Silesian architecture
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Silesian architecture is the name given to the constructions made in
Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...
throughout time, and those by Silesian architects worldwide. The name is also applied to buildings made within its geographical limits before the constitution of Silesia as a duchy (earlier than 1172) or before this name was given to those territories, and largely depends on the historical moment. Due to historical, geographic, and generational diversity, Silesian architecture has had a host of influences.


Romanesque architecture

The
Romanesque art Romanesque art is the art of Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic Art, Gothic style in the 12th century, or later depending on region. The preceding period is known as the Pre-Romanesque period. The term was invented by 1 ...
in Silesia appeared with the
Christianization Christianization (or Christianisation) is a term for the specific type of change that occurs when someone or something has been or is being converted to Christianity. Christianization has, for the most part, spread through missions by individu ...
of the region. The first known structure, relics of a church on Ostrów Tumski in
Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...
, was built in the mid-10th century. Around 1000 Bolesław I of Poland founded a three-nave cathedral on the same place, styled after the
cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
in
Gniezno Gniezno (; ; ) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The city is the administrative seat of Gniezno County (''powiat'') ...
. Few other buildings of that time are known. The rotunda in
Cieszyn Cieszyn ( , ; ; ) is a border town in southern Poland on the east bank of the Olza River, and the administrative seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship. The town has 33,500 inhabitants ( and lies opposite Český Těšín in the Czech Repu ...
(Těšín), of Moravian- Bohemian origin, dates back to 1050. The 12th century was a time of great advancement. The first monasteries and minsters, in Wrocław and Lubiąż, were built, and the quality of work improved significantly, as the builders adopted architectural styles from Southern Germany and
Meuse The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of . History From 1301, the upper ...
. Outstanding achievements of this era were the cathedral and the abbey church of the Benedictine order in Wrocław, the latter being the most magnificent Romanesque building in Silesia. It was planned after its mother church in
Tyniec Tyniec is a historic village in Poland on the Vistula river, since 1973 a part of the city of Kraków (currently in the district of Dębniki). Tyniec is notable for its Benedictine abbey founded by King Casimir the Restorer in 1044. Etymology ...
near
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, whereas its Westwork was influenced by
Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...
n traditions. The church of the first Cistercian monastery in Lubiąż, built by monks from
Pforta Schulpforta, otherwise known as Pforta, is a school located in Pforta monastery, a former Cistercian monastery (1137–1540). The school is located near Naumburg on the Saale River in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. The site has been a sch ...
in
Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...
, was the first of many buildings made of brick in Silesia. The beginning of the 13th century was marked by a big increase in building activity, caused by the large influx of German settlers (
Ostsiedlung (, ) is the term for the Early Middle Ages, early medieval and High Middle Ages, high medieval migration of Germanic peoples and Germanisation of the areas populated by Slavs, Slavic, Balts, Baltic and Uralic languages, Uralic peoples; the ...
). Most of the municipal churches in Silesia, built of stone or brick, emerged at that time. Examples were Głogów, Nysa,
Jelenia Góra Jelenia Góra (; ; ) is a historic city in southwestern Poland, within the historical region of Lower Silesia. Jelenia Góra is situated in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, close to the Karkonosze mountain range running along the Polish-Czech bo ...
or Ziębice. These late Romanesque Silesian churches were a mix of local,
Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...
-Thuringian and
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
n traditions. There are only seven known examples of that time in
Upper Silesia Upper Silesia ( ; ; ; ; Silesian German: ; ) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, located today mostly in Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic. The area is predominantly known for its heav ...
, but 67 in Lower Silesia, including secular buildings.


