19. The Roman Lady’s House

19. The Roman Lady’s House

nám. Míru 26

On the site of the building stood two medieval houses, which were bought by the rich merchant Karl Wiatschka in 1877, and in their place he had a two-storey building with a beautiful Neo-Renaissance façade built the same year. The Italian inspiration is evident in the statue of the Roman lady set in the niche on the first floor. The house was designed and built by Josef Prosinger, who was from Šumperk.

Karl Wiatschka ran a shop with spices on the ground floor, and his son Josef opened his first chemists in the same house. In 1898, he moved his business to the newly built White Dog’s House. Josef Wiatschka was an important figure in the history of Šumperk for his role in constructing Schenkhofteich, the first municipal swimming pool and sports ground. Together with his employees, he founded an association which advocated for the recultivation of the original pond into a space for social gatherings and celebrations. The attractive natural site offered boats for rent, an outdoor restaurant and facilities with changing rooms. Later, the management added a solar bath, a children’s pool and showers. Everything was connected with fashionable promenade walkways.