Secession Villa Primavesi in Olomouc will open its doors to visitors

Olomouc – The National Cultural Monument Villa Primavesi in the historic center of Olomouc will be open for people to visit on Thursday, April 18, during the event Open Monument Doors. This was announced to journalists today by the mayor’s deputy Pavel Hekela (spOLečně). The Art Nouveau residence of the Moravian-Italian bankers and merchants Primavesi is one of the most significant buildings of modern architecture in Olomouc and Central Moravia.

According to Hekela, interested visitors will be able to view the central hall, dining room, rooms, winter garden, and terrace that offers a view of the neighboring park at Villa Primavesi. "In addition to the fact that visitors will have access to places that are otherwise little known, an interesting accompanying program will also take place in the selected venue on this day," Hekela stated.

Next Thursday evening, a piano recital will be held at Villa Primavesi, and there will be a coffee tasting in its café. The villa will be adorned with festive floral decorations and special lighting.

The Open Monument Doors event has been organized in Olomouc since 2013 on the occasion of the International Day of Monuments. "The International Day of Monuments is an occasion that historical Olomouc should definitely not overlook. Our modern tradition draws public attention every year to one of the many monuments in Olomouc," Hekela noted.

In previous years, people in Olomouc had the opportunity to visit, for example, the church of the Czech Brethren Evangelical Church, Hus Church, St. Michael’s Church, the garden of the Klášterní Hradisko, or the Crown Fort.

Villa Primavesi was built in 1905 as the family residence of banker Otto Primavesi and his wife Eugenie, a well-known Viennese actress. The villa is the work of the architect duo Franz von Krause and his associate Josef Tölk. Prominent Viennese artists contributed to the interior decoration, particularly architect Josef Hoffmann, sculptor Anton Hanak, and painter Gustav Klimt.

In 2006, Villa Primavesi received a new façade. In the following years, its interior was also renovated. The wooden staircase, railings, and wall coverings in the hall were reconstructed, for example. The period dining room, whose paneling was designed by architect Anton Hanak, was also restored. The extensive restoration, which returned the dining room to its original appearance, took experts a total of 22 months.

Currently, several companies and apartments are located in the renovated Villa Primavesi.