Friedrich Petschek Villa, villa in Bubeneč, Prague, Czech Republic

The Friedrich Petschek Villa is a representative villa built in the 1920s in Prague-Bubeneč in a style inspired by French classical Baroque. It was designed by architect Max Spielmann and built by builder Matěj Blecha on the grounds of the former Miseronka vineyard estate, south of the Královská obora. Since 1945 it has housed the Soviet, later Russian, embassy.

Friedrich Petschek bought the land of the former Miseronka vineyard in the 1920s and had the villa built to a design by Max Spielmann, executed by builder Matěj Blecha. In 1927 he passed it to banker Georg Popper, whose family lived there until emigrating to London in 1938. After the war, a decree of President Edvard Beneš gave the property and its furnishings to the Soviet Union; the Soviet and later Russian embassy used it, and the Popper family pursued a court dispute over ownership.

The villa's name recalls Friedrich Petschek, a member of the banking family that founded the Petschek a spol. bank in 1920. He bought the Miseronka vineyard estate and had the villa built, but already in 1927 passed it to banker Georg Popper. The Popper family lived here until 1938, when they emigrated to London.

The building is located in the residential Bubenec neighborhood and is visible from the street, though it is not open to the public. Visitors can view the exterior and appreciate the architectural details from the surrounding area.

The villa's grounds were once part of the Miseronka vineyard estate, which Friedrich Petschek bought in the 1920s before commissioning the house. A legal dispute over the property later ran between the Popper family and the Czech Republic. Since 1945 the building has housed first the Soviet and then the Russian embassy.