The Year of Folk Architecture will commemorate its creators, kicking off with an exhibition

Prague - The Year of Folk Architecture will be inaugurated this evening at the Trmal Villa in Prague with an exhibition titled "Famous Buildings of Jakub Bursa and South Bohemian Folk Masters." This event commemorates folk architecture, which is not as prominently promoted as urban historical buildings or, more recently, industrial monuments, and is linked to this year's anniversary of the master mason and builder Jakub Bursa, who was born on July 21, 1813.
     The exhibition has been prepared by the Foibos agency and the Kotěra Centre for Architecture, which is based in the Trmal Villa. According to the organizers, Bursa (1813 to 1884) is the most renowned and distinctive creator of brick folk architecture of the 19th century. He was one of the first masons to decorate the facades of village homesteads with extensive stucco ornamentation. His works can be found in numerous villages and towns in the intricate region of the Šumava foothills between Strakonice and Prachatice.
     Throughout the Year of Folk Architecture 2013, the organizers aim to pay tribute to all known and unknown creators of folk architecture and construction. This reminder of the work of folk builders should inspire the exploration of their creations, their heritage, and the architectural and cultural wealth that exists not only in 61 heritage reserves and more than 200 heritage zones but also in hundreds of other places, villages, towns, and throughout the landscape.
     The organizers promise to establish a website where they can publish their programs, invitations, activities, and news, and inform all interested parties about folk architecture from home and abroad. Throughout the activities of the Year of Folk Architecture 2013, a methodological and organizational center will operate at the Kotěra Centre for Architecture in the Trmal Villa in Prague 10.