At the end of the 19th century, Krakow, despite its conservative spirit, became the scene of extraordinary architectural experiments. Thanks to artists such as Teodor Talowski, townhouses were built here that are difficult to classify into a single style. Combining elements of Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, Mannerism or Medieval Romanticism, they created their own unique visual language. Although erected as residential houses, they were at the same time an artistic manifesto and a personal confession of faith of their creators. One of the most characteristic realisations of this architectural avant-garde is the Pod Pająkiem tenement house on Karmelicka Street.
The Pod Pająkiem tenement house – a house full of secrets
The Pod Pająkiem tenement house, built in 1887-1890, is one of Teodor Talowski’s most original designs. The architect not only designed it, but also made it his home. From the beginning, he planned that it would be a building unlike any other – full of symbols, irregular forms and decorative surprises. The facades of the building tell two different stories. From the side of Batory Street, the house resembles a menacing castle, while from the side of Karmelicka Street, it surprises with the fantasy of a bourgeois residence with ‘spider-like’ detailing. Talowski’s townhouse is a work that defies classification. It is like a collage of styles and inspirations, which the author has put together in an extremely personal and consistent manner. Its architecture is a dialogue with the past, but also a conscious play with form, material and the viewer’s imagination.
Asymmetrical form and drama
The building has three storeys and was built on an irregular plan, which is due to the unusual shape of the plot. At the intersection of Karmelicka and Batorego Streets, the architect designed a characteristic truncated corner, which not only softens the geometry but also becomes the climax of the composition. It is here that the corner tower rises, drawing the attention of every passer-by. The quadrilateral, topped by a stylised tower, is reminiscent of medieval defensive structures and this impression is reinforced by the crenellation crowning it. The façades are designed with an acute awareness of the visual effect: their asymmetry, lack of classical horizontal and vertical divisions and accumulation of decorative forms give the impression of a lively, pulsating façade, more reminiscent of a theatrical stage set than of a conventional town house.
Materials: colour and texture dialogue
Talowski reached for a diverse palette of materials. The walls were built using dark red clinker bricks, zendrow and plain bricks, creating an uneven ‘aged’ effect. This apparent randomness was fully intentional: the architect wanted the house to look like it had been rebuilt over the centuries. It is complemented by numerous details made of light-coloured stone, which contrast with the brick, bringing out the plasticity of the forms and adding depth. The renovation carried out in 2000 highlighted this intended contrast, as well as details such as the cannonballs embedded in the façade – another element intended to heighten the impression of the age of the building.
A detail like a story enchanted in stone
The building would not be so special without an extensive iconographic programme. On the Karmelicka Street façade, attention is drawn to the Dutch gable with escutcheons, which seems to “descend” down the façade, creating a rare effect of blending forms. Between the volutes is a webbed spider, from which the building takes its name, as well as a sundial and a bas-relief of the sun. Just below is the date of construction. The bay window on the first floor also draws attention. Its Mannerist form with pilasters, cornice and Latin inscription gives the façade a monumental character. The inscription “Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos” (If God is with us, who can be against us) is not only decorative, but is also the key to reading the spiritual layer of the building. Below this is an Egyptian sun disk with a bird’s head – a symbol of the sun and light, also present in many cultures as a sign of the divine presence.
The Pod Pająkiem tenement house – greenery as part of the composition
A rare and surprising architectural treatment is the special channels in the facades, which were intended to serve as supports for wild vines. Talowski planned for the vegetation wrapping around the walls to be not only decorative, but also a symbolic complement to the building’s message – a transient, organic element against the stone ‘body’.
The Pod Pająkiem tenement remains to this day one of the most original buildings in Krakow. It is an example of how a whole story about time, faith, art and transience can be concealed in urban buildings.
Source: zabytek.pl
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