Tenement at Freedom Square 1, Bydgoszcz, Protected architectural structure at Freedom Square, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
The Tenement at Freedom Square 1 is a corner building with ornate facades featuring pilasters, decorative cartouches, and railings on the balconies. A tower topped with an onion dome sits at the corner, making it a distinctive landmark on this central square.
The building was completed in 1898 by architect Józef Święcicki and represented the city's modern prosperity at the time. It housed the first electric elevator in Bydgoszcz, which had been imported directly from Berlin for this project.
The separation of commercial spaces below from homes above reflects how mixed-use buildings shaped daily life for the city's merchants and families. This arrangement created a specific rhythm where business happened at street level while residents lived comfortably in the floors above.
The building sits on the main square of Bydgoszcz where several important streets meet, making it easy to find and identify. Its distinctive tower and corner location make it a clear landmark when navigating the central area.
The elevator was a remarkable novelty for its time and showed that Bydgoszcz kept pace with modern European cities. During the 1970s, the interior apartments were significantly restructured and divided into smaller units.
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