Hotel Gródek**** history architektura

Gródek

The townhouse at No. 7 Sw. Krzyża street is located in the ancient area of Gródek. This district was fortified even before the so called Location of Cracow in 1257. It was marked by its high elevation above the curve in the River Vistula (the river was later diverted during the nineteenth century). Gródek was also located on the old route that cut through Cracow on the east-west axis. Not much is known about the medieval stonemasonry of Gródek. The eastern gate of the fortification (whose relics are still evident in the city wall that runs along the Planty Gardens) was certainly erected before 1305. It also served as the city gate of Cracow. There was a moat on the western side of Gródek, which drew a large curve through the current courtyards of the tenement houses on today’s Św. Krzyża and Mikołajska streets. As it is commonly known, the actual structures in Gródek itself were used during the rebellion of Mayor Albert. Later, the buildings were used by Władysław Opolczyk and later by the Tarnowski magnatial family in the second half of the fifteenth century. Two richly carved gothic portals retained in the Dominican Convent are associated with the latter phase. The relics of the most ancient structures at Gródek are believed to be buried under the aforementioned Convent, but they are also perhaps concealed within its walls and under the outbuildings of the lots facing Św. Krzyża and Mikołajska streets. Until the present investigation, the area of Gródek has not been the subject of consistent archaeological research, excluding the samples taken by Professor Radwański in 1975. Gródek lost its stature as a fortification after the rebellion of Mayor Albert. In 1312, the city walls were modified at the northern side of Gródek to facilitate a new gate: the Mikołajska Gate. Then, in 1331, Brama Nowa (the New Gate) was opened in the southern elevation. Two streets were created between these gates. The first one, at the eastern side, is todays Na Gródku Street. The second street followed the arch of the former moat of the Gródek fortification. This western street became Św. Krzyża and Mikołajska Streets. In this way, the oval, irregular urban block came into being. Around the year 1350 this block was then subdivided into narrow lots following a fan pattern. The houses at 1-7 Św. Krzyża Street and 1-17 Mikołajska Street are located on these lots. The rear parts of the lots reach Na Gródku Street.

The Outbuilding of No.7 Św. Krzyża Street

This lot is located in the centre of the aforementioned urban block. The lot follows the shape of an irregular quadrangle. The former moat of Gródek cuts the lot in half along the transversal axis. Originally there were two front buildings which were noted in sources from the close of the sixteenth century. However, these structures certainly existed much earlier, perhaps as early as the second half of the fourteenth century. In 1878, as was often the case in Cracow, they were joined into one house. The comparative analysis of the medieval settlement of Cracow seemed to suggest that outbuildings existed as early as the closing years of the fourteenth century. They were built either in wooden or mixed construction. However, the current outbuildings were raised in phases during the years 1862, 1867 and 1875. Both outbuildings – at the side and at the rear – were then joined and followed an L-shape plan. The side outbuilding is adjacent to the perimeter wall of the lot of Mikołajska Street. The rear outbuilding terminates the lot on the eastern side along Na Gródku Street (Na Gródku 5).

The previous text is an excerpt from an historical outline which preceded the architectural design. It was written by the architect Marek Cempla and based upon research by the following authors: Świszczowski 1950, Radwański 1975, Borowiejska – Birkenmajerowa 1975, Widawski 1980, Książek and Skawiński 1982, Książek 1979.

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