Konin - Architectural Landmarks

Architectural Landmarks

Konin County (Powiat Koninski) contains examples of Romanesque architecture; Gothic architecture; Renaissance architecture; Mannerism and Manneristic architecture; Baroque architecture; Rococo art; architecture of 18th century: Classicism; architecture of 19th century: Neogothic, Neoromanesque, Neoclassicism, Eclecticism; architecture of 20th century: Modernism, Nazi architecture, Socialist Realism, Post-modernism. Because of its strategic geographical situation, remains of the Defence Line of 'Poznań' Army, including reinforced concrete bunkers, can be seen near Konin.

The town of Konin is split up into two historical parts - Stary Konin (The Old Town), situated on the south bank of Warta River and Nowy Konin (The New Konin), outspread northwards from the river and built up mainly after 1945.

• Romanesque -
  1. Famous, oldest Polish stone sign-post made of local sandstone from quarry in Brzeźno village. It is well known as Stone Sign-Post of Konin. It was founded in 1151 AD by duke Piotr Włost Włostowicz or Piotr Stary Wszeborowic. There are magnificent examples of Romanesque inscription and letters themselves carved on it. According to some scholars and hypotheses this sign-post had been earlier Celtic sculpture. The Stone Sign-Post of Konin is the oldest European sign-post beyond the boundaries of Roman Empire
  2. St Bartholomew's parish church was rebuilt in the second half of 14th century, but Romanesque remains are still visible in external walls, especially in the north wall. They are dressed stones made of sandstone and massive stone cross built into the wall as well.

• Gothic -
  1. St Bartholomew's parish church is most beautiful example of Gothic architecture and art in Konin. There are beautiful, gothic net and stellar vaults inside the church and stained glasses in the chancel.
  2. St Andrew's church in the north district of Konin called Gosławice is a precious example of rural, Gothic church having unique view of Greek cross. The building has got a rare fan vault with the only sand-stone column in the middle of the floor. The sand stone bosses and other details are richly carved. In the external walls there are a few coats of arms built-in.
  3. Mediaeval Castle in Gosławice - at present Regional Museum of Konin was built by Poznań bishop Andrzej Łaskarz in 1418-1426. I was adjusted well to defence with the use of fire-arms. Even nowadays the set of historical buildings in Gosławice only is enough to draw attention to Konin, because there is a very rare example of old village with unique Gothic church, knight's, Mediaeval castle and old, Polish manor gathered in one place and being annexed to a larger organism of the Town of Konin itself.

• Renaissance -
  1. Late, Renaissance chapel of Jan Zemełko(Zemelius) by the St. Bartholomew's parish church - Jan Zemełko was local physician, Renaissance man and well known member of the Middle class in Konin and Kalisz as well.
  2. The former house of Jan Zemełko (Zemelius) in the Plac Wolności. The house was refurbished completely many a time since the age of Zemelius but we can still see there amazingly thick wall on the ground floor (1,2 m) and the main hall with the original barrel vault in it.

• Mannerism -
  1. St. Bartholomew's parish church with Manneristic, magnificent, architectural tombstone of Stanisław Przyjemski on the north wall of the main nave seems to be the most characteristic example of local Mannerism.
  2. In chapel of Jan Zemełko (Zemelius) there are impressive, wooden stalls with inlaid work. They are rare example of Manneristic furniture.

• Baroque -
  1. St. Bartholomew's parish church with plenty of magnificent altars, epitaphs and stalls, late baroque wall crucifix in the porch, late baroque church organs from 18th century.
  2. Monastery and St. Mary Magdalene's church of Reformed Franciscans built in 1631.

• Rococo -
  1. St. Bartholomew's parish church - a. Wall crucifix above the entrance to the porch on the north wall of the main nave. b. Main altar in chapel of Jan Zemełko (Zemelius).

• Classicism -
  1. The Town Hall built up in the very beginning of 19th century with beautiful façade encompassing four, tall Toscany Columns and large pediment on them. Above the pediment there is also little tower there (partly made of wood) with the tower clock and tall flag-staff as well. On the occasion of local and state festive days the flag with the Arms of Konin Town on it is usually hung on that flag-staff.
  2. The entire Old Town with many classicist tenement-houses and former bucher's shops by the town hall and elsewhere.
  3. Municipal Council Building on the north wall of Plac Wolności.
  4. Presbytery of Lutheran church of Holy Ghost is, in fact, classicist manor-house surprisingly situated in the small garden in the middle of the Old Town of konin.

