August Cieszkowski Street belongs to architecturally remarkable streets of

Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...

, with its

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...

features from the

Fin de siècle () is a French term meaning "end of century,” a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom "turn of the century" and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without context ...

period, forming a homogeneous complex of tenements from the end of 19th-century beginnining of 20th century, most of which are registered on

Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, also known as Cuiavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship or simply Kujawsko-Pomorskie, or Kujawy-Pomerania Province ( pl, województwo kujawsko-pomorskie ) is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divide ...

Heritage List.

Location

The street is located in the middle Downtown district in Bydgoszcz, connecting on a southeast - northwest axis Gdańska Street to Pomorska Street. At its south-eastern end stands an Evangelical Methodist Church, and its opposite tip aims at the so-called ''Bydgoszcz Musical District''.

History

The establishment of the street is associated with the dynamic development of the city in the second half of the 19th century. The location of Bydgoszcz Main train station, away from the current center of Bydgoszcz in 1851, eased the urban expansion of the city to the north and north-west. After the construction of new quarters along Gdańska Street,

Dworcowa Street Dworcowa Street is one of the main streets of Bydgoszcz, in Downtown district ( pl, Śródmieście). Many of its buildings are registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage List. Across the street, between Warmia and Marcinkowskiego ...

and Pomorska Street, another expansion phase occurred among perpendicular short side streets. 1894 is the first date referring to ''Moltkestraße'', today's Cieszkowski Street, with its lavish buildings erected during economic boom and the consequent revival of construction activity in Bydgoszcz. New frontages were built on a grand scale, using the nascent

design. Special attention has been given at the time to street equipment praised by the local establishment: paving, wide sidewalks with

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...

street light A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...

ing (

gas Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma). A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...

, then electrical after 1900). Buildings have been completed within a decade, making August Cieszkowski street a place gathering luxurious tenement houses designed by renowned architects in

: * Karl Bergner; * Józef Święcicki; *

Paul Böhm Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

; * Carl Meyer; *

Rudolf Kern Rudolf Kern was an important designer and builder in Bydgoszcz, at the end of the Prussian period of the city. Most his works have been realized between 1903 and 1914. His artistic style relates to Art Nouveau and Modernism. Life Rudolf Kern alle ...

, *

Fritz Weidner Fritz Weidner (1863–1950) was an important designer and builder in Bromberg (Bydgoszcz, Poland). A vast majority of his works is associated with the city. He is one among many architects and builders who gave a characteristic shape to the town ...

. Frontages present a variety of stylistic trends, both traditional (

Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range o ...

, Neo-Baroque) and avant-garde (

Historicism Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying their history, that is, by studying the process by which they came about. The term is widely u ...

Secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...

Modernism Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...

). First houses were completed in 1897, but most of the construction work took place between 1900 and 1903. In 1904, the road had already received a full equipment: forged

fence A fence is a structure that encloses an area, typically outdoors, and is usually constructed from posts that are connected by boards, wire, rails or netting. A fence differs from a wall in not having a solid foundation along its whole length. ...

s along the northern frontage, pavement including porphyry , walkways,

sewer system Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff ( stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, and sc ...

and gas

ing. Among residents and landlords -during both the Prussian period (till 1920) and the

interwar In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the First World War to the beginning of the Second World War. The interwar period was relativel ...

- were senior officials, merchants, businessmen, teachers and officers. After 1990, most of the street buildings have undergone repair and restoration. Since 2008 the "August Cieszkowski Street Residents Association" organizes its annual festival "U-Rodziny Augusta Cieszkowskiego" (''In the Family of August Cieszkowski''), promoting cultural integration and bringing street residents and tourists. In 2011, the municipal council decided, as part of the revitalization plans, to build a parallel street, "Nowomazowieckiej St.", which should relieve the heavy traffic transit in Cieszkowski Street.

Architecture

August Cieszkowski Street is considered as a showcase of architecture in downtown Bydgoszcz, exalting the style and spirit of

Belle Époque The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (; French for "Beautiful Epoch") is a period of French and European history, usually considered to begin around 1871–1880 and to end with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era ...

. Street frontages are an example of the coexistence of classical forms with avant-garde style. Facades have been designed by the elite architects in Bydgoszcz in the late 19th and early 20th century, including: * Józef Święcicki, his projects are based on

Eclecticism Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in ...

