Lamezanova vila, Cultural monument in České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
Lamezanova vila is a two-storey villa built in 1899–1900 near the main square of České Budějovice. Its visible brickwork, two arcades of the east veranda and projecting chimney stack refer to English country houses of the second half of the 19th century. Small coats of arms of the Hardtmuth and Lamezan-Salins families flank the name of the villa in capitals on the west facade.
Count Olivier Lamezan-Salins, co-owner of the Koh-i-noor Hardtmuth pencil factory, had the villa built in 1899–1900 by local builder Josef Hauptvogl for himself and his wife Mathilde von Hardtmuth. Count Lamezan-Salins died there by suicide on 14 February 1919, and Mathilde lived on in the house until 1945, when the Beneš decrees nationalised it. After 1946 it held a company nursery, kindergarten and flats; since 2015 it has housed the KOH-I-NOOR holding headquarters.
The villa's names record its owners: it was built for Count Olivier Lamezan-Salins and his wife Mathilde von Hardtmuth, so it is called Vila Matylda or Lamezánka, and the older name Lischoli, from the countess's girlhood nickname, survives in the stucco of the west facade. Small coats of arms of the Hardtmuth and Lamezan-Salins families stand beside the villa's name in capitals there.
The villa is closed to the public as the headquarters of KOH-I-NOOR holding a.s. since 2015, so only the exterior can be seen. It faces U Zimního stadionu street, where the former main gate path led to the house; the brickwork, both arcades of the east veranda and the projecting chimney stack are visible from outside. The garden holds a decorative pool near the entrance gate and a monument with busts of presidents Beneš and Masaryk by the north wall.
The villa's name Lischoli, still visible in the stucco of the west facade, comes from the maiden nickname of Countess Mathilde von Hardtmuth. The coats of arms of the Hardtmuth and Lamezan-Salins families flank that name in capitals. In the garden near the north wall stand busts of presidents Beneš and Masaryk, saved from melting by Colonel Jan Horal, who bequeathed them to Koh-i-noor Hardtmuth.
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