Koszalin Town Hall, the seat of the municipal authorities, is a building with a rich history that dates back to the early 14th century. The current building, erected in 1962, is the sixth version of the town hall and is one of the most recognisable examples of modernist architecture in the region.
The first town hall in Koszalin was probably built around 1308, shortly after the completion of the city walls. Unfortunately, no information about its appearance has survived, and the building itself burned down in the great fire of 1504. It was not until 1609 that a new town hall was erected in its place, which served not only an administrative but also a social function for many years. It housed the town council meeting room, an inn in the basement, and the building’s surroundings were full of bakers’ stalls and butchers’ butcher’s shops. The inscription above the entrance reminded councillors to leave their private passions behind and be guided only by the good of the town.
The square with the Old Town Hall in the 1920s. Source: Bildarchiv Foto Marburg
Another great fire, which broke out in 1718, completely destroyed the town hall. During the reconstruction of the city in 1720, a new building was erected, this time in the western part of the market square. It was an impressive building decorated with the coat of arms of Koszalin, but its poor construction forced the authorities to demolish it just over a century later. In 1827, just a few months after the demolition of the previous town hall, the construction of a new building was started, which also stood in the western part of the square. It was the first town hall whose appearance has been recorded in numerous photographs. Unfortunately, during the Red Army offensive in March 1945, the building was almost completely destroyed, along with almost all the buildings in the Old Town.
A fragment of the market square in the first decades of the 20th century and today. Photo: Mariusz Brzeziński/photopolska.eu and Google Maps
After the war, the city authorities temporarily moved their headquarters to several buildings scattered around the city, which generated major problems for both officials and residents. The decision to build a new town hall in Koszalin was made centrally in the Office of the Council of Ministers. Construction lasted from 1960 to 1962, and the project was prepared by architect Władysław Michałowski from Szczecin. The construction work was led by Andrzej Boniek.
The current Town Hall, erected in the northern frontage of the square on the site of dilapidated townhouses, is a modern building with a projecting risalit housing vertical communication. It features a distinctive clock surrounded by metalwork. At the top of the clock tower is a glorieta with a flagpole. The building is crowned by an openwork frieze, which adds lightness and originality to the structure. From the very beginning, the Town Hall has become a landmark of modern Koszalin and a symbol of the post-war reconstruction of the city.
Source: bikes.wzp.pl, cikit.koszalin.pl
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