Warsaw has a new railway monument. The Mazovian Provincial Conservator of Monuments has decided to enter the building of the Wagon Workshops of the Warsaw-Terespol Railway into the register. The building, erected at the beginning of the 20th century, is located at 100 Chodakowska Street in Warsaw. Despite its rather poor condition, it is an important part of the city’s history.
History and function of the Wagon Workshops of the Warsaw-Terespol Railway
The workshops were the technical facilities for the Warsaw-Terespol Railway, opened in 1866, with its starting station in Praga. The first workshop buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1899. Most of the activity was then relocated to Pelcowizna, while a new hall was built in the place of the destroyed buildings for the ongoing repair of rolling stock.
Unique historical value at Chodakowska 100
The building at 100 Chodakowska Street is the only surviving technical facility of the Warszawa Wschodnia station, the former Brest Railway Station, which was built before 1915. It survived both the warfare of 1939-1945 and the post-war reconstruction of the Warsaw railway junction. It was built on the foundations of the transverse wing of the first workshop complex, giving it a form typical of turn-of-the-century railway architecture. The stone plinth zone and brick elevations enriched with details are characteristic.
Railway monument – significance for history
The site documents the development of Warsaw’s railway lines, particularly the third railway line in the Kingdom of Poland, which connected Warsaw with Kyiv. It is also a testimony to the former layout of Terespolskaya station, including the now defunct steam locomotive depot and workshop buildings destroyed during World War II. Despite the transformations, the building has retained its original form from the early 20th century, as well as the dimensions and technical solutions introduced in the inter-war period.
Entry to the Register of the Warsaw-Terespol Railway Wagon Works Building
Entering the building in the register of historical monuments will protect it from further redevelopment and provides an opportunity for renovation that will restore the building’s early 20th century form. Despite its current condition, the Warsaw-Terespol Railway Wagon Workshops are an important element of the capital’s railway heritage.
Source: Mazovian Voivodeship Historic Preservation Officer
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