, combining dominant forms and historizing elements (

, Neo-Baroque); * Karl Bergner who designed

styled houses with interspersed

details, as was done in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

; * Fritz Weidner, Rudolf Kern and Paul Böhm were influenced by

, and were following new, avant-garde, stylistic choices (

, elements of

). Oldest buildings are located at the intersections with Gdańska Street and Pomorska Street and display

forms with details

and Neo-Baroque. In younger buildings, especially those erected after 1900, traditional

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

decorations on the facades are reduced to the benefit of enriching architectural forms. Buildings show asymmetrical facades, irregular shapes, with picturesque towers and merging

bay window A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room. Types Bay window is a generic term for all protruding window constructions, regardless of whether they are curved or angular, or r ...

s. These forms are topped with magnificent

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

s, stressing the picturesque character. In all facades decoration appears stylized and simplified motives, in line with the new trends in art in the late 19th and early 20th century: acanthi, rococo details,

Rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' w ...

herms Herms is a surname and given name. Notable people with the name include: *George Herms (born 1935), American artist * René Herms (1982-2009), German middle-distance runner *Herms Niel Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann Nielebock (17 April 1888 – 16 ...

and others. Most developed sculptural allegorical decorations on houses facades are geometric and floral

ornaments An ornament is something used for decoration. Ornament may also refer to: Decoration *Ornament (art), any purely decorative element in architecture and the decorative arts *Biological ornament, a characteristic of animals that appear to serve on ...

, initials,

cartouche In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the fea ...

symbols and carved figural sculptures. The symbolism used generally refers to the house as a "home", a place of peace and rest, and points out the passing and contemplation of life.

Main places and buildings

Józef Święcicki's
mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

In November 2018, the city of Bydgoszcz honored the memory of the architect by dedicating a

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

to Józef Święcicki and his works, on a wall located at the corner of Gdańska and Cieszkowskiego streets, in front of his former house. File:J Swiecicki mural.jpg, Święcicki's mural

House at N°1

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601268, Reg.A/1104 (18 October 1993)Załącznik do uchwały Nr XXXIV/601/13 Sejmiku Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego z dnia 20 maja 2013 r. 1903–1904, by

Construction costs exceeded the initial estimations (40,000 DM) and were covered by the architect who hoped to profit from the sale of the finished property. After completion, the tenement was acquired by rentier David Cohn. The address was then "MoltkeStrasse 21". After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, building elevation almost completely lost its adornement. Its original appearance has been reconstructed with restored architectural details during the renovation carried out in 1994. The building has been designed in the spirit of

. It is a three-storey house, founded on "L" shape footprint. Indoor, a high

Mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called a French roof or curb roof) is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The ...

and

dormer A dormer is a roofed structure, often containing a window, that projects vertically beyond the plane of a pitched roof. A dormer window (also called ''dormer'') is a form of roof window. Dormers are commonly used to increase the usable space ...

s protect the residential

attic An attic (sometimes referred to as a '' loft'') is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building; an attic may also be called a ''sky parlor'' or a garret. Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the ...

. Symmetrical front elevation is built with stylized Tuscan

pilaster In classical architecture Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even more specifically, from the ...

s supporting a

balcony A balcony (from it, balcone, "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor. Types The traditional Maltese balcony is ...

. The ensemble is topped with an undulating

including a large window opening decorated with

volute A volute is a spiral, scroll-like ornament that forms the basis of the Ionic order, found in the capital of the Ionic column. It was later incorporated into Corinthian order and Composite column capitals. Four are normally to be found on an Ion ...

s of "Berlin" inspiration. Secession style is emphasized on the facade by

s in the corners of the building, wavy plinth, wavy

frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...

s and wavy uplift

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

s. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego1a hdr 05-2013.jpg, Main Elevation File:Cieszkowskiego 1 Bydgoszcz b.jpg, Upper frontage File:Cieszkowskiego 1 Bydgoszcz c.jpg,

Volute A volute is a spiral, scroll-like ornament that forms the basis of the Ionic order, found in the capital of the Ionic column. It was later incorporated into Corinthian order and Composite column capitals. Four are normally to be found on an Ion ...

