Steam train above the dam

Have you noticed that the Stross villa looks like a boat? And that’s no coincidence. Apparently, the owner’s wife wanted it to look like that, to commemorate their beloved cruise down the Nile. The dream residence, designed for textile magnate Franz Stross by Thilo Schoder and built by contractor Adolf Bürger, was completed in just two years (1923-1925). 

Luxurious interiors

The building itself is a remarkable blend of many period architectural styles. Its “naval” look is attributed to the alleged wishes of Stross’s wife, who apparently wanted to commemorate their beloved cruises down the Nile. The interiors were also built with great care and a good deal of luxury – exotic woods, marble, opal glass, etc. It is therefore no wonder that the entire building cost Stross 6.5 million crowns, an incredible sum at that time. The family of four sadly only enjoyed the villa for a few years, as being Jewish, they were forced to leave the country in 1938. In 2000 the villa was refurbished for the administrative purposes of the Regional Public Health Authority. 

An architectural gem

The entire building is so exceptional that architects compare it to such gems as the Müller Villa in Prague or Brno’s Villa Tugendhat.