The former Essler spinning mill complex is located in Brno–Obřany on Mlýnské nábřeží and Fryčajova Street. It is one of the most significant surviving examples of Brno’s once-thriving wool textile industry.
The earliest depiction of the site appears on a map from the early 19th century, where a mill with a water channel is recorded in this location. The structure was later likely adapted for an early spinning mill (originally operated by Robert Stoklasek), which was purchased in 1900 by the company E. E. Essler and initially focused mainly on wool yarn production. After a major fire in 1912, a new spinning mill building was constructed, which remains one of the most distinctive textile industrial buildings in Brno. It is a cubic structure with a reinforced concrete frame, glazed façades, a stair risalit, and a water tower.
In 1915, the factory was taken over by Adolf Essler from his father, and after 1925 it was expanded with a modern weaving mill and finishing workshops. The machinery was powered by steam engines and a hydroelectric plant, which from 1917 supplied electricity not only to the factory but also to public lighting in the municipality. A newer water turbine from the 1930s has been restored and is still in operation today.
Following the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the company produced a wide range of men’s and women’s fabrics and employed up to 450 workers year-round, mainly from Obřany and Maloměřice. The factory became a centre of economic and technical development for the entire surrounding area.
During the Second World War, the company was placed under state administration and subsequently converted into a public enterprise. After the liberation in 1945, it was confiscated as German property and placed under national administration.
In 1948, the factory was nationalised and incorporated into the state enterprise Moravian-Silesian Woollen Mills, later becoming part of Mosilana. Textile production continued here until the factory closed in 1992. Today, the site is in private ownership.