s details File:Cieszkowskiego 1 Bydgoszcz d.jpg, Gate and

Józef Święcicki's tenement at N°2, corner house with Gdańska Street N°63

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601309-Reg.A/1046 (25 May 1991) House of architect Józef Święcicki, from where he ran his business. File:Bydgoszcz Gdańska 63.jpg, Main facades File:Gdanska 63 (1).JPG, Facade from Gdańska Street File:Kariatydy kamienicy na ul.Gdańskiej 63.jpg,

Caryatid A caryatid ( or or ; grc, Καρυᾶτις, pl. ) is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term ''karyatides'' literally means "ma ...

s on the corner File:Gdanska 63 (3).JPG, Detail of a

Paul Böhm's House at N°3

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601269-Reg.A/1105 (25 October 1993) 1903–1904, by

German

The architect Paul Böhm was also the owner of the tenement. In 1906, the house was acquired Mr Schmidt, an engineer. During

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...

, the building housed a Preparatory School, ''St. Kazimierz''. The same year, the physician and activist

Jan Biziel Jan Biziel (1858-1934) was a German and Polish physician, social activism, activist, city councilor of Bydgoszcz. He was designated "Honorary Citizen of Bydgoszcz" in 1930. Biography Jan Łukasz Biziel was born on October 12, 1858, in Osiecz ...

moved there with his family to establish his medical practice. He now has a memorial plaque set on house's wall. From October 1924 to July 1934, Ludwik Regamey and his second wife Maria lived there. She opened and ran a French school in their home. The building was designed on a "U" shape, as a four-storey main building and a residential outbuilding located in the back. Indoor, a high

hides an

apartment. The facade has different

balconies A balcony (from it, balcone, "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or Corbel, console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor. Types The traditional Malta, Malte ...

, a frame construction in the top floor, and a polygonal tower covered with a

tented roof A tented roof (also known as a pavilion roof) is a type of polygonal hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak. W. Dean EastmanHometown Handbook: Architecture./ref> Tented roofs, a hallmark of medieval religious architecture, wer ...

. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego3 hdr 05-2013.jpg, Main elevation File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego3 3 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego3 2 07-2013.jpg,

Tented roof A tented roof (also known as a pavilion roof) is a type of polygonal hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak. W. Dean EastmanHometown Handbook: Architecture./ref> Tented roofs, a hallmark of medieval religious architecture, wer ...

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego3 4 07-2013.jpg, Frontage top File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego3 5 07-2013.jpg, Plaque in memoriam of

House at N°4

1899–1900, by

, elements of

Neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

and

The building has been erected between 1899 and 1900, by Rudolf Kern according to the project of Józef Święcicki. He worked as an associate of Święcicki and later on an independent designer, of many townhouses in downtown such as: * Its own house located at Mickiewicz Alley 1; * August Mentzel Tenement at Gdanska N°5; * Eduard Schulz Tenement at Gdanska N°66–68; * Tenement at Gdanska street 71. In the years 1906–1919, Dr. Heinrich Boksch was the owner (address was then ''Molkestrasse 2''. In 1926, the building housed a branch of ''Bank Stadthagen'' ( pl, Bank Stadthagen. Towarzystwo Akcyjne), established in 1892 by

Lewin Louis Aronsohn Lewin Louis Aronsohn (1850–1928) was a German banker of Jewish origin. As a liberal politician, he was a member of the regional parliament of the Province of Posen (nowadays Poznań), the Prussian House of Representatives and the Prussian Cons ...

who had his own house

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

. The large opening on the ground floor of the facade has been realized on the initiative of the bank, to allow light to flow from the street. From March 1945 to 1948, the edifice housed "Bydgoszcz Drama School" ( pl, Szkoła Dramatyczna w Bydgoszczy). It had been created by Aleksander Rodziewicz: his successor as headmaster was

Adam Grzymała-Siedlecki Adam Franciszek Józef Siedlecki or Adam Grzymała-Siedlecki (AGS) (1876–1967) was a Polish literary and theater critic, playwright, translator, prose writer and director. Biography Congress Poland period Adam Grzymała-Siedlecki was born ...

. The three-storey building with residential attic is built on a polygon footprint with an interior courtyard. The front elevation is asymmetrical, with

avant-corps An ''avant-corps'' ( it, avancorpo or , plural , german: Risalit, pl, ryzalit), a French term literally meaning "fore-body", is a part of a building, such as a porch or pavilion, that juts out from the ''corps de logis'', often taller than othe ...

surmounted by a

from

pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was mainly ...

s, along with

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

s and

s. The upper parts of the facade were built with

Timber framing Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...

method. It is one of the few picturesque achievements of Józef Święcicki avant-garde buildings in the end of the 19th century.

Stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

decoration of the facade is dominated by stylized floral elements, branch tracery

rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' w ...

and decorative

cartouches In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the fea ...

. The tenement has been entirely restored in 2016-2017. File:Cieszkowskiego 4 (3).jpg, Main front elevation File:Cieszkowskiego 4 pedime.jpg, Windows adornement File:Cieszkowskiego 4 detail.jpg, Detail of stylized floral elements File:Cieszkowskiego 4 pediment.jpg,

decoration on the facade File:Cieszkowskiego 4 door.jpg, Door

portal Portal often refers to: * Portal (architecture), an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, or the extremities (ends) of a tunnel Portal may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), two video games ...

House at N°5

1903–1904, by Ernst Peters

Modern architecture Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form ...

The building was erected on a lot covering Cieszkowski N°5 and N°7 owned by Franz Muhme, a mastermason, at ''Moltkestrasse 19''. It was one of the last tenements built in August Cieszkowski Street as demarcated in 1894. In 1927, the building was bought by the Health District Department, adapting it for clinical use. After

, a clinic had been operating here until 1994. The present state of the building reflects the overhaul work carried out from 1987 to 1998. The three-storey building with a loft has an inverted "T"-shape footprint, with an outbuilding in the wing. The

shelters

s. The

of the front elevation is capped with a triangular

. Most elements of the original design of the building no longer exists, lacking original

decoration. However, part of the interiors by Ernst Peters are still preserved. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego5 hdr 05-2013.jpg, Facade onto the street File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego5 1 07-2013.jpg, Front elevation File:Cieszkowski N°5.JPG, Detail of facade

Carl Meyer's house at N°6

1897–1898 by Carl Meyer

The building was erected by Carl Meyer for his own use. It was one of the first tenements built in the Cieszkowski Street. Carl Meyer built several other edifices in downtown

, among others: * House at Gdanska Street 60; * Bydgoszcz Water supply station, along with the architect Marshall. Construction work at Cieszkowski 6 has been carried out by master mason Hermann Lewandowski and master carpenter Rudolf Berndt. In 1941, the house was requisitioned by the ''Reich'' Ministry of Labour to house the District Supply Office. The three-storey building with a loft has a polygon base with

. The building displays

eclecticism Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in ...

, typical in

at the end of 19th century. Many decoration details are to be mentioned, such as: * Stylized sun

, *

Cartouches In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the fea ...

with mask, *

Mantling In heraldry, mantling or "lambrequin" (its name in French) is drapery tied to the Helmet (heraldry), helmet above the shield. In paper heraldry it is a depiction of the protective cloth covering (often of linen) worn by knights from their helmet ...

with

palmette The palmette is a motif in decorative art which, in its most characteristic expression, resembles the fan-shaped leaves of a palm tree. It has a far-reaching history, originating in ancient Egypt with a subsequent development through the art o ...

s and ribbons. On the facade are placed cartouches displaying a triangle and a compass, as symbols of Carl Meyer's profession. File:Cieszkowskiego 6.jpg, Facade onto the street after renovation File:Cieszkowskiego 6 details.jpg, Facade details File:Cieszkowskiego 6 ac.jpg,

Avant-corps An ''avant-corps'' ( it, avancorpo or , plural , german: Risalit, pl, ryzalit), a French term literally meaning "fore-body", is a part of a building, such as a porch or pavilion, that juts out from the ''corps de logis'', often taller than othe ...

File:Cieszkowskiego 6 door.jpg,

Portal Portal often refers to: * Portal (architecture), an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, or the extremities (ends) of a tunnel Portal may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), two video games ...

File:Cieszkowski N°6.JPG, Detail of the cartouche displaying a triangle and a compass

House at N°7

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601270-Reg.A/1106 (15 November 1993) 1900–1902, by Karl Bergner

The building was commissioned by Franz Muhme, owner of plots on Cieszkowski N°5 and N°7. The architect Karl Bergner had already designed many other buildings in

Bromberg Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...

at the time: * Houses at Foch St.2/4 in 1901–1902 * A tenement at Dworcowa St.68 * Several buildings in Cieszkowski St. (N° 7,9,14,16/20,24). It is a four-storey building with a

mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called a French roof or curb roof) is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The ...

attic, with a "L"-shape footprint. The front elevation is symmetrical along five axis, with an

surmounted by a

terrace Terrace may refer to: Landforms and construction * Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river * Terrace, a street suffix * Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk a ...