Silesian Gothic

The heralds of
Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...
were connected with the building activities of the
Cistercians The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
and the patronage of
Henry I the Bearded Henry the Bearded (, ; c. 1165/70 – 19 March 1238) was a Polish duke from the Piast dynasty. He was Dukes of Silesia, Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Seniorate Province, Duke of Kraków and List of Polish monarchs, High Duke of all Kin ...
. Two monasteries, in
Trzebnica Trzebnica (Polish pronunciation: ; , ) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in west-central Poland. It is the seat of Trzebnica County, and of the smaller administrative district (gmina) called Gmina Trzebnica. It lies within the eastern Trzebni ...
(Trebnitz) and Henryków (Heinrichau), as well as two residences, in Wrocław and
Legnica Legnica (; , ; ; ) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River and the Czarna Woda. As well as being the seat of the county, since 1992 the city has been the seat of the Diocese of Legnica. Le ...
(Liegnitz), were early examples and referred to architectonic standards in Southern Germany and along the
Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
. They probably indicate to the dynastic connection between Henry I and the House of Andechs. Characteristic attributes of all these buildings were the combination of brick constructions and details made of stone, which were most likely brought in via Altzella in Saxony. The Tatar invasions of 1241 led to the decentralization of Silesia. Baronial patronage decreased whereas episcopal and later municipal patronage increased. The most important construction project of that time was the cathedral of Wrocław, which became the first pure Gothic building in Silesia. The chapel St. Hedwig in Trzebnica was another important structure of that era. Both buildings cited early French traditions, imported via Saxony, Bohemia and Austria. Most mendicant orders built their monasteries in the second half of the 13th century, most notably in Wrocław, Głogów,
Brzeg Brzeg (; Latin: ''Alta Ripa'', German: ''Brieg'', Silesian German: ''Brigg'', , ) is a town in southwestern Poland with 34,778 inhabitants (December 2021) and the capital of Brzeg County. It is situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on t ...
and
Strzelin Strzelin (, ) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located on the Oława river, a tributary of the Oder, about south of the region's capital Wrocław. It is part of the Wrocław metropolitan area. The town i ...
. At the same time, the first
hall church A hall church is a Church (building), church with a nave and aisles of approximately equal height. In England, Flanders and the Netherlands, it is covered by parallel roofs, typically, one for each vessel, whereas in Germany there is often one s ...
es appeared. The most original were in Ziębice and
Złotoryja Złotoryja (; , ; Latin: ''Aureus Mons'', ''Aurum'') is a historic town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in southwestern Poland, the administrative seat of Złotoryja County, and of the smaller Gmina Złotoryja. Złotoryja is the first town in Pola ...
(Goldberg). A tower that remains of the
castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
in
Prudnik Prudnik (, , , ) is a town in southern Poland, located in the southern part of Opole Voivodeship near the border with the Czech Republic. It is the administrative seat of Prudnik County and Gmina Prudnik. Its population numbers 21,368 inhabitant ...
is considered to be the oldest private defensive structure in Poland (circa 1255). Silesia's towns needed approximately 50 years after its foundation to get their independence. In the 14th century, many of these towns began to build their own big parish churches, and with the assistance of the new Bohemian sovereign, a dynamic sacral development program began. Dominant were now Bohemian,
Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...
n, Southern German and Lower Austrian architectural traditions, but mixed with local traditions which preferred more simple forms. The most characteristic creation of the entire 14th century remained the basilical municipal church with a long nave and no transept. This style was most probably derived from the Cistercian abbey in Zlatá Koruna (Goldenkron) in
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
. Although Silesia was now a part of Bohemia, a state of the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
, the
Parler Parler (pronounced "parlor") is an American alt-tech social networking service associated with conservatives. Launched in August 2018, Parler marketed itself as a free speech-focused and unbiased alternative to mainstream social networks s ...
Gothic had almost no influence. Architectural embellishments can only be found in three churches, probably all built by master builder Claus Brynner. This dynamic sacral development program lasted the entire 14th century, and starting around 1370 many bigger cities added guild and family
chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...
s to their parish churches. At the end of the century, all monastery construction projects ended, and with the spreading of the
Hussite Wars The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...
to Silesia most building activities were greatly reduced. The expansion of the town hall in Wrocław after 1480 marked a big change in the architectural history of Silesia. As it was obvious that local workshops, represented by Hans Berthold, could not meet the expectations, the city decided to invite experts from
Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...
and
Lusatia Lusatia (; ; ; ; ; ), otherwise known as Sorbia, is a region in Central Europe, formerly entirely in Germany and today territorially split between Germany and modern-day Poland. Lusatia stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the eas ...
around master builder Paul Preusse. At the beginning of the new century, this influence from Saxony and Lusatia was most notably in western parts of Silesia, where Conrad Pflüger and Wendel Roskopf from
Görlitz Görlitz (; ; ; ; ; Lusatian dialects, East Lusatian: , , ) is a town in the Germany, German state of Saxony. It is on the river Lusatian Neisse and is the largest town in Upper Lusatia, the second-largest town in the region of Lusatia after ...
built city halls and churches in Löwenberg (Lwówek Śląski), Bunzlau (Bolesławiec), Sagan (Żagań) or Gröditzberg (Grodziec), all in the tradition of Benedikt Ried from
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
. Later Lucas Schleierweber from Schweidnitz (
Åšwidnica Åšwidnica (; ; ) is a city on the Bystrzyca (Oder), Bystrzyca River in south-western Poland in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. As of 2021, it has a population of 55,413 inhabitants. It is the seat of Åšwidnica County, and also of the smaller dis ...
) continued this Görlitz style and constructed buildings in other parts of Middle Silesia.