• 19th and 20th century Neogothic -
  1. St Bartholomew's parish church has got Neogothic main altar made of wood with many Neogothic statues on it.
  2. St Andrew's church in Gosławice the north district of Konin is also, apart from old, Gothic parts and details, thoroughly refurbished according to Neogothic manner. The central turret and façades of chapels are built in 19th century as well.

• 19th and 20th century Eclecticism -
  1. Lutheran church of Holy Ghost from 1856 (rebuilt in 1901-1915, 1981–1985) can be great example of Eclecticism in Konin. It is built of the dark brick with massive main tower coverad with spire, many, decorative architectonical details and complete equipment of the interior from the 19th and the beginning of 20th century.art from architecture, the church itself constitutes magnificent link to unique history of Reformation in the region of Konin. It's worth to be noticed that as a result of The Partitions of Poland at the end of 18th and splitting the country in three parts divided between three, Polish neighbours, in 19th century region of Konin became a part of Russia (unlikely to the rest of Greater Poland being itself the part of Prussia). Because of those Russian connections we have splendid opportunity to observe in architecture of some buildings in Konin reminiscences of architecture of Russian Orthodox Churches. There are at least two churches in Konin where those far reminiscenses are visible - one of them it is Lutheran church of Holy Ghost being just at issue.
  2. St. Adalbert's church in Morzysław district - the church itself was built in 18th century (on the site of previous, probably wooden, smaller church and churchyard) but at the very beginning of 20th century it was completely refurbished, enlarged and changed. In result impressive, large temple was created with tall main tower and high spire on it. The brick walls was plastered. This is the second church in Koninm being under the slight influence of Russian Orthodox Churches' architecture.
  3. Many tenement-houses in Old Town of Konin have eclectic façades encompassing features of almost all, known architectural manners and styles.
  4. Very interesting example of Eclecticism in Konin is set of Jewish buildings, namely synagogue, ritual baths and Talmudic school house. Buildings were built in the 19th century and synagogue itself is considered as one of the most beautiful buildings of this kind in Greater Poland. It was erected in 1832, then enlarged and renewed in 1883. South façade refers to history of Ashkenazi Jews and comprises mix of architectural styles with predominance of Moor architecture and Neogothic. North façade is more composed and simple and refers mainly to Classicism with its huge pediment.

• 1. Romani (Gypsy) palaces in Stodolniana Street and Europejska Street in The Old Town with impressive onion-like domes, sculptures or shaped as if mediaeval castles in miniature and richly embellished are themselves very characteristic examples of Eclecticism in Konin. They were built at the very end of the 20th century mainly in 1980s and 1990s and are, so to speak, phenomena on the background of town constituting quite separate category of town's residences and villas.

• Modernism - Prewar Modernism (1920–1939) and After-war Modernism (1945 - up to 60s)

• Prewar Modernism in Konin is represented by quite a good deal of tenement-houses but let us emphasize here significance of two of them:
  1. Tenement-house in Szarych Szeregów street no.1 – This is impressive, renewed of last building with distinguished façade and breathtaking, terrific history. It was built in 1930s by local MP, after the outburst of II World War and defeat of Polish Army during the painful September Defensive Campaign in 1939, there were offices of Gestapo (Secret State Police of Nazi Germany) located in this house. Building had an ill name because of torturing of prisoners being held in here. After 1945 in the very same building there were offices of Urząd Bezpieczeństwa (Communist Secret State Police) and ill name of the place went on. Now there are private apartments in the building.
  2. Tenement –house in 3 Maja street no. 48 – This is also good example of prewar Modernism in Konin. There is The Guild of Handi-Crafts (Cech Rzemiosł Różnych) situated there and various kinds of shops as well.

• After-war Modernism in Konin encompasses beautiful and precious examples of architecture being situated in The New Konin and all of them are examples of the Socialist Realism too.
  1. Town's Library (Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna - abbr. MBP) - Dworcowa street no.13 is best example of that what we deal with right here. This is truly Modernistic bulk having elaborated architectonical shape with its perpendicular ribs of concrete dividing windows into narrow quarters - black and white as main colours of building and deep green of greenery around it together with precisely cuboidal massive creates unique impression, indeed. The building is open to the public as library, entrance is free and visiting it is a game worth a candle not only because of books, but because of architecture of the interior as well. Before the building was taken over for granted by the library, a branch of National Bank of Poland (Narodowy Bank Polski- abbreviation: NBP) took place in here.
  2. Former building of CENTRUM department store (now Dino supermarket) in Dworcowa street is interesting example of Modernistic architecture as well. The profile of its façade is curved a little and lifted up with huge window in the very centre of the front wall. It stands on two, solid concrete pillars and there are additional shop windows for on the ground floor below protruding massive of façade. Up to 1990s it was the most known and representative building in Konin.

