Grabova vila

Grabova vila is a historicist family villa with a chapel in Prague's Libeň district, standing on Na Košince street next to the former Košinka estate and surrounded by a park bordering U Meteoru street. It was built in the 1890s for the family of Hermann Grab, owner of the M. Grab Söhne company, designed by the Prague builder and architect Josef Blecha.

Who commissioned the villa?

The Grab family of entrepreneurs arrived in Prague from Drahelice near Nymburk in the early 1840s. Around 1876 they acquired the Košinka estate, and between 1879 and 1880 they set up an imperial-royal privileged factory producing waxed fabrics and carpets there. By the end of the 19th century, it had grown into the largest enterprise of its kind in the entire Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Hermann Grab, son of the company's founder Moritz Grab, built the villa as the family's residence right next to the factory estate.

How did the building change over time?

The villa was originally a single-story structure with a smaller floor plan than today. Between 1928 and 1929 it underwent a major reconstruction: a second story with an attic was added, the building was extended northward along its entire length, and a basement was built in. As a result, the villa gained a hipped roof, dormer windows, and recessed mansard walls, giving it the grander appearance it has today.

Who used to visit the Grab family?

The Grab family home hosted a number of notable figures from Central European cultural life. Guests included the composer Richard Strauss, brother-in-law of Alice Grab, the philosopher Theodor W. Adorno, and the writer Max Brod. Hermann Grab Jr., grandson of the factory's founder and himself a writer and pianist, also lived in the villa, making the house a notable point of reference for the cultural history of the period.

What happened to the villa in the 20th century?

During the Great Depression, the Grab family sold the villa in 1932. The building was then converted into a boarding school for girls from wealthy families, the so-called English institute Victoria College. Between 1941 and 1945, the building was used by the Prague branch of the Hitlerjugend. After the Second World War it housed a police headquarters, and after 1948 it served as a children's home.

How is the villa used today?

Since 2000, Grabova vila has been administered by the Prague 8 Municipal District and used for the needs of the district office, housing among other things its housing, property, and environment department. The villa is opened to the public only a few times a year, for instance during the Open House Prague festival in spring or during European Heritage Days in autumn. On these occasions, visitors can typically view the ground-floor halls, the winter garden, and the adjoining outdoor garden.

When is the best time to visit?

Since the villa functions as an administrative building on a daily basis, the best opportunities to see it are those same open days — the spring Open House Prague festival and the autumn European Heritage Days. It is worth following local announcements for these events, as they remain the only regular chance to see the interiors and garden of the villa without a prior appointment through the district office.

Frequently asked questions

Who was the villa built for? It was built in the 1890s for Hermann Grab, owner of the M. Grab Söhne company, designed by architect Josef Blecha.

Can the villa be visited on a regular day? No — on a daily basis the building serves as the seat of the Prague 8 district office. Public visits are possible only a few times a year, such as during Open House Prague or European Heritage Days.

Who visited the villa in the past? Guests of the Grab family included Richard Strauss, Theodor W. Adorno, and Max Brod, and the writer and pianist Hermann Grab Jr. also lived there.

How did the building's use change over time? The villa served in turn as a family residence, a boarding school for girls (Victoria College), a Hitlerjugend seat, a police station, a children's home, and, since 2000, the administrative seat of Prague 8.