Mikołów railway station is set to be demolished. PKP has decided to remove the existing building and construct a new one. For local residents, the project brings long-awaited changes after years of a closed waiting room, but there is more to the story than meets the eye. Mikołów station is now one of the very few surviving examples of 1990s railway architecture in Poland. Let’s be honest: the building has never been considered outstanding, but it is an interesting reminder of the political transformation and the aesthetic prevailing in the country during the early stages of the free market.
Mikołów Station – the beginnings
The railway reached Mikołów in 1856 with a connection to Orzesze, and two years later also to Ligota. It was then that a grand station was built in the town, complete with a restaurant and facilities for travellers. Unfortunately, the building burned down less than 100 years later during the Second World War. After January 1945, passengers were served by a makeshift wooden hut, which actually remained in use for a surprisingly long time, until the early 1990s. It was then replaced by a brand-new brick station, which opened in 1993. The building stood almost exactly on the site of the historic station. It was a symbol of the reconstruction of the Polish railways amidst economic transformation, at a time when our native architecture was seeking a new language following the collapse of the Polish People’s Republic.
Architecture of the early transformation
The 1993 station in Mikołów captures the aesthetic of that era very well. Its complex form with stepped roofs, quite distinctive details, geometric façades and a variety of finishing materials were typical of public projects in the early 1990s. One can see similarities in the building to the work of Stanisław Niemczyk, particularly the famous Osiedle nad Jamną housing estate in Mikołów – we wrote about it HERE. Admittedly, the station was neither luxurious nor particularly attractive, but it clearly stood out from many typical PKP projects of that period. Today, similar buildings are rapidly disappearing from the landscape of Polish cities, which is why the building is increasingly regarded as an interesting example of late 20th-century architecture.
Mikołów station without passengers
For years, it housed ticket offices, toilets and a waiting room. Everything changed in 2017 when the station was closed to passengers. Travellers were left with only the platforms and small shelters. The building itself, however, continued to operate, albeit commercially. Inside, one could visit a hairdresser, a clothing wholesaler and a photography studio set up in the former waiting room. The change in the building’s function caused considerable frustration among residents and the town authorities. Mayor Stanisław Piechula repeatedly appealed to PKP to restore basic facilities for travellers.
PKP chooses a new building
The situation only changed in 2025, following the announcement of the “Passenger-Friendly Stations” programme, presented by PKP CEO Alan Beroud during the European Economic Congress in Katowice. Mikołów was included on the list of priority investments. PKP concluded that the current building does not meet modern standards and is difficult to renovate due to the station’s location on a slope. Hence the idea arose to demolish it and build a new station. The new station is to feature, among other things, a lift and facilities adapted for people with reduced mobility. The design is being prepared by An Archi Group, whilst construction work is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027.
Less and less 1990s architecture
However, the planned demolition of Mikołów station is much more than just another railway project. PKP’s plans have prompted many to reflect on which buildings from the 1990s deserve protection and a place in architectural history. Following the announcement of the station redevelopment project in Mikołów, initiatives emerged to save the station. The Association for the Protection of Post-War Architecture announced it would submit an application to have the station listed in the register of monuments of the Silesian Voivodeship. Architects, architectural historians and journalists also began to speak out in defence of the building, pointing out that it stands out from typical PKP stations of the 1990s and blends in very well with the local surroundings. Further interest was sparked by the revelation that the building was designed by Jerzy Bierwiaczonek, an architect with links to Silesia and the local design community.
Alongside sentimental considerations, there is also an environmental argument. According to its defenders, the Mikołów station is suitable for modernisation and does not need to be demolished immediately. If, however, it were to come to that, what would PKP ‘treat’ Mikołów to? There is a strong likelihood that it would be nothing of interest, but rather an anonymous pavilion typical of the railway’s latest investments. For a long time, buildings from the transition period were considered too new and too ordinary to be treated as heritage. It is true that the station in Mikołów does not represent architecture of the highest calibre, but it is a tangible trace of an extremely important era: the transition from the difficult period of the Polish People’s Republic to a new reality and economic freedom. For this reason alone, it deserves to be protected.
Source: mikolow.eu, naszagazeta.info
See also:Architecture in Poland|Railway station|Monument | Postmodernism | Ecology
