4. Siegl’s Villa

4. Siegl’s Villa

Čsl. armády 1

The architect of this lavish villa has been the subject of many conjectures. However, the available sources point to the famous Viennese architect Theophil von Hansen. The company of Josef Bayer in Šumperk then implemented the design. The beautiful Neoclassical building dates back to 1867. It was surrounded by an ornamental English garden, since the local entrepreneurs were eager to match the Viennese style of that time.

This architectural masterpiece became the home of Emma and Robert Siegl. At the end of the 19th century, the Siegl family’s textile business was one of the largest linen producers in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The married couple’s haughty demeanour was not exactly to the liking of their neighbours, and their residence was nicknamed “the castle of pride” or “the castle of vanity”. Robert Siegel’s products received many awards at world exhibitions, and at some point they even had to be trademarked with the symbol of the imperial eagle to prevent the spreading of fakes. This testifies to the great reputation of the textile company and its products.