. The gate is decorated with the head of the woman, capped by a stylized oval-shaped

. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego7 1 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Cieszkowski N°7.JPG, Detail of the gate File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego7 2 07-2013.jpg,

Gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

File:Kamienica, Bydgoszcz, ul. Cieszkowskiego 7.jpg, View of the

House at N°8

1899–1900, by Józef Święcicki

& elements of

Józef Święcicki intended to sell with profit the property once completed. However, during the construction Józef Święcicki sold the plot and the building rights to Alexander Grabowski. At its inception, building address was ''Moltkestrasse N°4''. Founded on an inverted "T"-shape, the four-storey building has a symmetrical front elevation with two

. The façade is topped by a triangular

and a timbered

. Dominant motifs are stylized

: chestnut leaves, a twig woven into a coat of arms

. At street level, the wall presents is a

bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

of a

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

in rushes, symbol of a peaceful human life existence. File:Kamienica, Bydgoszcz, ul. Cieszkowskiego 8.jpg, Main facade File:Cieszkowski N°8 facade.jpg, Facade details File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego8 1 07-2013.jpg,

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego8 5 07-2013.jpg,

File:Cieszkowski N°8 detail.JPG,

Heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

in rushes

House at N°9

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601271-Reg.A/1107 (16 November 1993) 1900–1902, by Karl Bergner

, elements of

The building was commissioned by a merchant, Ephreim Moritz. After

, the building became the property of the Treasury department. The present architectural state of the building is the result of a restoration work carried out in the 1990s. The four-storey building with a

has a "U"-shape with outbuildings. The front elevation is asymmetrical, with two

topped with terraces. The left

is surmounted by a

adorned with

stuccoes: scenes depict allegorical female figures with an owl and a rooster, symbolising "Day and Night". A form of a female head is placed in the portal

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego9 3 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Cieszkowskiego 9 Bydg zdobienia.jpg,

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego9 7 07-2013.jpg,

allegorical female figures File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego9 1 07-2013.jpg, Detail File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego9 8 07-2013.jpg, Detail File:Cieszkowskiego 9 Bydgoszcz d.jpg, Gate Detail

House at N°10

1902–1903, by

& Józef Święcicki

, elements of

The plot where stands the house belonged to Józef Święcicki: he sold it in 1902, to his colleague

. Rudolf Kern designed many other edifices in

, among others: * His own house at Mickiewicz Alley 1; * Buildings in Gdańska Street (N° 5, 24, 66-68, 67, 71, 158); * Buildings in Zamoyski street (11, 15); * Buildings in January 20th street (2, 16, 18, 24). In 1906, the house was sold to Albert Jahnke, a merchant. The four-storey building with a loft has an inverted "T" shape . The front elevation is topped with a triangular, timbered

and a conical tented

. The entrance opening is decorated with flower

s stuccoes. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego10 3 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego10 1 07-2013.jpg,

File:Cieszkowskiego 10 Bydgoszcz b.jpg, Gate Detail

Gustav Reschke's house at N°11

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601272-Reg.A/1108 (16 November 1993) 1898–1899, by Józef Święcicki

& elements of

The building was erected on behalf of Gustav Reschke, a rentier. The construction was carried out by master mason Emil Heidemann and master carpenter Friedrich Lork. In 1902, the house at ''Moltkestrasse 16'' was purchased by its builder Józef Święcicki, aspiring to rebuild the interiors. The building has been thoroughly restored during the 1990s and after 2000. The four-storey building with residential attics has a "U" footprint with two outbuilding wings. The front elevation is symmetrical, flanked by two-storey

s, topped by triangular

s surmounted by

. Slight

can be noticed, capped by

s with semicircular

Bay window A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room. Types Bay window is a generic term for all protruding window constructions, regardless of whether they are curved or angular, or r ...

s of the second floor are adorned with plant decoration and heraldic

, including a woman head,

coat of arms, a cog and a head of

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

. The portal frame displays an allegorical scene with

putti A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and sometimes winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University of ...

