Jalta Palace – Austrian Honorary Consulate

The Austrian Honorary Consulate is currently housed on the 5th floor of the newly renovated Jalta Palace, originally built in 1929. Designed by the architect Jaroslav Polívka, the building was conceived as a multifunctional structure incorporating flats, a shopping arcade, and the Bio Moderna basement cinema. 

From 1934 until the Velvet Revolution, the building was state-owned and subsequently became the property of Česká pojišťovna (Czech Insurance Company). In the late 1990s, the insurance company sold the deteriorating property to a private owner. The City of Brno later exchanged the property for land in another part of the city. The city initially planned to use the building for municipal offices but abandoned this idea, ultimately selling the arcade in 2016. 

The five-storey building was designed with multifunctionality in mind, reflected in the structure of its street-facing façade. The large shop windows on the ground floor, along with the arcade spaces, were intended for commercial use. The first and second floors housed office spaces, while the upper floors served residential purposes. The top floor features a terrace, which now offers the consulate a beautiful view of Dominikánské náměstí (Dominican Square). 

The new owner worked closely with heritage preservationists to undertake a complete renovation of the building. In 2019, Jalta Palace reopened to the public as a multifunctional space, once again hosting a shopping arcade, a cabaret, offices, architectural studios, and apartments. The building's extensive refurbishment was carried out by Premiere Properties, with architectural design handled by Sollaron Architects.