Renaissance and Mannerism

The
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
era began with the accession of Johann V. Thurzó as Bishop of Breslau. As a great patron of the arts he introduced the new style in Silesia as he commissioned two foundations plates (1505, 1509) at his residence in Jauernig ( Javorník, today in the Czech Republic) and the sacristy portal (1517) on the cathedral in Breslau. The latter was probably made by a local artist, whereas most other early Renaissance projects were carried out by Italians from
Ticino Ticino ( ), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino, is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eight districts ...
, the so-called "''Comasks''". The most successful were members of the Parr family (Pahr, Bahr or Pario), which built the fortifications in Bolkenhain (
Bolków Bolków () is a town in Jawor County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district (gmina) called Gmina Bolków and part of the '' Neisse-Nysa-Nisa'' Euroregion. Overview The town lies at ...
) in 1539 and later worked in Brieg. The oldest preserved Renaissance buildings today are house "''To the golden crown''" (1521–28) in Wrocław (demolished in 1906 and rebuilt after World War II) and the castle of Charles I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels in Ząbkowice Śląskie (Frankenstein), built after 1524 by Benedikt Ried. Many buildings of that time still show the transition from Gothic to Renaissance, for instance the castle in Wojnowice (Wohnwitz) or the city halls in Bolesławiec (Bunzlau), Lwówek Śląski (Löwenberg) and Grodziec (Gröditzberg). Most of these buildings were probably built by Wendel Roskopf, a pupil of Benedikt Ried and author of a collection of exceptional Renaissance houses in Görlitz. He probably also was the constructor of Palais Rybisch in Wrocław, which was completed by an unnamed Italian artist after 1526. The high building activity in the Middle Ages resulted in cities which were saturated with churches. Only in exceptional cases new churches were planned, for instance St. Blasius (today St. Maria) in Ohlau (
Oława Oława (, , ) is a historic town in south-western Poland with 33,029 inhabitants (2019). It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, within the Wrocław metropolitan area. It is the seat of Oława County and of the smaller administrative distri ...
), carried out by Bernhard Niuron in 1587. At that time most Silesian churches became
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
and the interest shifted to small alterations of church interiors. A great exception was the conversion of the medieval church in Rothsürben (
Żórawina Żórawina (: , 1937–1947: ) is a village (former town) in Wrocław County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district (''gmina'') called Gmina Żórawina. It lies approximately south of ...
) by Hans Schneider, which resulted in one of the best examples of Protestant ecclesiastical architecture in Middle Europe. Much more coherent was the development of secular buildings. The first homogeneous Renaissance building was the gate of Legnica Castle, built 1533 by Georg von Amberg. The highlight of Silesian architecture of that time however represented
Brzeg Castle Brzeg Castle is located in Brzeg, Opole Voivodeship, Poland. Now a museum, the structures includes the Piast dynasty mausoleum. Geography Brzeg Castle is located on a cliff to the west of the Oder River, in the city of Brzeg on the border of Low ...
and its castle gate, which is deemed to be the symbol of Silesian Renaissance. It was built between 1544 and 1570 by Franziskus Parr, the figurative architectural sculptures, the biggest ensemble in Silesia, were carried out by Saxon master Andreas Walther d.Ä.. It depicts George II of Brieg, his wife Barbara von Brandenburg and his line of ancestors. It was most probably modeled after
Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
's Georgenhof, which Parr visited in 1530, and Italian designs. Similar buildings soon followed in Falkenberg (
Niemodlin Niemodlin (; ) is a town in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,315 inhabitants (2019). History The community was first mentioned as ''Nemodlin'' in a 1224 deed and received town privileges in 1283. The German place-name ''Falkenberg ...
), Kreppelhof (Zamek Grodztwo) in Landeshut (
Kamienna Góra Kamienna Góra (, ) is a town in south-western Poland with 18,235 inhabitants (2023). It is the seat of Kamienna Góra County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Kamienna Góra, although it is not part of the territory of the latter (t ...
), Sorau (
Żary Żary (, , , ) is a town in western Poland with 37,502 inhabitants (2019), situated in the Lubusz Voivodeship. It is the administrative seat of the Żary County and of the Gmina Żary within the county, though the town is not part of the gmina (c ...
) and Plagwitz (Płakowice, now a district of Lwówek Śląski).
Sgraffito (; ) is an artistic or decorative technique of scratching through a coating on a hard surface to reveal parts of another underlying coating which is in a contrasting colour. It is produced on walls by applying layers of plaster tinted in con ...
appeared first in 1563 in Proskau ( Proszków), altogether 300 examples are preserved to this day. Stylistically the early buildings were connected to Bohemian and Lusatian traditions, represented by Wendel Roskopf, Benedikt Ried and Hans Lindener and were still influenced by Gothic ideas. Soon afterwards the buildings of the ''Comasks'' from Italy replaced their work. After 1560 Dutch Renaissance styles, imported by pattern-books and master builders like Hans Vredeman de Vries, replaced Italian elements. These Dutch forms were first visible at Oleśnica Castle in 1542. Notable representatives of this era were Gaspare Cuneo, Gerhardt von Amsterdam and Hans Lucas. Buildings influenced by this style were the castles in Alt Warthau ( Warta Bolesławiecka) or Gießmanndorf ( Gościszów) and the majority of the civic architecture of that time. Sporadically, other traditions emerged too, for example Saxon portals in Liegnitz or Bohemian roofs in Grafenort ( Gorzanów) castle. The only new development of sacred architecture in Silesia which fully adopted
Mannerism Mannerism 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, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...
was the palace chapel of Siedlisko (Carolath), commissioned by Valentin von Säbisch. His son Albrecht created the famous Protestant Churches of Peace, which were constrained by political conditions. Without tower, timber framed and built in minimal time they appeared more like commercial construction, a sparse look which was intended. In their simplicity they resembled on northern European Manierism, however they already were a creation of the baroque era.


