The Villa of Theodor Liebieg, Jr.

Jizera Mountains

Jablonecka 27 / 41
Liberec, 460 01

Phone: +420 485 243 111
E-mail: info@magistrat.liberec.cz
Web: www.liberec.cz

This villa was built by Theodor von Liebieg Jr. as a prestigious family residence and owing to its grandeur it is also often known as the Liebieg Chateau. The building now houses Liberec City Hall.

The Romantic-like building based on an actual medieval, early modern aristocratic mansion came into existence between 1897 and 1912. First, the central and northwestern part of the timber-framed wing designed by the Viennese architect Humbert von Walcher Molthein was built from 1897 to 1898 by the Liberec engineer Adolf Burger. In the period 1904-1906 a perpendicular extension of the half-timbered wing was built and six years later the eastern wing of the house was added. The Nuremberg architect Jakob Schmeissner was the author of the extensions. Apart from Adolf Bürger, the local engineers Ernst Schäfer and Richard Wojatschek were also involved in the construction. The garden features a unique garage with a gas tower built in the years 1904-1906.

Interesting facts:

In 1893 Theodor von Liebieg Jr. bought himself a Benz Victoria, thus becoming the first motorist in Bohemia and the third in Austria-Hungary. There is a plaque on the villa commemorating this event.
In 1904 an extension for cars was added to the Liebieg villa, apparently the first in Central Europe. On the ground floor there was a garage, assembly pit, washroom, workshop and toilet; the driver lived on the first floor. The building was completed with a petrol tower used to store fuel. You can see this building behind the garden.