The Kramář Villa and the Ministry of Industry will be open to the public

Prague - On the occasion of today's national holiday, Kramář's Villa in Prague will be opened to the public. This villa serves as the residence of Czech prime ministers. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is also organizing an open house. In the historic building on the Vltava riverbank, visitors will be able to see exhibits documenting the development of bicycles.

The tour of the interiors and gardens of Kramář's Villa will be accompanied by expert commentary from historians. They will introduce visitors to the history and present of the building as well as the lives of its first owners, Czechoslovak Prime Minister Karel Kramář and his wife Naděžda.

The villa, built in 1915, has 56 rooms. After the death of the Kramář couple, the property passed into the ownership of the Society of Dr. Karel Kramář, which leased the villa to the National Gallery. Later, the property was taken over by the National Museum and in 1952 it came under the administration of the Office of the Prime Minister, which used it for representation purposes and accommodation for state visits. Since 1998, the villa has served as the residence of Czech prime ministers.

The last time Kramář's Villa was opened to the public was this May as part of the Open House architecture festival. Another open house was originally scheduled for September 28, but was moved to today for technical reasons.

In addition to the prime ministerial residence, the Ministry of Industry and Trade's headquarters on Na Františku street will also be open to the public. The expansive building with a glass dome was constructed between 1928 and 1934 according to the designs of architect Josef Fanta. "Visitors can look forward not only to a tour of the representative spaces of the building but also to interesting cycling collections from the National Technical Museum, which map the historical development of bicycles," the ministry promises. Costumes, penny-farthings, and rare adult tricycles will be on display.

On this national holiday, people will also traditionally have the opportunity to glimpse into the residence of the Senate and the House of Deputies. The Parliament will open its historic and representative spaces, as well as the meeting halls where laws are passed.