Silesian Baroque

The beginning and the end of the Baroque were marked by two wars, the
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
and the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
. The triumph of the
Baroque architecture Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to ...
in Silesia was closely connected to the rise of the
House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...
and the
Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...
, whereas its decline was marked by the import of
Classicism Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. In its purest form, classicism is an aesthe ...
by
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
, the new owner of Silesia after the Seven Years' War. The religious antagonism of Protestantism and Catholicism led to a sharp contrast of a conservative Protestant Baroque which was in the defence and a vanguard and rousing Catholic Baroque which was in the offensive. The ban to build Protestant churches and the saturation of the region with secular architecture resulted in a decline of building projects. As a consequence most Baroque palaces of the 17th and 18th century were alterations of existing structures. The destruction of the secular courtly culture by the new Polish owners after 1945 led to a widespread deterioration of palaces in Silesia, and today's remaining palaces and holdovers in museums give only a distorted impression of the Baroque era in Silesia. Important patrons of the Baroque architecture were two bishops from Breslau: Frederick of Hesse-Darmstadt and Franz Ludwig von Pfalz-Neuburg. During their 50-year incumbency both initiated numerous artistic projects and supported a large array of artists. Cistercian monasteries with their large possession acted as important intellectual and artistic centers, and Cistercian abbots used the arts as an instrument to manifest their prince-like status. They created the conditions for a collaboration of the two workshops of Michael Willmann and Matthias Steinl, which was of pan-European importance. The
Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
as the main supporters of the imperial Counter-Reformation enriched mainly the civic centers with their buildings, much to the aversion of the Protestant society. They were responsible for the spread of basilicas modeled after Il Gisu, stylistic vocabulary of the Bohemian Dientzenhofer family and the baroque theatricalism found for instance at Leopoldina university in Breslau. Artistically very active were also the
Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular in the Catholic Chur ...
s,
Augustinians Augustinians are members of several religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written about 400 A.D. by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...
,
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
s and the
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
s, the latter being responsible for the church at Wahlstatt ( Legnickie Pole) near Liegnitz, an outstanding architectural monument and one of the most famous symbols of the triumph of the church against nonbelievers. The privileged higher Catholic nobility, often immigrated, at that time laid the base for large possessions, whereas the Protestant bourgeoisie lost its role as a patron of the architecture and compensated this loss with outstanding achievements in literature, music and science. Characteristic for the baroque era in Silesia was the glorification of the died out
Silesian Piasts The Silesian Piasts were the elder of four lines of the Polish Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile (1105–1159), eldest son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, Bolesław III of Poland. By Bolesław's Testament of Bolesław III Krzy ...
and its successors, the
Habsburgs The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
