Hydroelectric power plant in Spálov - a beautiful building in beautiful nature

Semily - The beautiful building in a beautiful nature is the hydropower plant in Spálov, not far from Semily. For modern architecture, it could serve as a great textbook on the harmony between industrial construction and nature. The building, designed in the art deco style near the confluence of the Jizera and Kamenice rivers, would definitely not be recognized as a power plant by an uninitiated layperson. It resembles more of a castle or a villa. The building hides many treasures inside, which is why the town of Semily recently agreed with the ČEZ company to open the plant to the public starting in May.
    "I am glad that we managed to agree on making the plant accessible and that people will no longer have to admire it only from the outside," said the mayor of Semily, Jan Farský, who advocated for the accessibility of the plant. He admitted that what fascinates him about the building is primarily the fact that even industrial objects were built by their owners in the 1920s like castles or villas, and they invested in quality interior fittings. "Even then, it must have been expensive, yet they were willing to pay for such things, even though they were significantly poorer than we are today," noted the mayor.
    The plant is one of the stops on the famous Rieger Path. It was built according to a design by Antonín Jílek and Emil Králíček and is evidence that in the past, no expenses were spared on industrial buildings. The construction is of such quality that it has been serving for 80 years without major repairs. The main hall, which houses the machine room, could very well be a dance hall; all it would take is to dismantle two Kaplan turbines that replaced the original Francis turbines a few years ago. The lighting is stylish, and the stairs leading to the basement are lined with decorated cast-iron railings.
    The machine room is dominated by a gallery supported by columns and above it, a large mural by Ferdinand Rubeš depicting an allegory dedicated to electric energy. Below it, the gallery occupies a control panel with a black marble top from the company of František Křižík. Those who once controlled the turbines from this spot must have felt like being on a captain's bridge. However, today the control panel, with its dials, colored lights, and buttons, mainly serves as decoration, as the plant is operated by a computer and dozens of indicators have been replaced by a single computer screen.
    Most of the original equipment has been preserved as documentation of the era. The instruments and gauges show that it is possible to combine purpose with aesthetic value. This dimension is mostly lacking in modern equipment. "I like that when they were repairing the power plant, they didn't discard these things, but preserved everything in its original state," said Jaroslav Flouma, who has been operating the plant for several years. Despite the automated operation, the complex equipment still needs people, although today one person is sufficient per shift instead of four.