The palace under Pszczółka is disappearing from the landscape of Limanowa. The demolition is all the more shocking because it is one of the oldest brick buildings in the city. The building is being demolished despite protests and appeals to preserve it, pointing to its valuable architecture and rich history. Work began on 16 January and is ongoing. This is yet another sad example of the failure of the heritage protection system in Poland.
The Palace under the Bee in Limanowa
The Palace under the Bee was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries as the representative seat of the Advance Payment and Land Protection Society. It was designed in the form of an extended manor house with clear references to the national style, and until recently was one of the few preserved examples of early brick buildings in Limanowa. It owed its name to a bas-relief of a bee (the element was removed years ago) placed on the façade, recognisable by residents for generations. Over the following years, it housed public institutions and commercial premises, and the building itself was a very important element of the town’s historical landscape.
A place marked by drama and violence
During the occupation, the palace housed the German military police, and after World War II, it was taken over by the communist security services. The County Public Security Office, located in the building, conducted brutal interrogations, which ended in death for many people. Witness accounts and the findings of IPN investigators confirm the scale of violence that took place on the property, including the secret burials of victims. The palace and its surroundings are a place strongly associated with the memory of the local independence underground and the dramatic fate of our compatriots.
Protests and administrative deadlock
After the sale of the property at 15 Matki Boskiej Bolesnej Street in 2019 to a private investor, BIS Holding, information began to emerge about plans to demolish it. Residents, social activists and historians took all possible measures to stop these incomprehensible plans, organising petitions and appealing to the owners. Although the building was neglected and in need of major renovation, it did not pose any risk of collapse. The case was referred to higher levels of administration and the courts. At the same time, the decisions issued allowed the investor to commence work.
The palace under Pszczółka without an entry in the register
The palace was listed in the provincial register of monuments, but this did not prevent its demolition, which is why the Nowy Sącz branch of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments repeatedly pointed out its historical value. Last spring, after the owner resubmitted an application for a demolition permit, representatives of the office appeared on the property and took steps to secure the building. The case was also referred to the Institute of National Remembrance, which pointed to the high significance of the place in relation to post-war repression. As a result, the conservator initiated proceedings to enter the palace in the register of immovable monuments, but the procedure did not stop the actions resulting from the legally binding decisions issued by the administration. Therefore, in mid-January, heavy equipment entered the property and began demolition.
The palace under Pszczółka falls victim to the authorities
The authorities in Limanowa cite the limited influence of the local government on the course of the proceedings and long-standing deficiencies in the local register of monuments. At the same time, they declare their willingness to commemorate the palace in public space. However, this absurdity does not satisfy the outraged residents, as no other form can replace the physical presence of the building. The Palace under the Bee is thus passing into history. Unfortunately, it is an inglorious history, associated with the ignorance and incompetence of the authorities responsible for protecting our architectural heritage.
The whole matter was aptly summed up by a creator named Konserwator Zabytków (Conservator of Monuments) in his comment:
Limanowa is an ugly, chaotically built-up place, full of advertising banners and PVC windows. It is difficult to find good architecture there, and the charm of the town has been lost under polystyrene and garish paint. The palace was transformed, but it was also a witness to the history of the town. And so the town is getting rid of it… What will remain? A Biedronka supermarket?
Source: limanowa.in, tv28.pl
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