The tenement standing at the address Nowy Świat 47 has a rich history dating back to the 18th century. Originally, the site housed the town hall of the Hospital Jurisdiction, which was an important landmark in the area for centuries. At the turn of the 20th century, a new building designed by Bronisław Żochowski-Brodzic was built on the site of a two-storey building from the early 19th century. The four-storey building was characterised by an elegant façade, decorated with a wealth of historicising details, particularly in the neo-Baroque style.
The tenement house had many distinguished tenants over the years. In 1836, it was inhabited by the parents of Fryderyk Chopin, one of the most eminent Polish composers. In 1861, Teodor Józef Konrad Korzeniowski, better known as Joseph Conrad – a famous writer writing in English – found his home here. In 1892, the building became the seat of the editorial office of the popular weekly tourist magazine “Wędrowiec”. It was then that it was decided to rebuild the building.
The Nowy Świat 47 tenement house in 1906. Source: Digital Library of the Warsaw University of Technology
Between 1924 and 1929, it was home to Karol Szymanowski, considered to be one of the most outstanding Polish composers, alongside Fryderyk Chopin. Szymanowski, known for his contribution to the development of Polish music, created many of his works here. In 1909, the tenement housed Stefan’s shoe salon, Julian Buroff’s picture and stationery shop (which operated until the outbreak of the Second World War) and the Columbia Phonograph Company’s shop.
The building in 1938 and today. Source: National Archives in Warsaw and whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
Nowy Świat 47 in 1940 and 2024. source: State Archive in Warsaw and whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
The tenement during the occupation and today. Source: State Archive in Warsaw and whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
During the bombings and the Warsaw Uprising, the building was damaged and burned, but the front elevation survived in relatively good condition. After the Second World War, the tenement fell victim to the Capital Reconstruction Office. Its big-city character and splendour did not match the intimate character of Nowy Świat. As a result, the building was reduced to two storeys and deprived of the rich decorations of the façade. In the post-war period, the building housed a Soviet bookshop, offering cheap publications in Russian. Today, a restaurant operates in the premises on the ground floor.
Source: nowyswiat47.pl, fotopolska.eu
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