blowing clouds, as a symbol of stripping away worries of home residents. The building has preserved most of its original woodwork and windows decoration, but only part of its stuccoes in the residential area. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego11 8 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego11 4 07-2013.jpg, A two-storey

File:Cieszkowskiego 11 Bydgoszcz b.jpg,

ornament with a cog and a head of

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego11 3 07-2013.jpg,

ornament with a woman head and

coat of arms File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego11 6 07-2013.jpg, Portal frame detail with

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego11 1 07-2013.jpg, Window decoration detail

House at N°12

Registered on

Heritage List, N°725834-Reg.A/1524 (April 17, 2006) 1902–1903, by

& Victor Petrikowski

& elements of

In 1915, the building was purchased by Rudolf Frisch, a rentier, who had the

veranda A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...

added. The present facade of the building is the result of restoration works carried out in 2010. The four-storey building with has "T" shape. The left top of the front facade has a small

crowned by a

. The roof has embedded shed

s, those on the right end being covered with a

. The lower tier displays brick masonry. The opening above the entrance hole is decorated with

ornamentation: stylized chestnut leaves and a head of a woman. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego12 2 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego12 1 07-2013.jpg, Upper

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego12 4 07-2013.jpg, Portal frame detail File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego12 5 07-2013.jpg, Facade decoration detail

Houses at N°13/15

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601273-Reg.A/1109 (17 November 1993) 1902–1903, by

& elements of

The building was commissioned by a Housing Firm (german: Wohnungsverein zu Bromberg GmbH). Fritz Weidner also designed in

, among others in Gdańska Street: * Villa Fritz Heroldt at N°119; * Tenement at N°91; * House at N°79; * Max Rosenthal Tenement at N°42; * His own house at N°34; * George Sikorski Tenement at N°31; * Thomas Frankowski Tenement at N°28; * Ernst Mix tenement at N°10. After 1920 the building passed into the hands of a Housing company seating at Libelta street, and after

it has been owned by the Housing Cooperative of Bydgoszcz ( pl, Bydgoska Spółdzielnia Mieszkaniowa). During the postwar period the facade lost some decoration. Two deep restorations have been carried out, one in 1992 and one after 2000. The house has got four storey, on a "U" shape with two elongated residential

wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...

. The front elevation has two

s, each topped with an octagonal

. In the central part of the facade are

s: the first floor displays Tuscan order columns arcade, and the second level has got wooden pillars and a

baluster A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its cons ...

railing. The four peak roofs are timbered made. The gate opening at N°13 is topped with a

of a woman's head, and the entrance at N°15 has a

bearing "AD1903", surrounded by chestnut leaves. File:Cieszkowski 13 15 (5).JPG, Main facade File:Cieszkowski 13 15 (3).JPG,

Loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

s of the facade File:Cieszkowski 13 15 (2).JPG,

at N°13 File:Cieszkowski 13 15 (1).JPG, Loggia at N°13 File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego13-15 4 07-2013.jpg, Portal detail at N°13 File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego13-15 8 07-2013.jpg, Portal detail at N°15

Wilhelm Brzęczkowski's house at N°14

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601274-Reg.A/1052 (17 November 1997) 1899, by Karl Bergner

& elements of Neo-

Mannerism Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, ...

Karl Bergner (who also realized N°7,9,16,18 and 20 in the same street) realized this tenement on behalf of tailor Wilhelm Brzęczkowski, living at ''Dantzigerstrasse 42'', today's Gdańsk Street 71. The four-storey building with a loft has residential area wings. The front elevation is enriched with a

topped with a triangular

. The

shows

s topped with tent roof. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego14 07-2013.jpg, Main facade File:Cieszkowski N°14.JPG, Detail of the facade File:Cieszkowski N°14 Portal.JPG, Main gate

Houses at N°16/18/20

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601275-Reg.A/1110, N°601277-Reg.A/1112 & N°601278-Reg.A/1113 (22 November 1993) 1901–1902, by Karl Bergner

