"In 2007, a special preservation fund was created to finance the renovation of these historic buildings. The fund was set up to improve the situation on ul Kazimierza Wielkiego and elsewhere. We started the renovation of the Doctor's House back in 2008. We had the roof replaced," reminisces Zdzisław Żak from the City Historic Preservation Office in Wroclaw. "We wanted ul Kazimierza Wielkiego to regain its original historic character, which it lost after World War II and under the communist regime," he adds.
The history of ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego dates back to the 14th century. This is when the first malt houses began to appear. The history of town houses in turn dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when noblemen's palaces started to appear. After World War II, a number of the houses were demolished, the majority of them in the 1960s, when a decision was made to construct the East-West route in Wroclaw. Small and narrow streets, such as Złotego Koła and Słodowa, disappeared.
Renovation history
A watershed came in 2010, when the City Historic Preservation Officer granted three subsidies for the houses at ul Kazimierza Wielkiego 25 and 41. The roof was replaced and the elevation renovated in the former. The roof was renovated in the latter. Subsidies, which reached the figure of 340 thousand PLN, covered a half of the necessary costs. In 2011, the renovation continued in three other buildings. A subsidy was granted to restore building 41, whose elevation and entrance hall were restored. A similar process continued at ul Kazimierza Wielkiego 49 and 51, where roofs and elevations were restored. In total, preservation subsidies amounted to 435 thousand PLN.
Town house at ul Kazimierza Wielkiego 43 (photograph: City Historic Preservation Officer)
"In 2010–2011, the front and rear elevation at ul Kazimierza Wielkeigo 65 was restored. After World War II, the building lost its emblem representing Three Doves. Its decorative window frames were covered with plaster. The latest restoration work helped the building to regain its original character," says Zdzisław Żak.
A record figure was established in 2012, when the City Historic Preservation Officer allocated 936 thousand PLN for the renovation of three buildings. Elevations and roofs were restored in buildings no. 39, 45 and 47. Additional work was taken up to rebuild the Doctor's House, where the Lower Silesia Medical Chamber is now located. In total, 15.5 million PLN was allocated to modernise the building. The work was completed last year.
"At the beginning, we had to encourage the owners of the buildings to have them restored. But later a lot of property managers would come to ask about subsidies. That's because they saw the results of the work in their immediate neighbourhood. They wouldn't be able to complete the work without subsidies. Now we can finally say that the restoration work on ul Kazimierza comes to an end. I am happy that have managed to do this on such a large scale and that the buildings regained their historic lustre," says Zdzisław Żak.
In 2013 and 2014, subsidies were granted for the renovation of buildings no. 39 and 47. The subsidies reached the figures of 429 and 256 thousand PLN, respectively. The money were used to renovate the elevations of the buildings. Over the last four years, the City Historic Preservation Officer have granted a total of 13 subsidies. Eight buildings on ul Kazimierza Wielkiego were renovated. The project was granted a subsidy of approx. 3 million PLN.
Three renovation investments in 2014
The largest investment on ul Kazimierza Wielkiego is being carried out in four buildings numbered from 31 to 33. The Lutheran Parish would like to use the complex as the premises of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Lutheran Centre. The cost of the investment is estimated at 6 million PLN. The project received a subsidy of 50 thousand PLN.
The construction of the centre is due to complete in spring 2015. On the other side of the road, the elevation was restored in the house that is located on ul Leszczyńskiego and extends to ul Kazimierza Wielkiego. The history of the building is very intriguing. Before World War II, the building on the corner of Schloss Ohle and Königstrasse housed the Rieger Hotel and a restaurant, built from 1873–1883 by Friedrich Barchewitz. The building is now the property of PSS "Społem" Wrocław Północ and houses offices and Bar Setka.
The building at ul Kazimierza Wielkiego 47 is also under renovation. With a subsidy of approx. 260 thousand PLN, the building is going to have its windows replaced and the elevation repainted. The work is due to compete in November.
Miłosz Turowski
