The history of the corner townhouse, formerly known as “Kuklík” is inextricably linked to the history of printing in Litomyšl – a branch of business boasting a long tradition here. The building, standing on an exposed site in the neighbourhood of the former Augustinian church, was already functioning as printing works in the period following the Battle of White Mountain. With several interruptions, and after a range of building modifications, the printing works survived right up to the 1990s.
The house, consisting of three wings and an inside courtyard and garden, acquired its present-day appearance following modifications in 1911 when it was owned (from 1889 to 1939) by Vladimír Augusta. The southern wing towards the church was modified according to a project by the local builder Josef Kreml who added another three storeys with modern, reinforced concrete ceilings. This was crowned with a new dominating feature – a small turret, facing out onto Šantovo Square and containing a spiral staircase. These substantial construction alterations illustrated the prosperity of Augusta's business. However, owners of neighbouring buildings lodged complained that the building blocked the view towards the church.
Further modifications were carried out inside the building in the following decades, with production expanded in 1923 to include the manufacture of impregnated boxes, suitcases, beer mats and waste paper baskets. In 1933, the “representative” facade of the building acquired rendering according to designs by the local builder František Vlach.
From 1939 to 1949, the company was run by the Šperl family, respectively the Jáň family, under the name “Augusta, knihtiskárna v Litomyšli” (Augusta, Litomyšl Book Printer). During the socialist era, the building was used by the nationalized enterprise Vychodočeské tiskárny (with the exception of a short period when workshops for polytechnic education and the primary school after-school club were situated here). During the 1990s, the original owners regained possession of the building and continued with production. However, manufacture ceased in 1996. The current owner plans to reconstruct the building which will be used as a gallery and venue for cultural events.