. The mother of the last ruling duke of the Silesian Piasts, princess Louise of Anhalt-Dessau, built a Piast mausoleum in Liegnitz commemorating the extinct dynasty, which shows a unique program by poet Daniel Casper von Lohenstein. The Cistercians regarded themselves as keepers of the Piastic legacy and erected commemorating programs in Leubus and Grüssau ( Lubiąż and Krzeszów Abbeys), but also rendered homage to the Habsburgs at the university of Breslau, in Leubus and in Lobris ( Luboradz). The early period of the baroque era (1640–80) was marked by the activity of Italian masters, which after the Thirty Years' War filled the gaps in the entire Holy Roman Empire. St. Matthias in Breslau (1654) and Cistercian churches like Grüssau (1670) were first altered, later it affected all churches. The first remodeled palaces (all around 1640) were the residences in Zülz ( Biała), Żyrowa, Oberglogau ( Głogówek), Palais Heberstein in Grafenort ( Gorzanów) by Carlo Lurago (1653–57) and the palace in Proskau (
Prószków Prószków (, ; ) is a List of cities and towns in Poland, town in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Gmina Prószków, a Polish/German Bilingual communes in Poland, bilingual commune since 2006. ...
) by G. Seregni between 1677 and 1683. The palace in Sagan, started by
Albrecht von Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (; 24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein (), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War (1618–16 ...
and later in possession of the von Lobkowicz family, was modeled after Bohemian standards. The Jesuit seminar in Neisse (1656–58) was built by Melchior Werner, who represented the first generation of Silesian architects after the war. Important for the Protestant European architecture were the three Churches of Peace in Glogau, Jauer and Schweidnitz. Its constructor, military engineer Albrecht von Säbisch from Breslau, had to deal with a number of political constraints defined at the
Peace of Westphalia The Peace of Westphalia (, ) is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire ...
. The churches should be built outside of the city walls, without stones and without a tower. The result were churches designed after Dutch and French examples, but with local traditions. A second variant of Protestant churches were so called ''border churches'', simple buildings made of cheap materials, located outside of the borders of Silesia in the surrounding countries and used as refuges for the suppressed Silesian Protestants. Between 1680 and 1740 the Silesian baroque entered a period of prosperity. The palace in Suhlau ( Sułów), built in 1680, was the first building made with all representative stylistic elements of the baroque era. The Althans family constructed several palace ensembles in Wölfelsdorf ( Wilkanów) and Mittelwalde ( Międzylesie), Konrad Ernst Maximilian von Hochberg expanded castle Fürstenstein ( Książ; 1718–25, carried out by F. A. Hammerschmidt and F. A. Scheffler), 10 years later Martin Frantz enlarged Kotzenau palace ( Chocianów) and created one of the finest baroque garden in Silesia, and even some ''Palais entre cour et jardin'' emerged in Gröditzberg and Briese (by Johann Blasius Peintner from Austria). Entire landscape gardens however are rarely preserved and only known thanks to illustrations by Friedrich Bernhard Werner. After 1680 all great Silesian monasteries were altered. Of special importance here is the abbey of Leubus with its famous representation rooms by Michael Willmann, F.A. Scheffler, Ph. Chr. Bentum and Franz Joseph Mangoldt. St. Elisabeth chapel at the cathedral of Breslau was the most significant import of Italian inspired baroque and the last major work carried out by Italians. 30 years later
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (20 July 1656 – 5 April 1723) was an Austrian architect, sculptor, engraver, and architectural historian whose Baroque architecture profoundly influenced and shaped the tastes of the Habsburg Empire. His inf ...
created the pendant, the electors chapel, which already anticipated neo-classical ideas. The ideas of the Bohemian Baroque were spread by members of the Dientzenhofer family and its students. The first church of this type was the Jesuit church in Liegnitz, built by Christoph and
Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer (; 1 September 1689 – 18 December 1751) was a German Bohemians, German Bohemian architect of the Baroque architecture, Baroque era. He is among the most prolific and renowned architects of his era in Bohemia. He was bo ...
