Stöhr- oder Olbrichhaus, Art Nouveau residential building in St. Pölten, Austria.
The Stöhr- or Olbrichhaus at Kremser Gasse 41 is a two-story residential building in Art Nouveau style with refined facade details. The structure displays characteristic features of the period with decorative elements and the medical relief as an artistic highlight.
The building was constructed in 1899 according to designs by Joseph Maria Olbrich for hospital chief physician Hermann Stöhr, replacing an older residence on the site. Its creation coincided with a period when St. Pölten was modernizing and such artistic buildings became symbols of progress.
The building displays a relief depicting a woman feeding the serpent of Aesculapius, a symbol linking healing and craftsmanship. This representation reflects the original owner's passion for medicine and his connection to artistic creation.
The house is located in the old town of St. Pölten and is visible from the street, making it easy to visit. As a private residential building, it can only be viewed from outside, which is sufficient to appreciate its artistic design.
The facade relief of a woman feeding the Aesculapian snake was made by Ernst Stöhr himself, not by Olbrich: the co-founder of the Vienna Secession was the brother of the builder, hospital chief physician Hermann Stöhr, and arranged the contact with Olbrich. The mortar relief is easy to spot on the cream-yellow facade at Kremser Gasse 41.
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