Just a few years ago, the manor house in Panowice (Lubusz Province) belonged to a group of buildings that could be considered irretrievably lost. Burnt walls, missing windows and doors, collapsed ceilings and a completely degraded park meant that the building existed in the minds of local residents more as a warning than a reference point for the idyllic landscape of the village. Meanwhile, in the past, the residence was a beautiful, vibrant place, visible from afar thanks to its tower and open park views. Today, after several years of systematic renovation work carried out by Natalia and Grzegorz Wilczyński, the building is rising from the ruins and once again beginning to serve as an architectural gem in the landscape of Panowice.
The manor house in Panowice and its origins
The history of this place dates back to the times when Panowice functioned as the economic base for larger estates. The Średni farm, later referred to as Stary, developed alongside the modernisation of agriculture in the 19th century. Granting it the status of an independent manor district was a sign of the growing importance of the village. Its owners changed along with the political turmoil in the region, reflecting the history of intermingling cultures, languages and traditions typical of this part of the western lands.
The 19th century – a time of construction and prosperity
In the 19th century, Panowice was owned by Adam Żychliński and then by his relatives, including Oscar von Żychliński and Ida, née von Pröck. It was at the end of this century that a brick manor house surrounded by a park was built, serving as the representative seat of the owners and the centre of management of their extensive estate. At that time, the estate covered several hundred hectares of land and included additional farms, which made Panowice one of the most important landowners in the region.
The manor house in Panowice – architecture with rhythm
The structure of the manor house was designed in accordance with the principles of late historicism, which freely combined representative forms with the functionality of a country residence. The T-shaped layout allowed for a clear division between the representative and private areas of the building, and the full basement testified to the high standard of the investment. The rhythmic division of the façade, accentuated by a risalit and pediment, organised the façade and emphasised the axiality of the layout, typical of manors from the late 19th century. The richness of detail was also important for the prestige of the residence. Ceramic Corinthian capitals, profiled pillars and carefully designed stairs to the terrace indicate the great ambitions of the founders and references to the architecture found in palaces. The high tower was not only a decorative element, but also a functional one. It served as a viewing point over Panowice and the surrounding area.
The fate of the estate in the 20th century
In 1910, the estate passed into the hands of Dr Anton Jaworowicz of the Kościesza coat of arms, who managed the property, which at that time covered an area of over 700 hectares. The First World War and its aftermath brought a marked destabilisation to Panowice. In a short period of time, the estate changed owners several times, which limited all investments and weakened the position of the manor house as a seat of representative ambitions. It was not until Panowice was purchased in 1927 by Baron Ludwig Max von Waldenfels and his wife Anna that a period of relative order began. The manor developed and once again became a hub of activity.
1945 and the fall of Panowice
At the end of World War II, the von Waldenfels family was forced to flee from the advancing Red Army. The residents left Panowice in January 1945, thus closing a centuries-old chapter in the estate’s history. After the war, the estate was taken over by the authorities and converted into a state-owned farm, or PGR. The manor house was then divided into flats for employees and utility rooms for the farm. The lack of systematic renovations and proper care gradually led to the deterioration of the building. The sad culmination of Panowice’s decline was a catastrophic fire in 2016, after which the manor house remained in a state of almost complete ruin until it was taken over by its current owners.
The manor house in Panowice – a turning point
Paradoxically, the disaster of 2016 became a turning point in the history of the manor house. The collapse of the roof and ceilings accelerated the decision to sell the unsecured property, which had previously been in a state of investment limbo for years. For Natalia and Grzegorz Wilczyński, the purchase of these ruins was a conscious choice, made despite the obvious scale of the damage and the need for a huge amount of work and financial investment. At the time of the takeover, the park was so neglected that the former viewing axes and avenues were completely illegible, and many trees had died as a result of years of neglect.
“I saw everything in my head first”
From the very beginning, Natalia Wilczyńska treated the reconstruction as a creative process, not just a technical undertaking. “I thought it all out in my head, it’s my next passion,” she emphasises. The theme of surgeons appearing earlier in the history of the manor house became a symbolic continuation of the narrative of this place for the owners. “For two years, the manor house was owned by surgeon Dr Anton Jaworowicz, and finally, another surgeon, my husband Grzegorz,”Natalia points out. It is these little stories that build a personal bond between the investors and Panowice.
A large-scale family project
The reconstruction of the manor house became a project that involved the whole family, also on an emotional level. The Wilczyńskis openly admit that the scale of the challenge surprised them many times. “We think we’re a couple of madmen who have bitten off more than we can chew,” they say. At the same time, the decision to buy was dictated by intuition. “When buying the manor house, which was a total ruin, I saw something beautiful that could be created there. This place has something magical about it; when you are there, you can forget about the whole world,”recalls Natalia.
New functions of the former von Waldenfels residence
The planned functions of the rebuilt manor house refer to its former role as a place of meetings and social life. In addition to the private residential part, there will be space for guests and activities related to lifestyle medicine, healthy eating and regeneration. Five rooms with bathrooms have been created in the tower section, which allows for a more intimate atmosphere. As the owner emphasises: “We would like to share this place with others. My dream is for it to come back to life as it once was,” referring to the times when the manor house served as the centre of local life.
The manor park regains its clarity
The park surrounding the manor house has retained its historical scope, which is not the norm for private residences. Trees over 150 years old are now a valuable natural resource, and the preserved species diversity testifies to the well-thought-out original design of the entire green complex. The planned restoration of the walking loops will restore the park’s former layout. A significant problem remains in the eastern part of the farm complex, which is located outside the investment area and remains in very poor technical condition.
Conservation precision and years of work
The reconstruction process, based on an architectural design by Tomasz Jastrząb from Poznań, required close cooperation with the conservator and the use of traditional materials. Carpenter’s tiles, wooden joinery and the earthy colours of the façade were selected on the basis of historical analyses. The only new element of the surroundings will be the planned winter garden, designed so as not to dominate the historic manor house.
The manor house in Panowice is being rebuilt from ruins
Each year of rebuilding the manor house from ruins brought different challenges. From the tedious removal of rubble, through the reconstruction of the structure, to installations requiring hundreds of metres of cables and pipes. However, it was all worth it! The interiors are now in the final stages of work and are regaining their former glory thanks to hand-made elements. The restored stucco in the dining room was created on the basis of a single archival photograph and preserved fragments. After removing layers of paint, the original colour palette based on white and gold was discovered. The floor in the hall, made of cement tiles, refers to the pattern from the Kamieniec Palace in Lower Silesia, “borrowed” with the consent of the owner of the building.
Panowice – a location with potential
The location of Panowice is conducive to new forms of use for the manor house. The proximity of Międzyrzecz and Trzciel, access to the railway and fast road connections to the A2 motorway make the village well connected, despite its intimate character. The surrounding forests and protected landscape areas ensure peace and quiet and a high quality environment. In this setting, the rebuilt manor house has the opportunity to once again serve as a private residence open to guests. If everything goes according to plan, the Wilczyński family will move to Panowice in the spring of this year.
Source: materials provided by the Wilczyński family, lci-lubuskie.pl
See also:Villas and residences|Architecture in Poland|History|Renovation|Palace
The manor house in Panowice before reconstruction and today. Source: westisthebest.pl and materials provided by the Wilczyński family
