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Otto Petschek’s Residence | Exhibition

27.11.2012
National Technical Museum, Kostelní 42, Praha 7
Fee: at the National Technical Museum

About the Event

The exhibit displays two entirely different aspects of the residence built by Max Spielmann and the Matěj Blecha construction company during the years 1924-1930, for banker Otto Petschek. On one hand, it is a conservative yet luxurious style villa, primarily inspired by French classical baroque. On the other hand, the villa was filled with the latest technology of the day – an unparalleled achievement.

The exhibit will showcase both the historical arrangement and contents of the villa, as well as part of the modern technological equipment.

From the start, Otto Petschek’s villa was conceived as a structure representing a builder. Despite the family’s efforts to maintain their privacy, their social and economic standing required the home be suitable for receiving the most distinguished visitors.

Possibly the most ceremonious moments of Petscheks’ residency in the villa came during two royal visits – the Romanian King Carol and shortly before Otto Petschek’s death, the Yugoslavian King Alexander.

The villa fills its representative role even decades later, when guests have been American presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, who dined there in 2010 with heads of state of eleven central and eastern European countries.
Since the end of WWII, the villa has been the residence of the American ambassador and is currently undergoing its first major remodeling. Thanks to this, it is possible to display some of the contents and present the home to the public.

Exhibition will be open from November 28, 2012 to March 31, 2013.


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