Tour of Semler Residence

Semler Residence is the most significant and extensive realization of Adolf Loos's concept in Plzeň — the project was prepared and executed by his student Heinrich Kulka. The apartment of the Oskar and Jana Semler family has no classical storeys: it is generously built into half of the house, which made it possible to apply the principle of the so-called Raumplan, typical of Loos's work. Individual spaces of varying heights are arranged on six levels around a central living hall. The building has been managed by the West Bohemian Gallery in Plzeň since 2012.

Basic tour (approximately 75 minutes) includes up to 15 rooms — from the cloakroom through the entrance vestibule into the representative living hall, summer and winter dining rooms, to the private rooms of the Semler family, staff staircase, guest room, and kitchen. Two architectural models and photo albums with historical photographs of the family and house are displayed in the historic interior; the visit also includes an exhibition in the information centre.

Extended tour (110 minutes, tour at 16:00 only) additionally includes a screening of the programme "Three-Dimensional Life of Adolf Loos" and, if desired, an older television programme "David Vávra Guides Through Plzeň's Adolf Loos" (2015), each approximately 20 minutes long. It also includes a tour of the exhibition "Cabinet of Plzeň Architecture 1874–1939" in the former governess's room, which features four architectural models, the original desk of architect Karel Lhota, and an exhibition on the development of the city's architecture with a screening of photo loops.

Tours are held: April–October on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; November–March on Friday and Saturday — always at pre-arranged times. Tours are not held on 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January.