One of the most beautiful buildings in Svitavy was built in just less than two years between 1891 and 1892.

The building was the result of the efforts by Svitavy patron V. O. Ottendorfer to elevate cultural life in the town. The structure, designed in the United States, was a place of enlightenment, culture and the library became a model for similar institutions in the monarchy. The library's lecture hall is one of the best preserved facilities of its kind in the region.