between 1714 and 1727. Later works can be found in Neiße, Liebenthal ( Lubomierz), Leubus or Brieg. They were mostly propagated by Silesian Christoph Hackner from Jauer, Martin Frantz from Reval/Tallinn and his students Karl Martin Frantz from Liegnitz (Legnica) and Johann Innocenz Töpper from Neustadt (Prudnik). A reason for the intensified construction activity in the first half of the 18th century was the implementation of the '' Treaty of Altranstädt'', which demanded the restitution of 104 and the erection of 6 new Protestant churches, the so-called ''Gnadenkirchen'' (churches of mercy). The abolishment of building regulation except for the erection outside of the townwalls caused the heterogeneity of this group. The churches in Sagan, Freystadt ( Kożuchów) and Militsch ( Milicz) were timber-framed, the churches in Hirschberg and Landeshut by Martin Frantz modeled after
Katarina Church Katarina kyrka (''Church of Catherine'') is one of the major churches in central Stockholm, Sweden. The original building was constructed 1656–1695. It has been rebuilt twice after being destroyed by fires, the second time during the 199 ...
in
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, whereas the Protestant church in Teschen (Cieszyn, Těšín), modeled after Catholic Jesuit churches, was an exception. The biggest metropolitan ensembles were carried out in Neiße, Breslau and Liegnitz. Important palaces, which combined residential and professional requirements, in Breslau were built by the family von Hatzfeld, von Spätgen, Hornes and von Schreyvogel, the latter being designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. The biggest secular urban developments of that time were the ''Ritterakademie'' (knights academy) in Liegnitz, built for aristocratic children of both religious conviction, and the destroyed episcopalian spital in Neiße. Almost no city hall was constructed during the baroque era, and few saved their baroque rebuildings. The annexation by
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
marked the beginning of the end of the Baroque era in Silesia. The orientation towards the new political and artistical center in Berlin brought changes in the organization of building activities along. New artists from Prussia took the place of dying Silesian artists (Tausch †1731, Peintner †1732, Hackner †1741, Frantz †1742, Frisch †1745), for instance G.L. Schirmeister in Oels ( Oleśnica), J.M. Pohlmann in Oppeln (Opole) or Chr.Fr. Schultze in Breslau. The newly created building inspection department limited the importance of Silesian guilds and adjusted construction plans. Between the First and Second Silesian War almost only magazines, barracks, fortification and Protestant churches were built. Towns like Cosel ( Koźle, now a district of Kędzierzyn-Koźle), Brieg, Breslau, Glogau, Neiße and Schweidnitz were converted to fortresses. Carlsruhe ( Pokój) was the first of a number of Frederician urban foundations, modelled after
Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...
in
Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in southern Germany. In earlier times it was considered to be on both sides of the Upper Rhine, but since the Napoleonic Wars, it has been considered only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Ba ...
. The liberated Protestant population built large quantities of modest churches in the first years of Prussian rule, which were portrayed by Friedrich Bernhard Werner. The most prestigious project of that time was the construction of the castle church in Breslau, which was remodeled by
Carl Gotthard Langhans Carl Gotthard Langhans (15 December 1732 – 1 October 1808) was a Prussian master builder and royal architect. His churches, palaces, grand houses, interiors, city gates and theatres in Silesia (now Poland), Berlin, Potsdam and elsewhere belo ...
and became the prototype of all later classical Protestant churches. The final say of the Catholics in Silesia was the monastery complex of the Cistercians in Grüssau (1774–90). The symbol of the changes and the first palace construction after the second half of the 18th century became the royal residence in Breslau (1750-53 by Joh. Boumann d.Ä.), which integrated the palace of the family von Spätgen and was a mix of Frederician
rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...
and classical components. Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz, commander of Frederick's army, erected a ''Maison de plaisance'' in Minkowsky ( Minkowskie) which was akin to Sanssouci, and the palace of family von Maltzan in Militsch was modeled after the New Palace in
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
.