• There are several examples of Nazi architecture in Konin. We can divide those Nazi remains into two, main assemblages of buildings. One is situated in the Kolejowa street in the New Konin. It encompasses a row of buildings being built purposely as a lodgings for railwaymen. Just across the street, several metres from those buildings there is a monument commemorating a tragic Mutiny of Jews in Konin in August 1943. Second assemblage of buildings being built by Nazis is situated in old part of the town - in The Old Town in the area near Szpitalna street. This place is called by local people HEIMAT as if to emphasize its German origin.

• The quantity of examples of Socialist Realism architecture in Konin is impressive and, without any mistake it can be stated that the gathering of the buildings of this kind in Konin is one of the largest assemblage in Poland. Almost the whole New Konin is built after 1945 and contains very few, separated examples of any other architecture than this socialist one. Polish Socialist Realism can be associated with the rule of Communists in Poland since 1945 till 1989. In Konin there are absolutely amazing, complete remains of what beliefs of Communists could bring to architecture - they are reflected in entire districts being built at that time with specifis array of streets and unique, morbid a little bit atmosphere of the town. Grey, rough concrete has been already covered with plaster and painted bright here and there, but large parts of the town are still untouched. This is short list with main examples of Socialist Realism in Konin:
• Aleje 1-go maja (The first of May street) - One of the earliest examples of Socialist Realism architecture in Konin being traced out and building over continually since 1960s (parts nearest to the railway station) till 1970s (closer to hospital with the hospital itself). It is the main street of Konin bristling with public offices, shops and so on.
• Osiedle 5 (Housing Estate no. 5) - Designed and built over during 1970s and early 1980s. It comprises characteristic blocks of flats put in regular rows and devoid of any architectural decoration. It is a mute record of financial troubles which Polish state was forced to deal with at the very beginning of its deep crisis.
• Zatorze District - entire area is built over in the decade of 1980s.It comprises characteristic, massive block of flats made of grey concrete in prefabricated elements. There are several public houses being designed at that time while the entire district was under planning and construction - these are shops, kindergartens, schools and so on. Rough appearance of the whole district is a reminder of the deep state of advanced econpomic crisis The People's Republic of Poland (PRL) had fallen into and which itself was enough to brought about the decline of the rule of Communists in Poland.

There are several examples of Postmodernism and postmodernist architecture in Konin. We can find in the town a few newly built buildings with predominance of postmodernist features, but there are much more examples of building, houses and so on being rebuilt and refurbished partly and thus having conspicuous postmodernist character of its elements built in or inset as a part of larger entity belonging to older styles in architecture, mainly Socialist Realism (on average in New Konin) or Eclecticism (usually in The Old Town). Ten kilometres from Konin in Licheń Stary there is huge monastery with numerous churches and great basilica, an example of Catholic ecclesiastical Postmodernism in Poland.

• 1. PKO BP S.A. office and commercial building, 11-go Listopada Street, no. 20. That building with a branch of large, Polish bank in it, is erected in the 1990s as one of the first, public buildings in Konin after the decline of the regime of Communists in Poland. Having many features rooted in Socialist Realism it has however many elements going much beyond the boundaries of old style and constitutes a kind watershed auguring something new to appear. Because of disposition of offices in it, meticulously planned and shaped main hall of the bank on the ground floor with many details of its equipment designed purposely for that, particular place - because of all of those factors we are dealing with undoubtedly modern architecture here.
  2. SKARPA office and commercial building, Energetyka Street no. 6b Construction of this building was completed only a few years ago and so it is one of the most recent architectural achievements in Konin. Utilitarian character of both the body of building and its interior goes in accord with subtly adorned outer façades covered with wide strips and plates in colour of inox, airy, big window panes and sliding, glass doors. The outer pavement covered with granite cuboids and inner floors made of dark, granite plates fill the measure of unimpeachable solid wholeness.