Walking Tour II.
Grey stands

Tour no 2 includes eleven stops in the modern part of the city.

It starts at the Museum of Eastern Bohemia, continues across Tyrš Bridge to the former Novák’s Garages, along the riverbank downstream the Labe River to Svoboda Square. From here, the tour leads through the pedestrian zone to Masaryk Square, and then to Ulrich Square. Going past Priest Ambrož’s Congregation it continues to Tyl’s Riverbank with Gočár’s school buildings. Across the river, past Sander’s power station at the Labe River the tour brings you to Jirásek’s Gardens to the place where Labe and Orlice come together. In the gardens the tour goes past the Eastern Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas and the remains of the military fortification. The walk ends at the old Adalbertinum in the avenue Československé armády.

The monumental building of the museum on the city’s riverbank was realised according to the project of the architect Jan Kotěra in 1909 - 1912. It became the symbol of the oncoming period of Czech modernism. Major Czech artists such as the sculptor Vojtěch Sucharda, painters František Kysela and Jan Preisler participated in the decoration of the museum.

For its undoubted architectonic and artistic qualities the museum was designated a listed building - the only one in Hradec Králové.

Two models of Hradec Králové may be of particular interest to the visitors of the museum. So-called Žaloudek’s model shows the city at the time when it still was a military stronghold. The model from 2000 was designed in the model laboratory of the Faculty of Architecture in Prague.

The vast collections of the museum include for example a decorated belt from the 15th century, which the legend ascribes to Eliška Pomořanská, or the remains of a mammoth in the archaeological collections. The part of the exhibitions related to technology shows for example the old automobile Start, one of the last models produced in Hradec Králové. In fact, the museum itself is a magnificent architectonic work of art. The collections introducing the work of Jan Kotěra and Hradec Králové, so-called “Salon of the Republic”, rank among the real jewels of the museum.

The City Spa on Eliščino nábřeží (Eliška’s riverbank) belongs to the best works of architect Oldřich Liska. The functionalist construction was built in 1933. With its thirty-meter swimming pool and simulated waves the spa became the most modern indoor pool in the Czech Republic.

The building is a part of the urban collection of buildings on the Labe riverbank which includes the building of Commercial Bank (architect J. Rejchl, 1933) or the Sokol Hall by architect M. Babuška. In the right wing of the Sokol Hall Hradec Králové Philharmonic is based. Between 1997 and 1999, a complete reconstruction of the City Spa was carried out, the spa was enlarged and the aquapark with many attractions was built.

The palace of garages by engineer Novák, Hradec Králové’s pioneer of car industry is an example of flawless cooperation of the architect and the builder. The palace was built in 1932. The revolutionary conception of this monumental construction with a hundred and fifty parking places was designed by the architect Josef Fňouk. The six-metre broad spiral ramp that passes through the centre of the building constitutes the dominant feature of the palace. On the roof it is covered by a marked cupola. The descendants of engineer Novák renovated the building according to the original project and it now serves the same purpose as before.

After Ulrich Square, Masaryk Square, situated among blocks of houses away from the traffic, is the second most important open space in the modern part of Hradec Králové. It has a triangular plan and the facade of constructions by Josef Gočár (1922) at its northwest end form the characteristic feature of the square. In 1926, the monument of president T. G. Masaryk by Otto Gutfreund, renowned Czech sculptor, was placed in front of this dominant architectonic setting. Thus the square became a place for peaceful contemplation as well. In 2002, the square became a part of the pedestrian zone that starts at Baťka Square and runs through the adjacent Čelakovský and Švehla streets. Walking through the pedestrian zone, you may admire many other interesting buildings such as the dwelling house by architect V. Fultner (1912), former Carda’s bakery by architect B. Waigant (1912) or the house of the Nevyhoštěný Company by architect O. Liska (1914).

According to the regulation plan, Ulrich Square was supposed to become the modern centre of the city. Architect Josef Gočár laid out its urbanistic and architectonic composition and designed monumental rectangular space.

