The observatory on Śnieżka is one of the icons of Polish modernism. Its renovation, costing nearly 25 million zlotys, is set to begin shortly. The famous ‘saucers’ will have their façades, roofs and interiors refurbished, and tourists will once again be able to enjoy the restaurant in the lower disc, which has been closed since 2015. The work is expected to take five years, without interrupting meteorological measurements.
Five years of work on the summit of Śnieżka
The project is being funded by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute, with Pre-Fabrykat of Miłków acting as the contractor. The contract was signed during the 35th Economic Forum in Karpacz. The renovation will involve reinforcing the entire structure, refurbishing the façade and roofs, replacing the windows and upgrading the building services. Fire safety measures will also be improved. The five-year schedule is due to the difficult conditions at the summit, where strong winds, snow and icy conditions limit the construction season to just a dozen or so weeks a year. The renovation will not disrupt the work of the meteorologists – they will continue to carry out their measurements.
The restaurant at the Śnieżka Observatory is set to reopen
The change most eagerly awaited by tourists will be the reopening of the lower restaurant, which has been closed since 2015. In this 840-metre-high section, the restaurant – equipped with public toilets – will resume operations. The establishment that used to operate there allowed visitors to rest after reaching the summit and admire the Jelenia Góra Valley through its large windows. In a few years’ time, this will once again be possible. The rest of the building is in constant use. The middle section houses staff accommodation, storerooms and technical facilities, whilst the top section is used for weather observation. Connecting the building to the water supply and sewerage systems will be a separate project. The planned network is intended to carry wastewater to Karpacz from other mountain facilities as well.
Weather observations were carried out here as early as the 19th century
The first meteorological observations on Śnieżka were carried out from 1824 in the Chapel of St Lawrence, which was used as a mountain refuge at the time. It was not until 1900 that the station acquired its own building. It was a tower approximately 16 metres high with a timber frame and observation decks. It survived both World Wars, and in July 1945 it was taken over by the Polish Meteorological Service. After the current observatory came into operation, the tower gradually fell into disrepair. It was to be moved to Karpacz and converted into a meteorological museum, but this plan was never realised. Ultimately, the structure was demolished in 1989.
The Śnieżka Observatory: three futuristic saucers
The current building was constructed between 1966 and 1974 to a design by Witold Lipiński and Waldemar Wawrzyniak of the Wrocław University of Technology. Regular observations began there on 1 January 1975. The three discs, offset from one another, measure approximately 13, 20 and 30 metres in diameter. Their steel frames were clad in wood and thin aluminium sheet, whilst reinforced concrete, stone and glass were also used in the construction. The silvery surfaces, wide eaves and horizontal bands of windows were reminiscent of a UFO. Lipiński, however, drew inspiration from the piled-up boulders of the Karkonosze Mountains and from aerodynamics, a subject he was interested in as a gliding enthusiast.
Art in the interiors of the Śnieżka Observatory
The observatory’s original décor was designed by the Wrocław Studio of Fine Arts. The openwork ceiling with hexagonal mesh, resembling a honeycomb, has survived to this day. The walls are adorned with metal compositions featuring fantastical figures, animals and small rosettes in silvery, golden and coppery hues. Another striking feature is the curved partition made of glass blocks, in which colourless glass is interwoven with red, blue, yellow and green. The décor is complemented by a stone floor of irregular slabs, wooden panelling, and simple tables and stools. A large oval skylight opens up above part of the hall.
A historic building exposed to the elements
A building exposed to such extreme weather conditions soon began to require repairs. As a result, the cracking aluminium cladding was replaced with black roofing felt, which significantly altered the observatory’s original appearance. In the building’s history spanning more than 50 years, there have also been a number of breakdowns. The most serious occurred on 16 March 2009, when part of the upper disc collapsed. There were no casualties and the damaged section was rebuilt fairly quickly. In June 2020, the building was listed as a historic monument. Its futuristic form, initially criticised for straying from the regional architecture of the Karkonosze Mountains, is today one of the most recognisable works of post-war modernism. The upcoming renovation will focus on restoring the building’s full functionality and appearance. Will the aluminium cladding return? It is not yet known.
Source: imgw.pl, karpacz.net
See also:Travel|Architecture in Poland|Modernism|Interesting facts