, elements of

The initiator of the project was Vincent Krause, the first owner, who sold the plot to the architect Karl Bergner. In 1901, Karl Bergner applied for a 3 houses building permission on the area. The work was finished in 1903, and shortly afterwards, individual pieces of the real estate were sold. A rehabilitation work including several architectural details has been performed around 2010. The three-storey building has a "L" footprint with small outbuilding wings. The ensemble has got a common

with

s and

s. Façades are standardized, without any distinct divisions of individual segments. In the central part of the block are two

topped with

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

s. On the walls stand wide

s with

plant motifs, while the bottom of both

s are adorned with chestnut leaves and a stylized head of a woman. File:Cieszkowskiego 16-20 Bydgoszcz a.jpg, Main facade File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego16-20 1 07-2013.jpg, Facade

detail File:Cieszkowskiego 16-20 Bydgoszcz c.jpg, Gate decoration with leaves and the head of a woman

Gustav Reschke's house at N°17

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601276-Reg.A/1111 (17 November 1993) 1897–1898, by Józef Święcicki

& elements of Neo-Baroque The building was erected on behalf of the rentier Gustav Reschke. Current architectural details and original colors are the outcome overhaul connected performed in the 1990s. Polish Vice Admiral Napoleon Louis-Wawel lived there from 1923 till he committed suicide in this house in 1934. In 1923, the ''Union of Poles from the Eastern Borderlands'' ( pl, Związek Polaków z Kresów Wschodnich) opened a charity kitchen to help the displaced Poles victims of the borders changes after the

Peace of Riga The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga ( pl, Traktat Ryski), was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, among Poland, Soviet Russia (acting also on behalf of Soviet Belarus) and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish–Soviet Wa ...

with

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

: in 1929, it had served a total of 30014 meals. The kitchen was led by Anna von Helmersen, living at Jan and Jędrzej Śniadecki Street N°12. The four-storey building with a residential attic has got a "L" shape. The front elevation is symmetrical, flanked on both sides by two massive

topped by

Dormers A dormer is a roofed structure, often containing a window, that projects vertically beyond the plane of a pitched roof. A dormer window (also called ''dormer'') is a form of roof window. Dormers are commonly used to increase the usable space ...

standing on the

are ornamented with

s. File:Cieszkowskiego 17 Bydgoszcz e.jpg, Main facade File:Bydgoszcz Cieszkowskiego 17.jpg,

File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego17 1 07-2013.jpg,

detail File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego17 6 07-2013.jpg,

detail

Vincent Krause's house N°22

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601279-Reg.A/1087 (23 November 1993) 1898–1899, by

The building was commissioned by a wealthy craftsman Vincent Krause. From 1902 to 1907, the new owner, a railway clerk named Richard Fiedler, ordered a reconstruction of the building, including: * the expansion of a wing to fit an additional staircase, * the building of glazed

s and a

in a corner, * an additional ground-floor outbuilding. Thorough restorations have been performed in the 1990s and after 2000. The building has four storeys, part of which recedes into the lot. The block is enriched with a series of glass

s and

s. On the corner, under a pink

tracery Tracery is an architecture, architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of Molding (decorative), moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the s ...

canopy, is placed a

halberd A halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge) is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. The word ''halberd'' is cognate with the German word ''Hellebarde'', deriving from ...

ier, symbolic protector and guardian of the house. In the opposite corner, a

bears the initials "KV" from the first owner of the building, ''Krause Vincent''. The facades display various

s and ornaments, embellished with vegetal motifs. The top of the main facade is capped with a

weather vane A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , m ...

bearing the date "1899". File:Cieszkowski N°22 (2).JPG, View from Cieszkowski Street File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego22 4 07-2013.jpg, Floral ornaments File:Cieszkowskiego 22 Bydgoszcz e.jpg, Floral ornaments File:Cieszkowski N°22 (3).JPG, Detail of the frontage File:Dom na ul.Cieszkowskiego22-neogotycka figura.JPG,

Halberd A halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge) is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. The word ''halberd'' is cognate with the German word ''Hellebarde'', deriving from ...

ier figure File:Cieszkowski N°22 (3).JPG, View of corner building with ''KV'' initials between the two floors

Corner house with Pomorska Street N°48

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601398-Reg.A/1099 (4 May 1994) 1896, by Józef Święcicki

