Sample room in Rybáře, Art Nouveau cultural monument in Rybáře, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
The Sample Room (Vzorkovna) is a 1905 Art Nouveau building on a 22×20 m plan in the Knoll porcelain factory grounds at Sokolovská 338/124g, Rybáře. A two-storey exhibition hall lit by a roof skylight has a gallery reached by a two-arm staircase with cast-iron railing; the staircase walls rise above the building under a helmet roof, the hall is covered by a mansard roof, and the granite-block plinth carries a two-storey avant-corps.
The building was constructed in 1905 as part of the Carl Knoll porcelain factory and served as a key exhibition space during the region's industrial expansion. Its creation reflected the economic boom Karlovy Vary experienced in that era.
The room displays how artistic design and commerce intertwined in the region through its carefully crafted interior meant to showcase manufactured goods. Visitors can observe how the space was shaped to impress customers while serving its practical business purpose.
Access is limited and typically requires advance booking or joining a guided tour to view the interior. Since the building is classified as endangered, visiting conditions may be restricted or change seasonally.
The building has no heating system, so the sample room was probably open only in the summer months, when spa guests came by bus from the Skalní pramen stop for 30 kreuzers. Its stair walls rise above the main building and are covered by a helmet roof.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,773 contributors worldwide.