Reading Time: 5 Minutes 11 Seconds
The history of Villa Zenker
Villa Zenker, officially known as Vila Felicitas, is an example of constructivist modernist architecture in the small town of Abertamy, in the Krušné hory (Ore Mountains).
During the interwar period, Abertamy was a major center of the glove-making industry in Czechoslovakia, and the economic boom generated by this trade shaped the town’s architecture.
Glove-making had been established in Abertamy by 1850, and the town became known worldwide.
Before WWII, the glove factories employed more than 11,000 people from the surrounding area.
The primary raw material was goatskin, and Abertamy gloves were known for their high quality and variety of designs.
After World War II, the various glove-making firms were merged into the national enterprise “Rukavičkářské závody” (The glove manufacturing factory).
The villa was built in 1927-1928 for Alfred Zenker, one of the sons of businessman Barnabas Zenker, who had owned a glove manufacturing company in Abertamy since 1892.
Another son, Arnold Zenker, built another villa for his family across the road, now an hotel and restaurant known as Vila Victory – you can see it while standing in the garden of Villa Zenker.
In 1936, Alfred Zenker modernized the villa to accommodate Felicitas, his daughter, who was paralyzed and used a wheelchair.
In 2023, the local town hall bought the property from the Karlovy Vary Region, with the intention of restoring the villa and opening it to the public.
As part of the revitalization project, non-original features have been removed.
Architecture & Interior
Villa Zenker combines functionalist design with decorative elements.
Because of its design and features, it is sometimes called the “Tugendhat Villa of the Karlovy Vary Region.”
Its architectural plans have not survived, so the architect is unknown. Local accounts and historical reports suggest the design was influenced by Adolf Loos‘s Raumplan concept to organizing interior space.
The building has 3 floors and a mansard level with dormer windows.
A glazed loggia supported by brick pillars shapes the first-floor façade.
The entrance staircase is covered by a semicircular roof and leads to a walled side garden with decorative circular grilles and a pergola.
The villa had modern features for its time, including air conditioning and radiators covered in marble.
Many original interior features from the 1930s remain.
The ground floor kitchen has a tiled stove and built-in cabinets, and connects to the adjacent dining room through a pass-through window.
Upstairs, built-in wooden wardrobes include washbasins. The bathroom retains its pink marble finish, original fixtures, and shower with massage jets.
Villa Zenker was declared a national cultural monument in 2008 and and remains one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind in the area.
While other local villas were altered for new uses, Villa Felicitas remained largely unchanged.
How to visit Vila Zenker
The Abertamy Museum is in charge of the guided tours to the villa, where visitors will have a glimpse into the villa’s history and see its present condition.
At the time of writing, tours are held on Fridays at 13:00, with occasional special openings, and are in Czech only. You can send them an email asking whether they have an English brochure.
Ticket sales help fund the planned repairs and restoration.
How to get there
The best way to reach Abertamy is definitely by car, due to the location and time needed.
You can surely travel by public transport, though better if you are already in the area, or if you plan on staying in the surroundings for few days.
Trains from Karlovy Vary main station (don’t confuse it with the lower station, where the intercity buses like Regiojet or Flixbus stop) reach Pernink 8 times a day.
From Pernink station walk down to reach the main square, where you can catch a bus or walk almost 4 km until Abertamy.
Except for the short section at the exit of the village (see points 3-4 on the link above), there is a paved path that runs parallel to the road.
It is pretty safe and people walk or ride bikes there all the time to move between the two villages, so don’t worry.
Perhaps you can try hitchhiking, too.
There are also direct buses from Karlovy Vary to Abertamy main square via Hroznětín, or with a change in Jáchymov.
Remember to plan your trip in advance and check the latest public transport schedule on pubran.cz.
