Mazowiecka street in Bydgoszcz

Mazowiecka street is a path in the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland. Its buildings still display a mix of eclectic architectural facades as well as highlight the important urban industrialisation in the history of the city.

History and location
A map of Bromberg dated 1876 depicts the pathway, without any naming nor plots. Two years later, the city address book makes the first reference to 8 buildings on Heinestraße. The development of the street has been gradual and eventually achieved in 1910.

The street bore the following names through its existence:
 * 19th century - 1920, Heinestraße or Heynestraße. Friedrich Hermann Heyne (1813-1856) was the Bürgermeister of Bromberg from 1845 to 1856, at a time of dynamic economic development, in particular with the opening of the city to the network of the Prussian Eastern Railway.
 * German occupation (1939 - 1945), Memel straße, in reference to the Memel Territory (Memelland), the northernmost part of the German province of East Prussia.
 * 1920 - 1939 and since 1945, Ulica Mazowiecka .

The current appellation refers to the historical region of Mazovia, in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok.

The street follows a approximately east-west path, from Pomorska Street to Aleksandra Fredry street; on the way, it intersects Sienkiewicza, Wileńska and Sowińskiego streets.

Tenement at 51 Pomorska Street, corner with Mazowiecka street
1890–1891

Eclecticism, Neoclassical architecture

Initial address was Heinestraße 45, like the tenement at Nr.49, this building was initially the property of the municipality, as Bromberg city apartments. until 1910. This system prevailed, even after Bydgoszcz re-integrated the Polish territory.

The facade of the building, recently renovated, displays nice neoclassical features, mirroring the abutting tenement at Nr.49, with a bit more motifs: pilasters, tympanum on Mazowiecka street and a corner facade with balustrade, topped by round ornaments.

Tenement at 53 Pomorska Street, corner with Mazowiecka street
1893–1894

Historicism

Initial address was Heinestraße 2. The Bräuer family lived there from the erection of the tenement in the 1880s until World War I.

The building, though badly damaged by time and lack of maintenance, keeps some elements of its glorious past:
 * Pediments of different shapes at each windows;
 * Row of corbels beneath the roof;
 * Balustrade at some openings;
 * cartouches on the corner with motifs;
 * Gates crowned with a bearded figure.

Tenement at 1/3
1890-1891

Eclecticism

Both buildings have been erected almost at the same period (1890-1892) and have always been owned by one landlord at the time. They had been built for the city (then German) housing cooperative, the Wohnungsverein in bromberg gehörig. In 1920, they were managed by the Polish equivalent structure, the Towarzystwo mieszkaniowe. Some other tenements managed by the city could also be found at 1 Kołłątaja Street or 13/15/17 Zygmunt Krasiński Street.

Both frontages display similar eclectic architectural details, with a slight avant-corps dividing them.

Tenement at 4
1912

Late Art Nouveau

Robert Reeck, the first landlord, was living at 21 Wörth strasse (present day Racławicka street).

Renovated in 2014, the facade presents characteristics of the first decade of the 20th century with early forms of Modern architecture and Art Nouveau elements: tall bay windows, long vertical lines and a variety of window shapes.

Tenement at 5
1895

Eclecticism

Then located at 43 Heyne strasse, Emil Leufen, a plasterer was its initial owner. A year later, he sold it to Johann Buckolt, a musician, and moved to the neighboring tenement at 41/42 (today's 7/9).

The passage to the courtyard has been used by Bydgoszcz-born artist Joanna Rajkowska to create the public project “Thermometers and glasses” (Termometry i Szklanki) in 2012. Joanna Rajkowska covered the walls and ceiling with a mosaic of mirrors (700 kg of them). The Mirror gate (Brama z luster) has been restored in 2021.

Tenements at 7/9
1894

Eclecticism

Emil Leufen, a plasterer, then owner in 1893 of the abutting building at 5, had these buildings erected a year later. He had been eventually lived there from 1896 onwards.

