The tenement house at Rynek 27-28 in Wrocław occupies a section of its southern frontage, in the area known as the “Golden Cup” side. The building’s current appearance is the result of many years of successive modernisations, the most significant of which took place at the beginning of the 20th century and during the reconstruction after the destruction of the Second World War.
The history of the plot
For centuries, numbers 27 and 28 were separate, narrow plots of land with tenement houses built in a location-based layout. Their architecture was subordinated to the rhythm of the market square and the needs of merchants. The buildings filled the plots to their full depth, with a clear division between the front and rear parts. In the 16th century, their façades were given a more representative appearance, with corner rustication, stone frames around the openings and elaborate gables. This period shaped the scale and proportions of the buildings, which were later rebuilt.
Rynek 27-28: the beginning of changes
The corner buildings at the end of Świdnicka Street played an exceptionally important role in this part of the frontage. Their form organised the aesthetics of the intersection and emphasised the continuity of the frontage. At the end of the 19th century, the medieval tenement house was demolished and replaced by the massive Dresdener Bank building designed by Wilhelm Mertens. The Neo-Romanesque architecture introduced a larger volume, clearly accentuated façades and an extensive layout of entrances and staircases. This major change initiated the process of organising the entire section of the “Golden Cup” side of the Wrocław market square.
Goldener Becher on the Wrocław market square
After 1913, the area of the existing tenement houses was filled with a new four-storey building, known as Goldener Becher. The architecture of the building is based on a clear, five-axis façade layout and a characteristic rounded corner, lowered by two storeys and topped with a balcony. The high gable roof and volute gables evoked forms known from the past, interpreted in an orderly, restrained manner. The uniform cladding of the façade, the consistent lines of the cornices and the regular rhythm of the windows allowed the building to fit into the context of the neighbouring tenement houses without sacrificing its representativeness.
Rynek 27-28: destruction and reconstruction
In 1945, the southern frontage of the market square was caught up in intense fighting. The tenement house at Rynek 27-28 lost its roof, some of its ceilings and a significant part of the decorations on its façade. The building was rebuilt according to a design by Janusz Bachmiński and Józef Rachwalski, under the supervision of Marcin Bukowski. The team of architects adopted a historicist form with simplified details. The work restored the clear proportions of the façades, the rhythm of the window openings and the cornices. However, the additional floor and the impressive corner were abandoned in favour of a much simpler structure. The ground floor of the rebuilt tenement house was designated for services, and the upper floors for flats. Since the late 1940s, the ground floor of the building has been home to a branch of the Polish Post Office, which has become a permanent fixture in this part of the Wrocław market square.
Source: slowowroclawian.pl, wroclaw.pl
See also:Tenement house|Wrocław|Metamorphosis|Facade|Monument|whiteMAD on Instagram
