Villa Tugendhat, Brno

Villa Tugendhat testifies to the birth of modern housing and the tragic fate of its residents. This World Heritage Site and its period furnishings were designed in the 1920s by modern architect Mies van der Rohe as an example of the International style. During World War II, the Gestapo confiscated the villa from its owners, a Jewish trading family. After the war, it was appropriated by the Czechoslovak state. Set on a slope, the threes-story building, which looks like a single-story structure from the street, offers a broad view over the town's historical center. Look for the elegant onyx wall in the living area of the middle floor; it changes color depending on lighting. The story of the villa and its residents inspired writer Simon Mawer's highly acclaimed novel "The Glass Room." For travelers who use our international travel planner, Brno holidays become easier to arrange, with trips to the Villa Tugendhat and other attractions mapped out and timetabled.