As many as 12 council-owned tenement blocks and two courtyards in the area around Sępa-Szarzyńskiego Street in Wrocław are to undergo renovation at a cost of around 40 million zlotys. The projects, being carried out by the company Wrocławskie Mieszkania, are intended to improve living conditions for over 200 families. The changes concern buildings on the border between Ołbin and the Plac Grunwaldzki estate, in the vicinity of the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology. The first works will begin at numbers 65 and 65A.
How the suburbs became part of Breslau
The tenement blocks earmarked for renovation are a reminder of the times when the former suburbs were transformed into the densely built-up districts of Breslau. For centuries, Ołbin was dominated by gardens, farmsteads and sparsely scattered houses. After the city was captured by Napoleon’s army in 1807, the demolition of the fortifications began, and the following year Ołbin was incorporated into the city limits. Over time, the garden areas gave way to streets and tenement blocks. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, compact residential quarters with courtyards and outbuildings took shape. A reminder of this era is the Art Nouveau tenement house at 16 Rozbrat Street, built between 1903 and 1904 to a design by Alfred Kolbe. Its renovation, completed in the spring of 2026, cost nearly 2.5 million zlotys and was the first of the buildings scheduled for renovation to be completed.
Surviving houses in the shadow of Festung Breslau
The buildings survived the most tragic period in the city’s history, which is why their renovation is possible today. The siege of Festung Breslau lasted from February until the surrender on 6 May 1945, leaving the capital of Lower Silesia in ruins. Ołbin suffered less damage than many other districts, which is why large sections of the pre-war street frontages have survived here. The nearby buildings along Kaiserstraße – now Grunwaldzki Square – met a completely different fate. The German authorities ordered its demolition to make way for a makeshift airfield for the besieged fortress. The tenement houses on Sępa-Szarzyńskiego and Rozbrat streets survived in the vicinity of an area subjected to deliberate destruction. Their survival did not mean they were entirely undamaged, but the preserved houses enabled this part of Wrocław to be repopulated quickly after the war. To this day, one can still make out the former layout of residential Breslau here.
Wrocław to renovate 12 council tenement blocks
Over the years, the surviving tenement blocks have housed new tenants, including those from the Eastern Borderlands, whilst the current project aims to safeguard them for years to come. Wrocławskie Mieszkania is preparing tenders for the buildings at Sępa-Szarzyńskiego 43, 47 and 68. Next in line will be numbers 59, 61, 63, 69 and 73, as well as Rozbrat 1. In the first two tenement blocks, repairs will be carried out on the roofs and chimneys, damp-proofing will be installed, window and door frames will be replaced, and the stucco work on the façades and in the communal areas will be restored. For some tenants, the most important change will be the removal of communal toilets and the installation of bathrooms inside the flats. This work will complement the earlier modernisation of the heating system. The buildings on Sępa-Szarzyńskiego were connected to the district heating network in 2021.
The courtyards will also be restored to their former glory
The refurbishment of the courtyards, which have been part of the local tenement housing since the beginning, will also contribute to improving living conditions in the flats. The area between Sienkiewicza, Sępa-Szarzyńskiego, Rozbrat, Chemiczna and Ukryta streets is currently at the design stage. New surfacing and changes to parking arrangements are required there. The provisional completion date is the second half of 2028, with partial funding from the Wrocław Citizens’ Budget. On the western side of the street, in the block bounded by Sienkiewicza, Wyszyńskiego, Prusa and Sępa-Szarzyńskiego streets, it is necessary to complete the suspended project. The previous contractor abandoned the site, and the contract was terminated due to their fault. A new tender has been announced for September this year. The refurbished courtyards are intended to provide residents with a more comfortable environment around the renovated buildings.
Source:Wrocław City Council
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