Bata Building, Brno

Bata Building, Brno

The Bata Building (Dům Služeb Baťa) in Brno is a notable architectural project with a rich history dating back to the early 1930s. Originally conceived as a towering 22-story skyscraper for the Bata Shoe Company, the building was designed by the Czech architect Vladimír Karfík, who brought his experience working with the famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright to the project. The plan was to create one of the first skyscrapers in Brno and one of the tallest buildings in former Czechoslovakia, symbolizing modernity and industrial progress.

The building was designed with a trapezoidal floor plan, oriented with a narrow facade facing Malinovské náměstí, creating a striking contrast with the neighboring Morava Palace and Mahen Theatre. The design featured a longitudinal, horizontally divided mass for the department store and a slender tower for administrative purposes. The facade was characterized by bands of mirrored windows and opaque parapets adorned with illuminated advertisements.

Construction of the Bata Building began in 1930 to make it the tallest in Europe. However, engineering challenges due to unstable soil and structural issues halted the project on the eighth floor. Despite its incomplete state, the building featured modern amenities like high-speed elevators and central heating. The lower floors hosted Bata-related shops and services, while the upper floors were intended for offices and a dining room.

Today, the Bata Building remains a significant historical and architectural landmark in Brno, housing offices and serving as a reminder of the city's early 20th-century aspirations and challenges in modern architecture.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Brno. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Bata Building on Map

Sight Name: Bata Building
Sight Location: Brno, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Brno)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Brno, Czech Republic

Create Your Own Walk in Brno

Create Your Own Walk in Brno

Creating your own self-guided walk in Brno is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Functionalist Architecture in Brno

Functionalist Architecture in Brno

Functionalist architecture, a style that sought to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving industrial society, emerged in Europe in the wake of World War I.

After Czechoslovakia gained independence in 1918, Brno, the second-largest city in the country, developed rapidly both economically and politically. Its architecture reflected a modernist approach that prioritized functionality and...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Brno Introduction Walking Tour

Brno Introduction Walking Tour

Brno is the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. Located in the South Moravian Region, it is the center of Czech's judiciary and the former capital of Moravia.

Brno is known for its exhibition center, one of the largest in Europe. It is also known for its international fireworks competition, Fire of Brno. The long history of fireworks and pyrotechnics are seen in the Spilberk Castle...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles