At the address Nowy Świat 58 in Warsaw, there is an inconspicuous, abandoned tenement house that was once one of the most elegant places in Warsaw. Before the war, the Savoy Hotel, known for its luxurious interiors and famous dansing, operated here. Later, the magnificent building was reduced to two storeys. In recent years, the building has remained empty and deteriorated. However, as the TVN24 portal reported, this is about to change. The entire property will be taken over by the Provincial Office for Historic Preservation in Warsaw.
The Savoy Hotel – luxury in the heart of pre-war Warsaw
The Savoy Hotel was built in 1904-1905 on the initiative of Stanisław Fok. The investment proved too expensive and the building was auctioned off. The new owners were Stanisław and Józef Karsz, who created one of the most renowned hotels in the city on this site. The five-storey building towered over the surrounding buildings of Nowy Świat, attracting attention with its richly decorated façade. The architecture of the building was maintained in the Art Nouveau style. The interiors were decorated with floral ornaments, wooden panelling, stained glass windows and frescoes with floral motifs. The hotel offered amenities that were rare at the time: modern lifts, its own boiler room and elegant restaurants.
In the 1920s, the hotel opened the first dansing in Warsaw. It was a special place because single women could also come to it, which at the time was a moral breakthrough. In the following decade, the establishment changed its name to Cordial and functioned as a nightclub with live music.
Nowy Świat 58 – War and subsequent years
The building survived the 1939 bombings, but was severely damaged during the Warsaw Uprising and the interiors were consumed by fire. After the war, during the reconstruction of Nowy Świat, a decision was made to standardise the height and appearance of the tenements. As a result, the Savoy Hotel was lowered to two storeys and its Art Nouveau façade gave way to a simpler façade in the spirit of Socialist Realism. In the 1950s, a nightclub called the Savoy Hotel operated in the ground floor, harking back to the former glory of the place. In the following decades, the building served a variety of functions, including education and services. Over time it fell into neglect and lost all character.
New purpose of the former Savoy Hotel
According to information reported by the TVN24 portal and confirmed by the capital’s City Hall, the building at Nowy Świat 58 is to be handed over to the Provincial Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments for permanent management. The conservation office formally requested the transfer of the property in September. Currently, the office’s various departments are located in different parts of Warsaw. The new location is intended to enable them to be combined in one place and improve working conditions. The justification for the application indicates that the building at Nowy Świat, due to its location and size, is a prestigious and functional location for an institution responsible for protecting the heritage of Mazovia.
The Savoy Hotel and a shadow of its former glory
Although the former splendour of the Savoy Hotel can no longer be restored, the planned adaptation of the building for the conservator’s office offers a chance to revive this part of Nowy Świat. The decision to restore the public function of this site is part of a wider trend of renovating Warsaw’s tenement houses, which are gaining new life and meaning after years of oblivion.
Source: tvn24.pl, whu.org.pl, polskaniezwykla.pl
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Nowy Świat with the hotel on the right, early 20th century and today. Source: Polona and whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
58 and 56 Nowy Świat Street in the 1930s and today. Source: National Archive in Warsaw and WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
The destroyed buildings of Nowy Świat Street, the years of occupation and the same place today. Source: National Archive in Warsaw and WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
