Tomas Bata’s Villa with Gabriela Končitíková

Apr 19

Written By Martina Jandova

Most of the time, when the name Bata is mentioned, everyone thinks of shoes, the successful businessman Tomas Bata or the typical architecture of Zlin. However, at Bata’s villa, the name Bata, and especially the Bata legacy, means much more. It is a life philosophy that helps us shape our view of the world and ourselves.

Gahurova 292, 76001 Zlín

“Driven by the desire to know how it all worked back then and sensing that Baťa created way more than just shoes, Baťoviny, as I call everything related to the legacy of Baťa, became my life's passion.”

— Gabriela Končitíková

The Tomas Bata Foundation is located in the Tomas Bata’s villa. The main mission of the foundation is to support awareness of the Bata phenomenon, to spread the name to the general public and also to develop community life in Zlin through education and culture.
When visiting the villa, you can usually meet with Gabriela or her colleague Jakub Malovaný. Gabriela first became acquainted with the Baťa legacy sixteen years ago, when she was fascinated by how Bata School of Labor were able to influence the lives of young people at the time.
“I had the opportunity to meet the former students and have hundreds of conversations with them. We were mostly seventy years apart, and I still wondered how it was possible for their bodies to age, but not their souls and eyes. Over the years, I have come to understand that working with Bata has changed their perception of the world, and this has caused their longevity and life vitality. Driven by the desire to know how it all worked back then and sensing that Baťa created way more than just shoes, Baťoviny, as I call everything related to the legacy of Baťa, became my life's passion.”
Gabriela says her hobby has become her job. She has been working at the Tomas Bata Foundation since 2016, and she admits, that it doesn’t even feel like work for her.
“Studying archival documents, writing articles, books, publishing original Bata literature and, last but not least, conducting lectures and consultations - all this fulfills me immensely. It is a particularly satisfying feeling when you start working with a business or an individual and see how quickly they move forward after the first consultation.”
As we already mentioned, her colleague Jakub also works in the foundation with her and is involved in events that take place regularly in Bata's villa where you can enjoy a concert, discussion or lecture right in the former living room of the Bata family.
Although for Jakub, Bata’s philosophy was not a lifelong passion like it was for Gabriela at first, he now conducts the tours, participates in publishing activities and begins to teach lectures as well. In his guided tours, he is able to make use of the experience he gained during his long-term work at the Municipal Theater of Zlín and in the media, and that makes the tours very popular and engaging.
When you visit the villa, you can walk through the ground floor, which was restored to its original form. There you can see the living room, the conservatory, the dining room, the library or the iconic office of the boss. Life in Tomáš Bata's villa is still inspiring.
You can take part in a guided tour every first Sunday of the month, or by prior arrangement. In the villa, it is also possible to buy Bata literature and many other goods with quotes from Tomas Bata.
Learn more about the Villa of the Bata’s on the website nadacetomasebati.cz.