Jan Letzel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jan Letzel
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Jan Letzel in kimono in Japan
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| Born | April 9, 1880 |
| Died | 26 December 1925 (aged 45) |
| Occupation | Architect |
Jan Letzel was a famous Czech architect. He lived from 1880 to 1925. He is best known for designing a special building in Hiroshima, Japan. This building is now known as the A-Bomb Dome or Peace Memorial. It is a symbol of peace.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jan Letzel was born on April 9, 1880. His hometown was Náchod in Bohemia. His parents, Jan and Walburga Letzel, owned a hotel.
He finished his training in construction in 1899. After that, he worked as an assistant in a school in Pardubice. In 1901, he received a scholarship. This allowed him to study architecture in Prague. He studied for three years under Jan Kotěra. Kotěra was a very important figure in modern Czech architecture.
Travels and Early Career
Jan Letzel loved to travel and learn. In 1902 and 1903, he visited many places. These included Bohemia, Dalmatia, Montenegro, and Herzegovina. From 1904 to 1905, he worked for an architectural firm in Prague. During this time, he designed a health resort. It was built in the beautiful Art Nouveau style.
In 1905, he worked for a short time in Cairo, Egypt. He then traveled through Italy. He visited cities like Rome, Milan, and Venice. In June 1907, he arrived in Tokyo, Japan. There, he joined a French architectural company.
Work in Japan
In 1910, Jan Letzel and his friend Karel Hora started their own company. It was an architectural firm in Tokyo. Over the next few years, Letzel designed about 40 buildings.
Some of his designs included schools and embassies. He also designed hotels and office buildings. His most famous design was a large building in Hiroshima. It was called the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Hiroshima Promotional Hall
The building in Hiroshima was very impressive. Most buildings in Hiroshima were small wooden ones. Letzel's large building quickly became a landmark. It was known as the Promotional Hall.
In 1945, an atomic bomb hit Hiroshima. The Promotional Hall was badly damaged. But it was one of the few buildings that remained standing. Its dome structure survived the blast.
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After the war, the ruined building became famous. It was renamed the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. It is also known as the A-Bomb Dome. It stands as a powerful reminder of peace. Jan Letzel passed away before he could see this transformation.
Later Years and Return Home
Karel Hora, Letzel's partner, returned home in 1913. Letzel then ran the architecture firm by himself. But he had to stop working in 1915 because of World War I.
In 1918, Czechoslovakia became an independent country. Letzel was appointed to a special role in 1919. He became a commercial attaché at the Czechoslovak embassy in Tokyo. He returned home in 1920. However, he went back to Japan a few months later for his job.
In November 1922, Letzel traveled around Japan. He later saw the terrible destruction caused by the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Many of his buildings were destroyed. He was very disappointed by this. He returned to Prague in November 1923. Jan Letzel died a few years later, in 1925, at the age of 45.
See also
In Spanish: Jan Letzel para niños