Neoclassicism and Historicism

After the Treaty of Hubertusburg, a long-lasting phase of political and economic stabilization led to building activities which lasted until the defeat of Prussia in 1806. The destroyed cities were rebuilt, Upper Silesia became industrialized and many defensive fortifications were put up. In 1775 Silesia was split into two separate construction departments, Breslau and Glogau, which were headed by fully independent construction managers (''Oberbaudirektoren''). The most important of these managers, Karl Gotthard Langhans, developed its own unique neo-classical style, which was of European importance. The sacral architecture was now dominated by the Protestant church. After 1763 the small modest churches of the past were gradually abandoned and large monumental churches were built. Groundbreaking for the development of these churches were the churches in Cosel by Joh.M. Pohlmann and K.G. Langhans and in Polnisch Wartenberg ( Syców) by K.G. Langhans in 1785. The new standards of these neo-classical churches were soon adopted by the churches in Waldenburg (
Wałbrzych Wałbrzych (; ; or ''Walmbrich''; or ) is a city located in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in southwestern Poland, seat of Wałbrzych County. Wałbrzych lies approximately southwest of the voivodeship capital Wrocław and about from the Czec ...
), Reichenbach ( Dzierżoniów) and Münsterberg ( Ziębice). The building activities of the Catholic Church stagnated until the mid 19th century. The residential architecture between 1740 and 1806 was marked by dynamic changes regarding styles and types. New town palaces however were rarely built. The most important one was Palais Hatzfeldt in Breslau, one of the first neo-classical buildings in Europe, designed in 1764 by I. Ganevale and K.G. Langhans. Other palaces adopted the new style after 1770. The public initiatives affected mainly military buildings: monumental fortifications in Silberberg (
Fort Srebrna Góra Fort Srebrna Góra or Srebrnogórska Fortress (, , lit. Silver Mountain Fort) is a former military fort, now a monument and a museum, located in the village of Srebrna Góra, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Srebrna Góra (lit. Silver Mountain), Lower ...
), Neiße and Glatz ( Kłodzko Fortress) as well as new barracks in Breslau and Brieg. According to the welfare policy of
Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled ''King in Prussia'', declaring himself '' King of Prussia'' after annexing Royal Prus ...
new hospitals and workhouses were erected (Kreuzburg, Breslau), and with the beginning industrialization of Upper Silesia entire residential developments were planned. New administration structures were adopted after the Prussian ministry for Silesia was closed in 1808 and the reforms by Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein and Karl August von Hardenberg were implemented. From now on every building project had to be accepted by the building inspection department, which itself was under the control of the royal police headquarters. Every town appointed its municipal architect and local building deputation controlled the technical aspects of every project. These principles were in effect until 1900. After 1820 positive results of these reforms became visible as a new period of building activity began. Most of these activities were now carried out in the cities, which became dominant in the shaping of Silesia's architectural landscape. Dozens of theaters, houses for different associations, schools, hospitals or asylums were built. The most important artistical center was Breslau, and the most important Silesian architect until 1840 was Carl Ferdinand Langhans, son of Carl Gotthard and creator of the exchange, the
theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
, the loge "Friedrich zum goldenen Zepter" in Breslau and the theater in
Liegnitz Legnica (; , ; ; ) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River and the Czarna Woda. As well as being the seat of the county, since 1992 the city has been the seat of the Diocese of Legnica. L ...
. A new type of apartment buildings began to evolve and the rich bourgeoisie began to live in large villas at the outskirts of the cities. The architecture of that time was marked by a broad mix of several neo-classical styles, from Palladianism, revolutionary Neoclassicism (Hoym mausoleum by
Friedrich Gilly Friedrich David Gilly (16 February 1772 – 3 August 1800) was a German architect and the son of the architect David Gilly. His works are influenced by revolutionary architecture (''Revolutionsarchitektur''). Born in Altdamm, Pomerania, (today ...
) in Dyhernfurth ( Brzeg Dolny) or Palais Hohenlohe with the construction of the palace in Kamenz by
Karl Friedrich Schinkel Karl Friedrich Schinkel (13 March 1781 – 9 October 1841) was a Prussian architect, urban planning, city planner and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed b ...
. Summer residences for the king of Prussia and his court in Hirschberg valley were the most important phenomenon in the palace architecture, where more than 30 palaces, castles and manors formed a cultural landscape of outstanding importance. In the cities the town walls were razed (first 1807 in Breslau) and replaced by greens, among them the first public parks. The fourth decade of the 19th century was a turning point in the history of the Silesian architecture.
Frederick William IV of Prussia Frederick William IV (; 15 October 1795 – 2 January 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, was King of Prussia from 7 June 1840 until his death on 2 January 1861. Also referred to as the "romanticist on the th ...
ascended the throne in 1840, Karl Friedrich Schinkel died in 1841 and Karl Ferdinand Langhans finally moved to Berlin. Neo-Classizism was slowly replaced by Historism, the Silesian architecture linked more and more with Berlin and with the rise of the
