Kramář's Villa

Brief information

Kramář Villa looks like a private house, but it was conceived on an almost state-like scale: it has 56 rooms, and most of them served not everyday domestic life but representative purposes. Karel Kramář built it as a residence for himself and his wife Naděžda, and in 1998 the building became the official residence of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.

The plot inherited an important restriction: when purchasing the land, Kramář undertook to build only a single-storey building with its facade facing the Vltava, so as not to spoil the panorama of Prague Castle. Therefore the villa’s scale is read not only in its height, but in the breadth of its plan, roof, facades, garden, and the service buildings around it.

What to notice right away

It makes sense to compare the exterior silhouette with the interior concept. Outside, the mansard roof and the risalits on the southern and western Neo-Baroque facades are important: they help the large house look imposing, even with the restriction on the number of storeys. It is also worth noticing the facade facing the Vltava: its orientation is not connected with the owner’s whim, but with the condition of preserving the view of Prague Castle.

Inside, according to the source description, the villa combined several languages at once: the salon and dining room were designed in the Byzantine style, the living room in the Old Russian style, and Art Nouveau masters worked on the interiors. This was not a random mixture of decoration: it was influenced by the Russian connections and tastes of the Kramář family. The French-style garden and two small houses for staff add another layer: the villa was arranged as an entire private residence, not just a single house.