Kotěrova vila, Art Nouveau villa in Chrudim III, Czech Republic.

Kotěrova vila is a residential building with Art Nouveau curves and flowing forms across its exterior. Its layout follows open concepts that bring daylight into every corner and optimize the relationship between space and function.

The villa replaced an older house documented on the site since 1780, which the city bought and demolished in 1903. Professor Oldřich Sýkora acquired the plot in 1906 and had the villa built between 23 August 1906 and 5 August 1907. Its authorship is uncertain: it was long attributed to Jan Kotěra, a friend of the Sýkoras, but is now more often credited to his pupil Jan Šachl.

The villa was built for the family of philosopher Oldřich Sýkora, and its location on Fibichova Street was chosen by his wife Hermína so she could stay close to her friend Mrs. Popper, who had difficulty walking. The two women attended the same school, the boarding convent at Chotěšov, and their family tombs at the Chrudim cemetery U Kříže stand side by side.

The building is protected as a cultural monument and sits in a residential neighborhood of Chrudim. Visitors should remember that it is a private home and can only be viewed from the outside.

The villa's authorship is uncertain: it was long attributed to Jan Kotěra, a friend of the Sýkora family, but today Kotěra's pupil Jan Šachl is more often named as architect. The site on Fibichova Street was chosen so that Hermína Sýkorová could stay in easy visiting distance of her friend Mrs. Popper, who had difficulty walking.