Wilhelmine The Wilhelmine period or Wilhelmian era () comprises the period of German history between 1888 and 1918, embracing the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the German Empire from the death of Kaiser Friedrich III until the end of World War I and Wilh ...
empire the local architecture became fully dominated by German art movements. Neo-Renaissance was soon adopted in two varieties, Italian and Northern- German, the latter being promoted as the "national style". This German Renaissance was mainly used at state-run building projects, for instance post offices. Palaces and self-governments were often built in neo- Baroque forms, whereas neo- Romanic did not become popular in Silesia. The departure of Karl Ferdinand Langhans left a gap which was soon filled by architects from Berlin. The time until 1914 was now marked by a peculiar rivalry between the architects from Silesia and Berlin. Communal and private building projects carried out by Silesian architects clearly cited local traditions, whereas governmental building projects dominated by architects from Berlin showed stylistic concepts without Silesian characteristics. The state (king, emperor) became the client with the most prestige, on his initiative many administrational buildings (regional councils, archives), prisons, courts of justice, police buildings and academies were constructed. As the leader of the Protestant church the king also founded many churches. The Catholic Church was still one of the biggest principals, especially in Upper Silesia. In 1883 a bishopric building officer was created, the first one being Josef Ebers. Not only churches were erected, but also hospitals, schools and many other buildings; approximately 2.000 Protestant and Catholic institutions in the entire 19th century. After 1850 the Jews became the third important ecclesiastic client and built large and representative synagogues which rivaled the churches of the other denominations. The most spectacular example was the synagogue "Am Anger" in Breslau, constructed by Edwin Oppler in 1872. They also built many hospitals and care homes. The religious equalization of Protestants, Catholics and Jews, which was typical for the second half of the 19th century in Prussia, was now mirrored by the architectural landscape of Silesia. Thanks to the Prussian reforms in the beginning of the 19th century the bourgeoisie became the dominant group and replaced the patriciate, which partially left their town palaces and concentrated on big industrial investments in Upper Silesia. The bourgeoisie also became the foremost patrons and consumers of the arts and initiated the construction of many theaters, museums or galleries, in addition they also gave an impetus to the beautification of the cities with parks and promenades. Their biggest achievement however was the construction of countless apartment buildings, which led to a rapid growth of the cities and the transition of Breslau to a metropolis. At the same time the division of the suburbs into living spaces for workmen, craftsmen, industry and rich middle classes took place. This however occurred only in Lower Silesia. Most towns in Upper Silesia did not have an old town center but often only one street, and they also did not have suburbs but chaotically scattered small apartment buildings for workers (so called ''familoki''), which were closely connected to the local coal mines. An exception was the workers colony in Nickischschacht and especially Gieschewald, built by Berlin architects Georg and Emil Zillmann for Gesellschaft Georg v. Giesche's Erben. The opposite to the Upper Silesian industrial small towns represented the Lower Silesian spas in the
Sudetes The Sudetes ( ), also known as the Sudeten Mountains or Sudetic Mountains, is a geomorphological subprovince of the Bohemian Massif province in Central Europe, shared by the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany. They consist mainly of mountain rang ...
mountain range. Silesia was without a doubt scenically the most beautiful part of the
Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...
, which was the reason for the speedy development of several railway lines to the spas at the foothill of the mountains in the second half of the 19th century. These villages and towns, with its exclusive sanatoriums and hotels, were a prestigious field of work for architects from Breslau, but some of them, like Görbersdorf (the Silesian Davos), were also carried out by non- Silesians like Edwin Oppler from Hanover (although he was born in Silesia). After the royal court left Hirschberg valley (which is also a part of the Sudetes) the region became attractive for a number of famous people from the German intelligentsia, among them
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
winner Gerhart Hauptmann, whose villa in Agnetendorf ( Jagniątków) was designed by one of the best architects from Berlin, Hans Grisebach, or political economist
Werner Sombart Werner may refer to: People * Werner (name), origin of the name and people with this name as surname and given name Fictional characters * Werner (comics), a German comic book character * Werner Von Croy, a fictional character in the ''Tomb Rai ...
, who resided in a villa in Schreiberhau by Fritz Schumacher from Hamburg.


Castles, palaces

* Gliwice Castle * Pszczyna Castle * Sielecki Castle * Książ * Goldstein Palace


See also

* Gliwice Radio Tower * Reichenbacher Tower ( :de:Reichenbacher Turm) * Dicker Tower ( :de:Dicker Turm)


References

* ''Dehio - Handbuch der Kunstdenkmäler in Polen: Schlesien'', Herder-Institut Marburg and Krajowy Osrodek Badan i Dokumentacji Zabytkow Warszawa,
Deutscher Kunstverlag The Deutscher Kunstverlag (DKV) is an educational publishing house with offices in Berlin and Munich. The publisher specializes in books about art, cultural history, architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and bu ...
2005,


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Silesian Architecture Culture of Silesia Culture of Prussia