Villa Streccius, Heritage villa in Landau in der Pfalz, Germany

Villa Streccius is a historicist building in Landau in der Pfalz, erected in 1892 to plans by Karlsruhe architect Ludwig Levy for lawyer and notary Heinrich Streccius. A rear coach house with stables was added in 1904. Since 1959 the house has served as a municipal gallery for contemporary art, with changing exhibitions on several floors.

Lawyer and notary Heinrich Streccius commissioned the villa, built in 1892 to plans by Karlsruhe architect Ludwig Levy. A stable with carriage house followed in 1904. In 1935 the NSDAP district leadership took over the house, and from 1941 the NS war victims' welfare used rear rooms. After 1945 the French occupation authority seized it as the commanding general's seat; the city acquired it in 1957 and has used it for contemporary art exhibitions since 1959.

The villa serves today as an art gallery and shows how local artists and the city administration share the space. Visitors see how the building uses its rooms for changing exhibitions and has become a gathering place for art enthusiasts.

The gallery occupies the villa at the edge of Landau's historic centre, reachable on foot from the market square. The building has two upper floors; the Kunstverein and the city's culture department alternate the changing exhibitions, so check which organiser is showing before visiting. The university's art institute uses the second floor, so some rooms may be closed during term.

A university uses rooms on the upper floor for teaching and research in art science. This connects the building with current academic life and creates an unexpected mix of public gallery and university space.