Gdańsk is starting the process of reconstructing the Main Square and its immediate surroundings. The first building to be restored will be the Small Arsenal, whose brick facade will regain its lost lustre. The Academy of Arts has just announced a tender for the restoration of this 17th-century monument. It is also planned to restore the pre-war fountain in the adjacent park and improve the surrounding streets.
Small Armoury – the history of the monument
The Small Armoury was built between 1643 and 1645 to a design by Jerzy Strakowski. The building was constructed as part of the construction of the southern part of the Gdańsk fortifications and served as a warehouse for heavy artillery serving the nearby bastions. Its purpose was to supplement the resources of the Great Arsenal, which could not accommodate all the city’s weapons.
The arsenal was distinguished by its strict form, which corresponded to its military purpose. The gates were decorated with panopticon motifs, and the pediments were decorated with images of exploding cannonballs. Of particular note is the 1645 plaque with the coat of arms of Gdańsk, located on the eastern façade and framed by a rich Baroque frame. The interior of the ground floor was one-space, with a wooden ceiling supported by six pillars. Cannons and cannonballs were stored here, while the attic contained lighter weapons and decorative elements used during royal entrances to Gdańsk.
Destruction and reconstruction of the Small Armoury
In the 19th century, the building was modernised several times, including raising the gate openings and adapting part of the interior for living quarters. In 1886, a fortress laboratory was added. The Second World War caused serious damage to the building. In 1945, the Small Arsenal was almost completely destroyed: the roofs and gables collapsed, and only the perimeter walls with fragments of stone decoration survived.
The reconstruction was carried out in 1956. The original shape of the eastern façade was restored, the gables were rebuilt, though without their original finials, and the roofs and floors were made of reinforced concrete. The function of the building was also changed, as it originally served as a garage for a transport company, and since 1993 it has housed the Faculty of Sculpture of the Academy of Fine Arts. Soon the building will regain its former glory and become another adornment of the beautifully landscaped Valova Square.
Source: Gdańskie Nieruchomości, zabytek.pl
Read also: Architecture | Metamorphosis | Renovation | History | Gdańsk
