The reconstruction of Arnold's villa in Brno for 130 million crowns is complete

Brno - The extensive reconstruction of Arnold's villa in the Brno Černá pole district, which adjoins the Tugendhat and Löw-Beer villas, is nearing completion. The restoration of the monument cost 130 million crowns, of which 38.5 million was successfully obtained from Norwegian funds. An additional 20 million crowns will be spent on the revitalization of the extensive garden, which will be funded from Brno's budget. The Museum of the City of Brno, which manages the villa, informed about this in a press release today.

"The heritage restoration of the complex added building structure required specific approaches and methods. One of the most demanding sets of work involved the static securing of the building, both externally and internally. A specific restoration intervention was required for the truss system and the timber-framed wall of the so-called Arnold's tower, which offers stunning views of the neighboring Tugendhat villa as well as the distant Špilberk castle," said museum spokesperson Barbora Kachlířová.

The ceremonial opening of the villa is scheduled for Thursday, December 14, and from January 15, the villa will be in a trial operation. The villa will house the Centre for Dialogue with two permanent exhibitions. The exhibition Genius Loci will be dedicated to the Brno architect and builder Josef Arnold and the history and architectural development of the villa, while the second permanent exhibition will be titled Jews in Brno, with the preparation being contributed by the Brno Jewish community.

The centre will gradually open to the public over the first three months of next year, offering lectures, community meetings, educational programs, and other projects.

The work on the garden restoration is planned to be completed by the end of April, so from May 1, the villa will be fully accessible, including the outdoor space.

The house stands in close proximity to the accessible Tugendhat and Löw-Beer villas but is older. It was built for the builder Josef Arnold in the 1860s. The last private owners of the villa perished during World War II. From the 1950s until 2013, the villa served as a kindergarten, after which it remained empty and fell into disrepair for almost a decade. During the architectural-historical survey, a number of original elements were found, such as flooring and window fittings.