Article Ferdinand Porsche's birthplace
The house where the phenomenal car designer was born and raised
On the outskirts of Liberec, in Vratislavice, at Tanvaldská Street No. 38, there is a house that served as the family residence and tinsmith's workshop of Anton Porsche in the 19th century. It was here that his son Ferdinand was born on September 3, 1875. The house was renovated in 2016 and houses an exhibition of automotive engineering and the history of Ferdinand Porsche's family.
Birthplace
The building of his birthplace has been owned by Škoda Auto since 2011, and in 2016 its extensive reconstruction was completed with the aim of returning it to the proportions and appearance of 1875, when the famous designer Ferdinand Porsche was born here. The residential house also served as the business premises of Ferdinand's father Anton Porsche, who had a thriving tinsmith's workshop in the adjacent building. Ferdinand Porsche spent his childhood and youth here, and he trained as a tinsmith in the family business. Here he took his first steps in design and experimented with electricity, which led to the electrification of the entire building.
Modern exposition
The modernly designed exhibition will interactively engage visitors in exploring the world of technology, engineering, the rich history and the future of mobility. The area also includes a new service building, where visitors will find a ticket office, a souvenir shop and a range of refreshments.
The museum's interior is modern, minimalist and uses the latest technology – visitors are given an iPad that brings technical drawings and historical photographs to life through augmented reality.
Ferdinand Porsche
In this house, which served as the family residence and Anton Porsche's tinsmith's workshop, his son Ferdinand was born on September 3, 1875. Even as a boy, he showed an extraordinary talent for technology – while his father wanted him to take over the family trade, young Ferdinand secretly experimented with electricity in the attic and at the age of 18 became the first in the village to completely electrify the house. Already at the dawn of the 20th century, Porsche designed the world's first hybrid car.
VW Beetle
Ferdinand Porsche, among other things, became famous as the designer of the VW Beetle. This popular car was produced from 1938 to 2003 and became one of the most successful cars in history. A car from 1950 is on display in the house.
Descendants of Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand's son Ferry Porsche founded a factory in 1948, where he began producing luxury sports cars under the Porsche brand.
The current reality of the Porsche family is a story of power, influence and incredible business instinct. The family is not just a sentimental holder of the name; through the Porsche SE holding company, they control the Volkswagen Group, which also includes the Czech Skoda Auto. The family clan is divided into the Porsche branch (descendants of son Ferry) and the Piëch branch (descendants of daughter Louise). Although their relations have been strained in the past, they have nevertheless managed to build a global automotive empire.
