Beneš villa, Presidential villa in Sezimovo Ústí, Czech Republic

Beneš villa is a summer house built in 1930–31 in Sezimovo Ústí, at the confluence of the Lužnice and Kozský potok, for Edvard Beneš and his wife Hana. Architect Petr Kropáček gave it low roofs, large windows and smooth walls recalling southern French houses; later additions include an arched loggia, a sala terrena wing and a patio with a gazebo.

Edvard Beneš and his wife Hana had the villa built in 1930–1931 to architect Petr Kropáček's design. German forces occupied and looted it in April 1939, using it as a Wehrmacht headquarters and a facility for wounded soldiers. Beneš returned after 1948, resigned there in June and died in the house on 3 September 1948.

The villa's name comes from its builders, Edvard and Hana Beneš, who used it as a summer home from 1931. The garden was designed by Otokar Fierlinger, brother of politician Zdeněk Fierlinger, and the alpine rock garden on the Lužnice slope was Hana's pride. Beneš himself tended the trees with the gardener.

Access is available through scheduled guided tours that lead visitors through the interior and grounds. Plan your visit in advance as tours have set times, and wear appropriate footwear for walking through outdoor garden areas.

The rooms contain much of the original furniture and personal belongings, offering a direct view into the daily life of a high-ranking political leader. These authentic items allow visitors to connect with the human side of Czechoslovak history rather than just the official narrative.