The Headquarters of the Bata Shoe Company until World War II was in Zlin, Czechoslovakia. This is the town where Tomas Bata set up his business in 1894, by the 1920's he had built not only a vast factory complex but also housing for the workers. The architecture of Zlin is of the Modernist Style and was designed by some of the top Architects of the day, Karfik and Gahura being two of them. The General design layout was then used for other Bata Communities around the world.

Labour Square,
the large building in the centre of the picture is the Hotel, the white building in front of it the Cinema.

A view of Zlin in 1934

The first moving office recorded in Zlin, 1936.

Main Avenue of Works

Motor truck for moving heavy equipment

1934 Street Scene

21 Building, when built this was the tallest building in Europe

Shoe Shop, Zlin, 1936

Below are some pictures of Zlin taken in 2006.