Sightseeing in Prostějov

The Marigold house (T. G. M. Sq. 5) medieval with later Gothic portal, reconstructed 2nd half of 19th C in late classical style with Art Nouveau elements. The frontispiece bears a mosaic of the Virgin Mary designed by Jan Köhler 1933.

The House from Jan Pavlát of Olšany (T. G. M. sq. 11) originally Gothic with a Renaissance alehouse built in the early 16th C. Reconstructed 1839. The facade bears a sculpture of St.Roch, which was commissioned by the widow of the owner, Italian merchant Roch Prestinary, after his death in 1736.


Now let's take a close look at the extensive House No. 12 on the narrow western side of T. G. Masaryk Square. In the niche of its neo-renaissance facade there is a Sculpture of St. Margaret(with a dragonet). The Late Gothic portal in the right wall of the passage dates from about 1500, while the vault of the passage has been altered several times. In 1993 - 94 new attic rooms were built there for municipal offices.

The town hall was built on the site of a former military barracks in the years 1911 - 1914 to the design of Karel Hugo Kepka. The building was constructed in historical style. The narrow front facade was not planned symmetrically. The dominating feature of the town hall is created by the four - sided tower of 9 m width complete with clock, which is finished off by a rotund superstructure and a copper dome. The front facede is 28.7 m wide and 19.5 m high at the cornice, the total heightof the tower is 66 m. Above the bow - windows an astronomical clock is a dominant feature, showing the months of the year, the position of the moon and sun in the sky. The main interior of the town hall includes sculptural work,stucco decoration and a range of utilitarian work. This utilitarian work and features, glass doors, decorative windows, lighting stands, chandeliers, furniture, was carried out by craftsmen from Prostejov. The Vulkania company was responsible for the metalwork and chandeliers, Josef Bernouer the sculptural and masonery work, Vladimir Pleskly the stucco work, Robert Koraljka the chairs and furniture, Bedrich Zahradnik the lattice-work and stoves. The interior decoration makes use of non-renaissance components, e. g. meander, pearl, circle and spiral. Other decorative components on banisters and lighting are strongly influenced by Art Nouveau. The entrance to the building is predominantly white, while other parts are mainly ochre, red and brown, but also gold. Both artificial and natural stone are used on the walls. Artificial stone predominates in wall facings, on stairways and on landings. The fireplaces in the rooms are decorated with Carrera marble.

Another example of the eclectic decorative style around 1910 is the corner building of the former Živnostenská banka (Trading Bank, No.17), designed by Osvald Polívka, a Prague architect. The relief arches around the display-windows have been extended to form ogee-arches, typical of late Gothic style.
The northern side of T. G. Masaryk Square used to be the promenade in Prostějov, and was commonly referred to as " na grejcarce " (on the farthing). The largest shops were concentrated in this part of the square. The New house on the corner (No. 18) was erected in the 18th century. This is obvious from the outside, as has a mansard roof, frequently used in the baroque period, and also inside, according to the cross-arched and Prussian vaults. Its facade, however, is in the Biedermeier style and dates from 1818.

The house known as "The Post Office" (No. 20) has a late baroque portal with the emblems of the Austrian Imperial Post Office

The Golden Well (T. G. M. Sq. 21) originally late Gothic. Early Baroque portal from 1666. Has a ceramic house sign by J. Köhler 1936. The passage is roofed with a pointed Gothic arch circa 1300

St. Anthony's, 19th C. (T. G. M. Sq. 22) birth place of the poet Jiří Wolker. Bust of J.W.by J. Tříska 1966

Onšův dům (Oneš' House, No 24) has a remarkable portal.

The Three Squirrels (No.27) is a house built on two adjecent plots. The renaissance vault in its passage has been preserved. The 2nd floor was added in 1912

The White Swan (T. G. M. Sq. 28) with a relief house sign. Stands on the site of two gothic houses and has been altered several times. Last alteration 1898 - 1907

The Old Town Hall, Renaissance (1521 - 1530), now Prostějov Museum. Decorated entrance portal 1538 - 39. Re-styled in Baroque with the addition of a loggia in 1697. Restored in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross - end of 14th Century. Baroque reconstruction 1702. Remains of medieval stations of the cross in the parish garden.

Renaissance Chateau in Pernštýnské square built 1528 - 1530 under the Lords of Pernštejn. The portal of 1568 - 72 with figures of Vratislav II of Pernštejn and his wife. Lichtenstein coad of arms added 1604. The -gateway is carved with symbols of the Pernštejn and Šelemberk families.

The National House Theatre - Vojáčkovo square 1. The National House in Prostějov ranks among J. Kotěra´s most outstanding works, and is also one of the highlights of Czech Art Nouveau and Modernism in general. The functional division of the building into theatre, club, seat of an association and a connecting section including a restautant and a large hall is also reflected by the geometrical shape of the individual elements of the complex. Another admirable feature is the precise finish of the smallest details, but also the "grand form" of the structure as a whole. 

A great deal of the original décor has been preserved in the lecture - hall (situated on the 1st floor of the connecting section) in the club rooms and function rooms in the House of Associations. These rooms, painted according to a design by František Kysela, are not open to the general public.
The ground-floor of the connecting section, the-walls of which are decorated with motifs of a Haná girl and a deer by František Kysela, accommodated a stylish restaurant, with a ceramic fireplace designed by Karel Petr. The motif of a geometrically stylised female figure also appears on the fountain built from coloured majolica, on the corner of Školní street. The fountain is by Stanislav Sucharda.

Baroque church of St John of Nepomuk - built alongside the Monastery of The Merciful Brothers from 1751 - 1755. Decorated with paintings by A. Sebastini, sculptures by J. Schubert.

Parish church of St Peter and Paul (Petrské square). Earlier interior reconstructed 1728 - 1731 in Baroque style. Elevated to parish church 1938 and placed under Salvadorian control. Restored 1939 - 1940 and given an onion - domed tower. The nearby Baroque chapel of St. Lazarus (1726) stands at the corner of the former cemetery.

Church of St. Cyril and St. Methodius (Brněnská) formerly Capuchin. 1860s Late baroque. Reconstructed in New Baroque style 1902 - 1903.

The Botanical Garden (Lidická street). The Botanical Garden in Prostejov has been included in the international list of Botanic Gardens since 1986.The Town Council decided to establish the Botanical Garden in 1932. The area of a former cemetery and the adjoining Lazarety street was chosen as its location. This was the culmination of the efforts of professors: Vaclav Spitzner, Rudolf Wolf, Frantisek Havranek, Frantisek Cvetler and MUDr. Jaroslav Mathon. On 24th March 1933, “The Curatorium for the Botanical Garden in Prostejov” was established and its members included: professors Wolf and Havranek. The Curatorium wanted to develop the type of Botanical Garden, where interesting combinations of regional plants would be represented.

The garden was opened on September 9th 1934. The initial area of the garden was 1.5ha. During WW-II, 3000m2 of the garden were taken for other uses and the collection was destroyed. After the war the Botanical Garden was restored, but it has never become as big as it was before. The extent of the garden and the plant collections have been renewed. The Botanical garden now primarily serves students and school children as it is the perfect place to give lessons about nature. However the general public are also welcome.

Created 4.11.2015 14:55:02 | read 4612x | Jiří Třísko
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