At first meeting, Ing. Eva Krepčíková may impress upon you the nature of a spring flower, demure and soft spoken, decidedly petite. One would hardly associate her with the bustle and bulk of building pursuits when, in fact, she is intimately related to the architectural process from the ground up, carving out an enviable career in a predominantly male field. Krepčíková specializes in restoration, first thoroughly studying the history of the building then using traditional materials, methods and techniques to achieve its former glory.

Krepčíková graduated from the Technical University in Brno as a civil engineer and later added to her credentials postgraduate studies in art history with a special focus on building and historical research, and fluency in Italian and English. She has headed restoration projects all over the Czech Republic, notably in the UNESO-listed towns of Český Krumlov and Telč, making her one of the most respected professionals in the field. Past posts include ICKM Real Estate as Technical Department Director, Aukett Praha and SÚRPMO as Chief Project Engineer. The Italian GESIM Group is her current assignation.

We recently explored Prague’s Josefov quarter with Krepčíková as our capable guide.

Josefov, once a Jewish ghetto named after the Emperor Josef II, lies in the center of Prague between Pařížská, Old Town Square and Kaprova. It’s doubtful that the many tourists, or even the city’s own residents, who stream past these edifices daily, could guess at the jewels hidden within.
From 1882 to 1886 the demolition and replacement of the old buildings here reflected myriad trends in early 20th century style: eclectic architecture, neo-baroque, late Art Noveau, Art Deco and the beginnings of modernism. The differences between the grand structures built at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries can be seen in the architectural details; some bear the mark of the so-called older generation of architects, others represent the new wave in architecture.

Throughout history, a building’s nobleness has been judged by its entrance. Magnificent hallways, grand entrances, sweeping staircases — these were the first things glimpsed by visitors and, as such, were designed to make a lasting impression.
Valentinská 10, erected around 1910, is one of the latter Josefov buildings, styled in Art Deco with hints of modernist detail. Enter through the original portal of the eye-catching, classical Art Deco façade and find yourself in the main hallway of the building, presided over by a coffered ceiling adorned with colorful glass mosaic tiles. The overall effect is complemented by the exquisite green glass tiles that embellish the walls, so typical of Art Deco. The original floral-motif tiles on the floor echo the aesthetic of the mosaic ceiling.

The ceiling lamp, once the jewel of the entrance hall, exists today in the form of an exact replica. The original, stored during reconstruction in a “safe” place, proved too great a temptation for thieves who made it past the security detail entrusted with its safekeeping.

The original elevator, another treasure, has been declared a technical and artistic monument and is one of the few remaining Art Noveau elevators in Prague. It regularly features in both local and foreign films. A suspended, octagonal wonder with pearl-and-wooden marquetry and original glass windows within, it is separated from the staircase by a wire grill inscribed with gold signs and other tiny, gold-plated details. The cabin contains stained-glass window panes that make another appearance along the staircase, a beautiful touch that complements the magnificent feel of this architectural wonder.

Maiselova 5 occupies a street lined with jewelery shops and galleries, named after a wealthy and generous benefactor named Mordachaj Maisel. Sitting directly opposite the Maisel Synagogue, this beautiful example of Art Nouveau architecture also sprang up in 1910. Even before its restoration, the building’s solid condition allowed for the preservation of many of its original details.

Among them, the well-preserved apartment entrance doors and other doors within, bearing their original paint work in a style known as “faux wood painting”. This old technique — wood grains are painted onto various surfaces with special brushes made from extremely fine squirrel tails — used to be quite common, but today languishes in the past as a forgotten art form, truly mastered by the few individuals who specialize in restoration.

The original Art Nouveau fittings grace the surfaces of the letterboxes, and name holders are equally well-preserved. Everything within has been restored to its original glory; only a few replicas stand in place of original components and fixtures.

From a preservation point of view it was impossible to interfere with such a wonderfully preserved space. The only suitable place to install a modern elevator was in a ventilation shaft in the building’s center that ascended from the basement all the way onto the roof. The single reconstructive change was to the ground floor of the building, where a central part of the shaft was demolished and replaced by a very modern, glass encased section of the elevator shaft, which starkly contrasts with the original historic interior. Such a change does not visually violate the interior in any way, but rather the gently illuminated elevator shaft pleasantly accents and accompanies the spirit of the building.

These two buildings, both built at the beginning of the 20th century, and only a few streets apart may differ in character, yet exemplify the quality architecture of that time. The razing of original buildings may have damaged the medieval feel of the city, but the beauty created by a generation of architects and artists at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries, is an integral part of the city’s history and appeal. Today these grand old UNESCO-listed buildings with their inimitable appeal, deeply impact their beauty on the pedestrians walking through this part of the city, the memory of them remaining close to the heart for a long time.