Apartment//Holiday home Fräulein Smilka

At the foot of the Großer Winterberg, nestled between wooded slopes and the characteristic rock formations of Saxon Switzerland, lies Schmilka – a border town with colourful half-timbered houses and a historic mill directly on the Ilmenbach stream. Awarded the title of ‘Saxony’s most beautiful village’, the small town was originally home to Elbe boatmen, stonemasons and forest workers before becoming a destination for Romantic artists in the 19th century. Their paintings, especially those by Caspar David Friedrich, not only shape the perception of the spectacular landscape to this day, but also the architecture of the Fräulein Smilka holiday home.

The former forest worker’s house is a striking part of the village ensemble on the slopes of the Elbe Valley and blends into the neighbourhood with its narrow structure, gabled roof and traditional materials. At the same time, the building surprises with an oversized round window at the front, inspired by the romantic motif ‘Woman at the Window’. ‘How would we describe this design? As a method of inventive remembrance,’ say architects Henrike and Tom Schoper from schoper.schoper. The window was deliberately placed in the centre of the gable wall and forms a point of reference that provides both openness and orientation and around which the central elements are aligned – above all the new concrete spiral staircase around which life is organised.

Spread over three floors – divided into two holiday apartments – there is not only a clear sense of order, but also a great feel for space, patina, colours and atmosphere beneath the 150-year-old exposed wooden ceiling beams. The communal areas face the front windows, while the double bedrooms and bathrooms are located at the rear. The ground floor flat has a large living room with a kitchen island and dining area, as well as a double bedroom and a terrace leading to the garden. The second holiday flat is spread over the upper floor and a gallery that opens onto the living room below. There is a double bedroom on both levels. The focal point here is the large dining area in front of the sculptural window, the kitchen is hidden behind the stove, complete with bar and library, and a balcony with a table and colourful chairs invites you to dine and contemplate outdoors – accompanied by the gentle splashing of the Ilmenbach stream.

Despite all its design references to Romanticism and the architectural history of the region, Fräulein Smilka is an example of sustainable construction: behind the traditional façade lies modern hemp stone insulation, which brings the existing quarry stone and brickwork up to today’s energy standards. This is complemented by a wood-concrete composite ceiling, a brine-water heat pump and a discreetly integrated photovoltaic system in the roof.

What to do

Hiking in Saxon Switzerland National Park – whether individually or on guided tours, from the Malerweg trail to the Schrammstein viewpoint with its deep gorges and fairytale rock formations to the sandstone heights, special winter and herb walks, cycling on the Elbe Cycle Route, paddling tours through the Elbe Valley, a visit to the historic mill or the Marie Louise Stolln mine, wellness with sauna and hot tubs, seasonal cultural programme, excursions to Bad Schandau and other towns in the region.

Why we like this house


A house like a living painting.

This house is great for

Nature lovers, hiking enthusiasts, those seeking peace and quiet, and architecture fans – whether as a couple, family, or with friends.

Sustainability

Public transport: S-Bahn to Schmilka-Hirschmühle, then take the ferry across the Elbe and walk for 10 minutes.

Details

Availability calendar

The calendar shows the current availability of the accommodation. On days with a white background, the accommodation is still fully available. If an accommodation has more than one rentable unit, days with free capacities are shown with a light grey background. On days with a dark grey background, the accommodation is not available.

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