People can visit Kramář's Villa in Letná today, even on holidays

Prague - Today, people can visit the Kramář Villa in Prague's Letná Park. The residence of Czech prime ministers currently serves for representative purposes and meetings primarily with foreign statesmen. It is named after the chairman of the first Czechoslovak government, Karel Kramář, who had it built on the old bastion at the beginning of the last century. Visitors will see the interior of the building as well as the garden with a unique view of the Vltava Valley. The first guided tour will start at 09:00, and the last one at 16:00. At 14:00, a special tour will take place in Czech sign language, as informed by the Czech Government Office.

Interested visitors can also view the Kramář Villa on the occasion of the upcoming two July state holidays, namely the celebration of the Day of Slavic Apostles Cyril and Methodius on July 5, and the Day of the Burning of Master Jan Hus, which falls on July 6.

From an architectural point of view, the Kramář Villa is difficult to categorize, as the Neo-Baroque style is complemented by typical Art Nouveau elements. Nevertheless, it is considered one of the prominent buildings of Prague's villa architecture. Kramář's Russian wife, Naděžda, infused the interiors with elements of Eastern aristocracy and Oriental architecture. During the First Republic, the villa near Prague Castle was referred to as the "vzdorohrad" due to the tense relationship between Kramář and President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. Visitors during the open days will learn about the interior and the artworks located in the villa, as well as the history and current use of the building. They will see, for example, the dining room decorated with Byzantine motifs, Karel Kramář's study, and the billiard room. The guide's commentary ends in the garden of Kramář Villa, from where there is an impressive view of the Vltava River and the Prague skyline.

Traditionally on weekends and exceptionally on the occasion of both July state holidays, the villa of Hana and Edvard Beneš in Sezimovo Ústí will also be open to the public. The second Czechoslovak president, Edvard Beneš, spent the last moments of his life in the villa near Tábor, where he died in 1948. He mainly came here to rest but also received significant visitors. Hana Benešová bequeathed the house with the land to the Tábor museum in 1973 to serve as a memorial to her husband. During socialism, the building was converted into a government recreation residence. Since 2000, the house has been a cultural monument managed by the Government Office.