At places where Gočár’s avenue enters the square, four corner buildings which are two floors higher that the surrounding houses create symbolic gates to the square. The south end of the square is occupied by the former seat of the National Railway Headquarters by architect Gočár. Today it is the seat of the Czech Police and many other offices. The opposite end is dominated by a monumental palace, formerly the seat of factory owner Steinský-Sehnoutka (architect O. Novotný, 1929), today the seat of the bank ČSOB.

Priest Ambrož’s Congregation is another outstanding construction by architect Josef Gočár. During 1926 - 1929 the church with 26.5 meter high white prismatic tower was built according to his project together with the school complex on the right side of the Labe River basin. The constructionist buildings of the church are situated on a triangular estate. The main entrance with the view of the atrium and church tower is between two onestory buildings. The ambit around the atrium creates a columbarium that unites all the buildings into one complex. The constructions are concrete and the facades combine fair-faced brickwork with white plaster. Priest Ambrož’s Congregation has recently gone through a thorough reconstruction, which made it possible to use the building not only for the purposes of the church, but also for cultural events, mainly art exhibitions.

Kotěra’s student at the Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture architect Josef Gočár, later the professor and rector of the school, reached remarkable achievements in the area of urban planning. Many of them are found in Hradec Králové: the unique regulation plan of the city, the staircase Na Kropáčce, the adaptation of Masaryk Square and other projects. Gočár’s conception of the school complex on today’s Tylovo nábřeží (Tyl’s riverbank) is equally remarkable.

Previously Rašín’s, at present Tyl’s Grammar School was built in 1925 - 1927. This complex includes the school building, gym and the headmaster’s villa. In front of the entrance to the complex, there is a six-metre bronze statue of the Victor by Jan Štursa, one of the founders of Czech modern sculpture. The statue was placed here after it had been displayed at the World Exhibition in Paris so as the state symbol of the Czechoslovakia by Otto Gutfreund dated 1925 - 1927 on the south wing of the building. Next to the grammar school, Gočár placed the primary and junior high schools, at present Tylovo nábřeží (Tyl’s riverbank) Primary School and a kindergarten.

The Labe River power station is one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in the city. It was built in 1910 - 1912 according to the project of architect F. Sander on the place of an old weir, called Hučák. However, the construction was fully completed only after the First World War. It is a unique and still functional technical construction.

The two-wing building is dominated by a clock tower with a relief symbol of the city in the plaster. The bridge at the station is five metres wide and fifty-six metres long. On the pillars street lighting poles are placed and there are also kiosks with the facilities to control the weir. In 1996, the complete reconstruction of the power station and the bridge was completed. The construction is lighted, and they look impressive even at night.

The gardens, originally officers’ gardens at the time of the military stronghold, are situated on a triangular area bounded by the confluence of the Labe and Orlice rivers. In the gardens you will find a number of rare tree species. Numerous kinds of flowers bloom here in summer creating manifold colour variations and smelling beautifully. This is also why the park is popular with people in love.

In the gardens, there is a monument to the writer Alois Jirásek, and a sculpture by J. Škoda depicting the confluence of the Labe River with the Orlice River. You can see a number of attractions in the gardens, such as the fortification gate, and you can also visit St. Nicholas Church, which was transported here from Eastern Slovakia. It is possible to get to the park from Komenský or Křižík streets.

St. Nicholas’s Church in Jirásek’s Gardens is an interesting example of wooden vernacular architecture. Originally, the church was built in 1502 - 1510 in the Habura town near Mezilaborce in Eastern Slovakia. In 1740, it was sold to Malá Polana, where it was converted to a Greek- Catholic Church of St. Nicholas-the Wondermaker. In 1935, the church was purchased for Hradec Králové thanks to the efforts of Mayor Josef V. B. Pilnáček. It was renovated expensively and situated into Jirásek’s Gardens. The church is surrounded by the authentic fence. In the church interiors your attention will be drawn to a well-preserved iconostas, twelve arm chandelier and other items of indoor decoration.