The Strandschloß Sanatorium, or ‘Beach Castle’ (also known as the Coastal Palace), was one of Kolobrzeg’s most distinctive and striking spa buildings. Its turbulent history, dating back to the end of the 19th century, reflects the development of the town as a resort, the massive war damage and the reconstruction and modernisation of the spa in the post-war era.
After the abolition of its fortress status in 1872, Kolobrzeg quickly developed as a health resort. New buildings such as guesthouses, natural health care facilities and sanatoriums were built, including the most impressive Strandschloß. The building was erected in 1899 in the German Renaissance style, designed by Berlin architects Hoeniger and Sedelmayer.
Garden and Strandschloß circa 1900. photo Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Photochrom Prints Collection/Wikimedia Commons
The three floors of the building housed luxurious guest rooms, reading rooms, games rooms and concert halls (one for 500, the other for 1,000 people). Visitors could also enjoy the spacious glass gallery, offering views of the sea. The building was illuminated, an expensive and modern innovation at the time. The surroundings of the palace were regularly modernised – a particularly significant project was the extension of the terrace in 1938, when a concert shell, a pergola, a dance floor and small bodies of water with decorative sculptures were added. Walkers could also relax at tables sheltered by treetops. A convenient walkway led from the Waterfront Platform to the pier, allowing people to avoid contact with the sandy beach. All the amenities added to the prestige of the building, which became the hallmark of Kolobrzeg (then Kolberg) as a first-class spa resort.
View of the building from the pier, 1901 and 2022. Source: Deutsche Fotothek www.deutschefotothek.de and Marek W./fotopolska.eu
The Strandschloß was not only a tourist centre, but also a venue for numerous cultural and political events. In 1919, the building served as the headquarters of the General Staff of the Weimar Republic, and its rooms were occupied by officers, including Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg. One of the most memorable events was a gala held in 1924 to celebrate the centenary of the death of Joachim Nettelbeck, the hero of Kolobrzeg’s defence against Napoleon. This event marked the beginning of the development of Kolobrzeg’s museology and the activities of a society of lovers of the region.
The building at the beginning of the 20th century and the “Bałtyk” sanatorium in the 1970s. Source: Deutsche Bauzeitung and NAC – National Digital Archive www.nac.gov.pl/
At the end of the Second World War, during the battle for Kołobrzeg, the spa part of the town, including the sanatoriums, was destroyed by about 85%. Strandschloß was then on the front line, as a result of which it was shelled and burned to the ground, as were many of the town’s other spa facilities. After the war, no decision was made to rebuild it. In 1963, the ruins were demolished and the site was used for new developments.
Strandschloß in 1905 and the current sanatorium building. Source: Deutsche Fotothek www.deutschefotothek.de and M Z Wojalski, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In the 1960s, as part of the reconstruction of Kolobrzeg’s spa infrastructure, designed separately from the old pre-war German buildings, the “Baltic” Spa Sanatorium was erected on the site of the Strandschloß. The modernist building, designed by Halina Gurianowa and Edmund Goldzamt, was put into use in 1964. The building was distinguished by its light structure, large glazing and a dynamic façade facing the sea, achieved through the use of diagonally arranged balconies. The building was preceded by a semicircular glazed pavilion facing the sea.
Today, the “Bałtyk” sanatorium is a complex comprising two buildings with extensive rehabilitation facilities and excellent sea views. Between 2012 and 2014, it underwent extensive modernisation, and the added aquapark “Morska Odyseja” completed the facility’s offer with saunas, graduation towers, a salt grotto and a swimming pool complex.
Although the Strandschloß did not survive the destruction of the war, its heritage can still be felt in the spa character of Kolobrzeg. The building, which once symbolised the city’s splendour, has given way to modern sanatoriums, but its memory is cherished by residents and historians alike. Today, the place – dominated by the “Bałtyk” sanatorium – attracts crowds of tourists and patients, offering not only treatment and relaxation, but also a view of the beautiful Baltic coast.
Source: gazetamuzealna.kolobrzeg.pl, plus.gk24.pl
Read also: Architecture | Health | City | History | Hotel | Interesting facts
