The authorities in Lewin Kłodzki have reclaimed the historic townhouse at 18 Kościuszki Square, known as the historic merchant’s house dating from 1773. The local council purchased the property for 670,000 zlotys. Plans are now in place for a major renovation and to restore it from the state of disrepair it has been in since the 1990s.
The merchant’s house has returned to the municipality
The news of the purchase was announced by Joanna Klimek-Szymanowicz, mayor of the Lewin Kłodzki municipality. The transaction was financed entirely from the municipal budget. For the residents, this is an extremely important event, as this magnificent townhouse has been the greatest treasure of the local market square – now Kościuszko Square – for over 250 years. Although the building is in a very poor state of repair, it still stands out for its scale and grandeur.
Ignatz Strauch’s Townhouse
The history of the building began in the 18th century, when the town lay within the borders of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1772, a significant part of Lewin Kłodzki was destroyed by fire. The reconstruction was funded from royal funds, and the new houses were built in the imposed Frederickan style, named after Frederick II the Great, who was reigning at the time. However, an exception emerged amidst the almost uniform development. Ignatz Strauch – the town’s wealthiest woollen merchant, a royal commercial councillor and a well-known philanthropist – decided to build his own residence according to a different concept. On the site of two burnt-down houses, a stately townhouse inspired by Czech Rococo was built. The ornate façade and the grand hall on the first floor of the annex meant that the building resembled a townhouse more than a typical merchant’s house.
A merchant’s house in Lewin Kłodzki: a witness to 250 years of history
Ignatz Strauch’s fortune was built on the trade in flax and yarn. The merchant conducted business far beyond the borders of Lewin Kłodzki, supplying his goods to Wrocław, Jelenia Góra, Wałbrzych and Kamienna Góra, amongst other places. After his death in 1813, the townhouse continued to stand, unaffected by wars or changes in national borders. The residents and languages of Lewin’s market square changed, yet the impressive building continued to tower over the neighbourhood.
A new chapter for the monument
The tenement house’s heyday came to an end in 1990 when it was once again ravaged by fire. This time, the Rococo merchant’s house was not rebuilt. Over the next 35 years, it gradually fell into ruin, which is why the local authorities emphasise that the first step will be to secure the building against further deterioration and to protect the neighbouring buildings. The task will be costly and demanding, but the local council declares that it has a plan of action in place and intends to fight consistently to save the building. After all, it is one of the icons of Lewin Kłodzki.
Source: lewin-klodzki.pl
Read also: Tenement house|Architecture in Poland|History|Renovation | Historic building
