This venue pays tribute to the Czechoslovakian aviation industry, the former Avia cinema in Brno, and to the modern interwar architecture of the First Republic… a tribute to the good old days.
Avia in the Air
“Avia – an aircraft manufacturing and repairs workshop” was a Czech factory founded in August 1919 (the entry in the business register is dated 19/1/1919). The original associates were designers Pavel Benes and Miroslav Hajn, J.F. Koch (later the designer of Praga and CEZ motorcycles) and Vaclav Maly, a salesman. In 1920 the factory finished its first motor aircraft, the low-wing monoplane Avia BH-1 (the letters BH in the name are the designers' initials). In 1921 it was exhibited at the International Aircraft Exhibition in the Industry Palace in Prague. In the summer of 1921 Avia was purchased by Prague millionaire Milos Bondy and the company changed its name to “Milos Bondy and Co.” Building on the success of the BH-1 the company released a series of BH-3 fighters, which were later flown by the Czechoslovakian Air Force.
The BH-1 and BH-3 became prototypes for a series of excellent sports planes, culminating with the BH-9 and BH-10. They both flew for the Czechoslovak army which used them until the beginning of the 1930's before giving them to flying clubs. The most successful Czech plane of the interwar period was a fighter biplane, the Avia B-534. Between 1928–1929 Avia became part of the Skoda corporation but the brand Avia has been preserved until today. During WWII Avia manufactured German Arado planes and Arado Ar 96B Argus aircraft engines which continued to be made for some years after the war, being designated C-2. In the 1950's the factory manufactured a fighter, the Avia B-33 (Ilyushin Il-10 licence) and the Avia Av-14 cargo plane (Ilyushin Il-14 licence). In 1961 the manufacturing programme narrowed to specialize in airscrews and aircraft engines (this ended in 1988). In 1992 airscrew manufacturing was transferred to Avia Hamilton Standard Aviation joint venture. By merging with a German airscrew manufacturer at the end of 1998 the company changed the majority shareholder and subsequently also its name to Avia Propeller.
Avia on Wheels
During the postwar economic revival the brand entered the automotive market. In 1947 trucks and 706R buses were launched. After the war the company was renamed “Jiri Dimitrov Works” but later it returned to its original name. In the 1960's the company released its very successful Praga V3S trucks and continued until 1988. The year 1967 became an important date in the history of the company's automotive division – the Renault-Saviem licence was bought from France. In the following year truck production was launched under the Avia brand. A total of 250,000 cars based on this type had left the production line by the year 2000. In 1992 the joint stock company Avia a.s. was founded. In 2005 the Korean Daewoo company joined the truck division which led to a new brand name – Daewoo AVIA, with modernization of most of the models and the release of a new “D” truck series. In 2006 Ashok Leyland, an Indian company, entered the brand's history when it purchased the division and founded AVIA Ashok Leyland.
Avia in Film
In 1973 the Czech director Josef Mach (Florenc 13.30, Playing with the Devil etc.) filmed his comedy “Three Innocents” based on his own story and script, betting on Jiri Sovak's acting art in a triple role. In the scene at a police station he gets accused of armed robbery at the Avia Cinema!
Avia Cinema in Brussels
This one-theatre “art moderne” cinema with 500 seats was opened in Rue de L'Escalier n. 10 in Brussels in 1920. In 1944 the name was changed to “Ritz Cinema” and in 1952 to “Avia Cinema”. It kept running until February 1965 when it was closed and demolished.
Avia Cinema in Brno
The cinema was designed between 1927 and 1929 by the architect Josef Kranz, and built in Stolcova street in Brno between 1929 and 1930. The building still stands and is used as a sports hall. Nevertheless, its original appearance has been significantly affected by insensitive modifications.
