expected that state officials will regularly vacation in the villa. However, there are spaces for governmental visitors and a prime minister's room on the second floor.
    Since 2000, the building has been a cultural monument. Entry to the villa, as well as to the memorial at the entrance to the garden, is free.