Jan Letzel
Encyclopedia
Jan Letzel was a Czech
architect
.
, Bohemia
. The son of a hotel owners Jan Letzel and his wife Walburga Letzel, née Havlicek. After completion of training in the construction department of the Higher Vocational School, he joined in 1899 the post of assistant in the Department of Civil Engineering of the State Industrial School in Pardubice
. In 1901 he won a scholarship to study architecture at the School of Applied Arts in Prague, where he studied for three years under Jan Kotěra
, one of the founders of modern Czech architecture. In 1902 and 1903 he undertook study tours in Bohemia, Dalmatia, Montenegro and Herzegovina. From June 1904 to August 1905 he worked at architectural firm Quido Bělský in Prague. At the same time he designed and built a sanatorium and a pavilion in the Art Nouveau
style in Mšené-lázně. In October 1905 he received his mediation and worked in Cairo
for a while. In the spring of 1907 he went back to Prague after visiting Rome, Milan, Venice and other Italian cities. Letzel's next work was in Japan. After a short stay in Prague and Nachod, he arrived in Tokyo on June 1907, where he worked at a French architectural firm.
Together with his friend Karl Hora, they founded their own architectural firm in 1910 in Tokyo. In the next few years he designed about 40 buildings, including the French school, Sacre Coeur, the Jesuit College, the German embassy, several hotels and office buildings. His most famous design was the huge administrative building of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hiroshima, now the "A-Bomb Dome." Hiroshima at that time was dominated by two-story wooden buildings, and the Promotional Hall, with its large size soon became one of Hiroshima's most striking landmarks. It gained further notoriety after surviving the atomic attack
on the city in 1945, to be rededicated, still as a ruin, as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
, otherwise known as the A-Bomb Dome. Letzel himself never lived to see the transformation of his Industrial Promotion Hall into the A-Bomb Dome.
When his partner Karl Horan returned to Bohemia in 1913, Letzel led the architecture firm alone, but in 1915 he had to give up the work due to World War I
. In 1918 when Czechoslovakia became an independent country, Letzel received a post of commercial attaché at the Czechoslovak embassy in Tokyo in 1919. In March 1920 he returned home and was back a few months later for his attaché post.
In November 1922, Letzel traveled to Japan and later witnessed the destruction of many of his buildings in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
. Deeply disappointed, he returned to Prague on November 1923 and died a few years later at the age of 45.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
.
Biography
Jan Letzel was born in the town of NáchodNáchod
Náchod -History:Náchod was founded in 14th century by knight Hron of Načeradice, who founded a castle on a strategical place, where local trade road reaches the defile called Branka. The first written note dates back to 1254.-Castle:...
, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. The son of a hotel owners Jan Letzel and his wife Walburga Letzel, née Havlicek. After completion of training in the construction department of the Higher Vocational School, he joined in 1899 the post of assistant in the Department of Civil Engineering of the State Industrial School in Pardubice
Pardubice
Pardubice is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 65 miles east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle...
. In 1901 he won a scholarship to study architecture at the School of Applied Arts in Prague, where he studied for three years under Jan Kotěra
Jan Kotera
Jan Kotěra was a Czech architect, artist and interior designer, and one of the key figures of modern architecture in Bohemia.-Biography:...
, one of the founders of modern Czech architecture. In 1902 and 1903 he undertook study tours in Bohemia, Dalmatia, Montenegro and Herzegovina. From June 1904 to August 1905 he worked at architectural firm Quido Bělský in Prague. At the same time he designed and built a sanatorium and a pavilion in the Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style in Mšené-lázně. In October 1905 he received his mediation and worked in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
for a while. In the spring of 1907 he went back to Prague after visiting Rome, Milan, Venice and other Italian cities. Letzel's next work was in Japan. After a short stay in Prague and Nachod, he arrived in Tokyo on June 1907, where he worked at a French architectural firm.
Together with his friend Karl Hora, they founded their own architectural firm in 1910 in Tokyo. In the next few years he designed about 40 buildings, including the French school, Sacre Coeur, the Jesuit College, the German embassy, several hotels and office buildings. His most famous design was the huge administrative building of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hiroshima, now the "A-Bomb Dome." Hiroshima at that time was dominated by two-story wooden buildings, and the Promotional Hall, with its large size soon became one of Hiroshima's most striking landmarks. It gained further notoriety after surviving the atomic attack
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
on the city in 1945, to be rededicated, still as a ruin, as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly called the Atomic Bomb Dome or , in Hiroshima, Japan, is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The ruin serves as a memorial to the people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6,...
, otherwise known as the A-Bomb Dome. Letzel himself never lived to see the transformation of his Industrial Promotion Hall into the A-Bomb Dome.
When his partner Karl Horan returned to Bohemia in 1913, Letzel led the architecture firm alone, but in 1915 he had to give up the work due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1918 when Czechoslovakia became an independent country, Letzel received a post of commercial attaché at the Czechoslovak embassy in Tokyo in 1919. In March 1920 he returned home and was back a few months later for his attaché post.
In November 1922, Letzel traveled to Japan and later witnessed the destruction of many of his buildings in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
. Deeply disappointed, he returned to Prague on November 1923 and died a few years later at the age of 45.