Former Commercial Bank, Art Nouveau bank building in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
The Former Commercial Bank is an Art Nouveau bank building in central Karlovy Vary with elaborate facades featuring stone ornaments, large windows, and artistic details. The entire exterior showcases these decorative elements, characteristic of early 20th-century design.
The building was designed in 1913 by architect Alfred Bayer and originally served as an Austrian-Hungarian Bank during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was repurposed as a Commercial Bank following the end of World War One and the establishment of Czechoslovakia.
The building reflects its former role as a center of financial activity in a wealthy spa town, where banking institutions occupied prominent positions in public life. Its ornate design signals the importance placed on trust and stability in early 20th-century commerce.
The building is located in a central position on náměstí Republiky near the mineral springs and spa facilities of the town. The plaza and surrounding streets are easily reached on foot and fit naturally into a walking tour of the spa district.
The interior still retains the original banking hall from 1913 with hand-carved wooden counters and elaborate ceiling elements from the Austro-Hungarian era. These details have rarely been preserved and demonstrate the high craftsmanship standard of that time.
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