The historic villa of Gustav Geipel in Aš has a new owner

Aš - The heritage-protected villa of Gustav Geipel in Aš in the Cheb region has a new owner. The historic property has been sold at auction by the state since 2021. According to the city leadership, which was also interested in the villa, it has now been purchased by a private company with a Ukrainian owner. The new owner is expected to use it for personal residence, informed the Czech News Agency (ČTK) by the mayor of Aš, Vítězslav Kokoř (ANO). The owner did not respond to ČTK's inquiries.

The city hall was interested in the luxurious 19th-century villa and wanted to buy it. However, the high acquisition costs and the technical condition, which required a financially demanding renovation, were issues. Many wooden elements had already been infested by wood rot after years. Initially, the state offered the property at auction for eight million crowns, which it gradually lowered. However, the city did not want to accept even the reduced price. It had no use for the villa anyway.

"Unfortunately, it happened that in the last round of the auction, probably only one interested party registered. It is a company that engages in the management and purchase of real estate, which we found out only after the auction took place and when the contract was to be discussed," said Deputy Mayor Pavel Matala (independent).

The city contacted the new owner. It wanted to know how he would handle the property. It was concerned that he might use it, for example, as a guesthouse. However, the villa is heritage-protected, so it is overseen by heritage conservators. "He was explained how to proceed with the renovation of the villa. Subsequently, a meeting took place with the participation of a professional guarantor for Aš from the National Heritage Institute," the mayor stated. According to him, the new owner communicated that he would respect everything and use the villa for his family’s residence.

The villa of Gustav Geipel, which is located near the historic center, belonged to one of the most significant entrepreneurs in Aš. It was built in 1888 according to the plans of the architectural office Köhler & Pschera. It is designed in the spirit of romanticizing historicism. After World War II, it was nationalized. In 2015, the Ministry of Culture declared it a cultural monument. Until 2018, it served as a police station, after which it remained unused.