Jelenia Góra, picturesquely located in south-western Poland, is a city with a rich history dating back to the 13th century. Over the centuries, it developed as an important centre for trade and crafts, and its architecture reflected the influences of various eras, including Baroque and Eclecticism. A particular strength of the town was the fact that it survived the turmoil of the Second World War almost intact, being regarded as a real architectural gem of the region with its historic townhouses and picturesque market square. In the 1960s and 1970s, however, the Old Town in Jelenia Góra became the arena for one of the most controversial and criticised urban metamorphoses in post-war Poland. The decision was made at the time to almost completely demolish and only partially rebuild the historic centre, which to this day raises many reflections on the sense and mistakes of this undertaking.
Architectural history of the city
In the post-war period Jelenia Góra began to face an urgent problem, which was the poor condition of the local buildings, especially those located in the Old Town. Many of the buildings there were 100 or more years old, and the lack of appropriate investment and renovation led to the gradual degradation of a significant part of the tenements. Already in the 1950s, the technical deterioration of buildings within the historic centre was alarming, and their poor condition became one of the pretexts for taking radical steps.
Ideological and urban planning reasons for the decision
The decision to demolish much of the pre-war buildings was not dictated solely by technical issues. The communist authorities, firmly rooted in the ideology of modernisation, saw the old, neglected buildings as an obstacle to building a modern, socialist city. Their German pedigree was also not insignificant. In this context, the demolition of the historic centre and the erection of a new one, albeit stylised and dressed in an appropriate costume, was seen as a necessary and only step towards progress. In addition, there was a need to create more public space and improve the traffic system in the cramped Old Town, which also influenced the decision to demolish the historic townhouses.
The Old Town in 1947. Source: Bildarchiv Foto Marburg
The Old Town in Jelenia Góra: from demolition to stylized reconstruction
In the 1960s, a controversial project was launched by, among others, the Miastoprojekt Wrocław studio. Most of the historic townhouses within the market square and Kopernika Street were razed to the ground. A significant part of the historical urban fabric, bearing witness to the centuries-old history of Jelenia Góra, disappeared irretrievably. At the beginning of the 1970s, after the old tenements were removed, new buildings were erected in their place, which were partly intended to imitate the old architecture. In the whole process, only six of the more than 40 facades of the historically priceless houses surrounding the Town Hall Square (former market square) were preserved. Behind the stylised and few surviving facades, houses with a new interior layout and depth were built. The reconstruction of outbuildings was abandoned and courtyards were arranged in their place. Many townhouses or even entire frontages have not been reconstructed at all. Most pre-war buildings have survived in the southern and eastern parts of the Old Town.
Quality of workmanship and character of the new architecture
The reconstruction of the Old Town, although aimed at recreating the character and image from before the demolitions, was carried out in a hurry and using modern materials. The work was often carried out carelessly, and many of the original stone architectural details that could have given the new buildings their authentic character were omitted or distorted. There were even several building disasters during the demolitions, in which priceless elements of the facades and their decoration were destroyed. The new buildings, although they referred to historical forms, deviated from the originals in terms of proportions and details. Not to mention the lost decoration of the staircases, flats or arcaded premises. In this way, the heart of Jelenia Góra, which survived the conflagration of the war, was ripped out.
Aerial photograph of the city in 1940 and today. Source: Museum of Architecture in Wrocław and Google Maps
The Old Town in Jelenia Góra: controversy and today’s assessment
The decision to rebuild Jelenia Góra’s Old Town in such a drastic way still arouses controversy and mixed feelings among both residents and architectural historians. On the one hand, the objective was achieved, as the standard of commercial and residential premises was significantly raised. On the other hand, authentic monuments and the unique historical character of Jelenia Góra have been irretrievably lost. In fact, only the buildings centred around the Town Hall Square were rebuilt. Those located further away were either erected as ahistorical blocks or their reconstruction was abandoned altogether, leaving holes in the fabric of the Old Town for many years. It is only in the last 20 years that these have begun to be filled in with new, sometimes stylised buildings. This case is often cited as an example of ill-considered urban planning decisions in post-war Poland, where similar practices, though perhaps not on such a large scale, were used in other cities. In Jelenia Góra, however, the enormity of the demolitions gave this practice a special significance.
Consequences and lessons for the future
Today, the Old Town in Jelenia Góra is a popular place for tourists and locals. The stylised architecture catches the eye, but its sad history is worth remembering. The example of the demolition and partial reconstruction of the Old Town is an important lesson for future generations about the value of cultural heritage and the consequences of ill-considered urban planning decisions. Contemporary efforts at revitalisation and modernisation demonstrate the importance of preserving the historic character of cities and reflecting on what has been lost in the name of misunderstood progress.
Source: dolnyslask.travel.pl, jelonka.com
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The market square and surrounding area in 1915 and 2019. Source: Jeleniogórska Biblioteka Cyfrowa and Studio Gieroń/Jelenia Góra from a bird’s eye view
The Old Town in the 1930s and today. Source: Museum of Architecture in Wrocław and Studio Gieroń/Jelenia Góra from bird’s eye view
Fragment of Grodzka Street, Jasna Street in the distance. Year ca. 1925 and 2019. Source: NAC – National Digital Archive and Google Maps
The backs of the non-existent tenements on Kopernika Street and the same place today – 1930s and 2019. Source: NAC – National Digital Archive and Google Maps
View of Grodzka Tower, late 1920s/early 1930s and present day. Source: Jeleniogórska Biblioteka Cyfrowa and Google Maps