, forms of

& Neo-Baroque. The first building on the plot dates back to the 1870s. In 1896, at the same location, Gustav Reschke, a rentier and real estate dealer (who already ordered buildings at N°11 and 17) commissioned a new, grander tenement. The ground floor was devoted to retail stores and the rest was a four-storey apartment. A full revitalization of the house, bringing back original facade appearance with reconstructed architectural details and original colors, has been carried out in 1993–1994. The four-storey building has a "L" shape with

s and

on the first and second floor. The front elevation is symmetrical, with regularly laid out architectural decoration. Some of the first floor windows are flanked by Ionic pilasters. Second floor windows are topped with stylized acanthus

s. File:A1099 z 04.05.1994 dom, 1896-1897 Bydgoszcz, ul. Pomorska 48 Cieszkowskiego (23).JPG, View from street crossing File:Bdg Pomorska48-Cieszk 2 07-2013.jpg,

detail File:Bdg Pomorska48-Cieszk 3 07-2013.jpg, Stylized acanthus

File:Bdg Pomorska48-Cieszk 4 07-2013.jpg, Ionic pilasters File:Bdg Pomorska48-Cieszk 6 07-2013.jpg,

Balconies A balcony (from it, balcone, "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or Corbel, console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor. Types The traditional Malta, Malte ...

House at N°24, corner with Pomorska Street N°50

Registered on

Heritage List, N°601399-Reg.A/1051 (8 December 1997) 1899, by Karl Bergner

Eclectic Eclectic may refer to: Music * ''Eclectic'' (Eric Johnson and Mike Stern album), 2014 * ''Eclectic'' (Big Country album), 1996 * Eclectic Method, name of an audio-visual remix act * Eclecticism in music, the conscious use of styles alien to th ...

, forms of picturesque architecture and Neo-Baroque The first building on the plot dates back to the 1870s. In 1895, in the same location, the architect

designed another tenement on behalf of Wilhelmin Wiemer, owner of the lot. Finally, for financial disputes, the project has been carried out by Karl Bergner instead of Weidner. The construction of the building was completed in 1899. The ground floor was devoted to shopping and restoration retail and upper floors for housing. On 11 October 1936 Richard Klewin, a dentist, acquired the building. During the communist era the building housed the restaurant ''Gromada'' and since 2000, it accommodates restaurant "Pierogarnia pod Aniołami" ("Dumpling Restaurant Under the Angels"), run by Bydgoszcz Diocese ''Caritas'' association. The facade has undergone a full overhaul in 1994. The three-storey building has a "U" shape footprint with a beveled corner. The corner elevation displays an

as well as the facade on Cieszkowski street, which is also enriched with a two-storey

. The corner, capped by a spired

roof lantern A roof lantern is a daylighting architectural element. Architectural lanterns are part of a larger roof and provide natural light into the space or room below. In contemporary use it is an architectural skylight structure. A lantern roof wil ...

, is flanked on the top with triangular

s with

windows. The second floor bay-window is an open arcaded

supported by Ionic columns. File:Bdg Pomorska50-Cieszk24 8 07-2013.jpg, View from streets intersection File:Bdg Pomorska50-Cieszk24 6 07-2013.jpg, View from Cieszkowski Street File:Dom (kamienica), 1898 Bydgoszcz, ul. Pomorska 50 Cieszkowskiego 24 (14).JPG, Corner

File:Pomorska 50 Bydgoszcz a.jpg, Spire on the roof and triangular

s File:Bdg Pomorska50-Cieszk24 9 07-2013.jpg, Spire detail File:Cieszkowski 24 Pomorska 50.JPG,

Stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

door

References

External links

Association of Street residents

Catalogue of Józef Święcicki's buildings

Restaurant at Pomorska Street N°50

Bibliography

* * * * * * {{Bydgoszcz streets and squares Cieszkowski Streets and squares in Bydgoszcz

Location

History

Architecture

Main places and buildings

Józef Święcicki's mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

House at N°1

Józef Święcicki's tenement at N°2, corner house with Gdańska Street N°63

Paul Böhm's House at N°3

House at N°4

House at N°5

Carl Meyer's house at N°6

House at N°7

House at N°8

House at N°9

House at N°10

Gustav Reschke's house at N°11

House at N°12

Houses at N°13/15

Wilhelm Brzęczkowski's house at N°14

Houses at N°16/18/20

Gustav Reschke's house at N°17

Vincent Krause's house N°22

Corner house with Pomorska Street N°48

House at N°24, corner with Pomorska Street N°50

See also

References

External links

Bibliography

Józef Święcicki's
mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...