A house with a soul

Between Mariánské Lázně and Úšovice stood the Schönau district. After the railway and station were built in 1872, Schönau developed rapidly. In 1895 its administration was taken over by Mariánské Lázně, and the beautiful Ansper villa district grew between the post yard and the hospital.

The Matulka family decided to build this house here, designed by architect Franz Schmidt. Vincent Matulka, head of the local power station, died in 1906 after an accident at a transformer station. In 1910 the house received number 425 and the widow Aloisie Matulka named the villa ELEKTRA. Today’s Lužická Street was formerly called Dyleňská (Tillenbergstrasse).

The house remained in the family’s possession until 1945. After the Second World War it was confiscated under President Edvard Beneš’s Decree No. 108 of 25 October 1945. After the expulsion of the German population, ownership passed in 1949 to the Czechoslovak State Forests. Offices and staff flats remained here until 2002.

Since 2012 the pension and restaurant have been operated by the company of Martin Zeleník.