The large facade on the street displays eclectic and neo-baroque architectural details:
 * on the ground floor, corinthian style columns and pilasters;
 * the upper openings present a mix of columns and adorned pediments;
 * the top of the frontage is decorated, among others, with mascarons.

Tenements at 8/10
1878

Eclecticism

These buildings are among the oldest in the street, dating back to the late 1870s. Their first landlord was Anton Czarnecki, who inhabited the house at 8 (then 4/4a Heinestraße).

Both facades lost their architectural details with time. The house at 8 was renovated in 2020.

Tenement at 11
1895

Eclecticism

The first landlord was Albert Bettyna, a locksmith. Hasan Konopacki (1879–1953) lived there from 1946 to 1953. He was a Lipka Tatar, politician, journalist and military officer, closely connected with the Belarusian national movement. A commemorative plaque has been unveiled on the ground floor of the building.

The facade renovated in 2022 displays eclectic characters: avant-corps, pilasters, stuccoes and top corbel table are worth noticing.

Building at 40 Sienkiewicza Street
1890

Eclecticism

Carl Heller, a butcher, was the registered landlord of this tenement at its construction.

The house, renovated in the 2010s, exhibits a balcony on the corner narrow facade. There are also stucooed corbels on the window lintel and the corbel table running beneath the roof.

Tenement at 14
1896-1897

Eclecticism

Identified at its inception at 8 Heyne strasse, this large building was initially owned by Emil Röhl. He lived there till the outbreak of WWI.

The most impressive features of the tenement are the two grand balconies on the first and second level. Located above the main entrance, their balustrades are replicated on both sides under each window sills. In addition, window lintels are adorned with festoons, figureheads and mascaron.

Tenement at 15
1891-1892

Eclecticism

The construction entrepreneur Wilhelm Herzberg built the building on behalf of Johann Bordanowicz, a butcher living at then 25 Mittel straße (present day 45 Sienkiewicza Street).

The recent renovation (2022) recalls that at the time of construction, it was one of the most impressive tenement houses on the street, especially with its large double entrance door which round transom light decorated with figures of flying angels.

Building at 17, corner with 38 Sienkiewicza Street
1890s

Eclecticism

Marian Rudnicki, a merchant, commissioned this tenement. Its plot received three different house numberings: "25 Mittelstraße" in the 1890s, "45 Mittelstraße" (1915) and "38 Sienkiewicza street" in the present.

The corner building, in need of restoration, still possesses entrance door decoration, with pilasters flanking the side and a triangular pediment filled with plastered floral motifs and a smiling figure head. This ensemble is replicated on the door opening on Mazowiecka street.

Tenement at 18
1895-1896

Eclecticism

The first owner of the house at then 10 Heynestraße was Vincent Kolesinski.

Although the facade decoration is now gone, one can still appreciate the four balconies, fenced with floral-shaped wrought iron.

Building at 19, corner with 41 Sienkiewicza Street
1885

Eclecticism

Hugo Hecht, a merchant, commissioned this house. He was an important investor in the city: at the end of the 19th century, in addition to this tenement, he owned three other buildings in Gdańska Street, at 88/90, 92/94 and 96. Hecht was living at "30 Wilhelmstraße" (nonexistent today, in Jagiellońska street).

The renovation carried out in 2020 reinforced the design of its facade. The stories are separated by cornices, the roof is supported by consoles and pediments are incorporated above the windows. Massive balconies are decorated with balustrades and the side garage entrance displays a large wrought iron fence.

House at 20
1885

Eclecticism

The initial homeowner was Alexander Olszynski, a carpenter.

As one of the first house built in the street, it kept few architectural details, apart from the triangular pediment adorned with motifs above the entrance.

ßrenzel's House at 21
1883

Eclecticism

The first landlord in the mid-1880s was Albert ßrenzel, working as a metal turner. He lived there until the mid-1910s. The following owner was Emil Stadie: he had launched in 1892 a bicycle, then motorcycle workshop located at nearby 20a Mittel-strasse (present day 39 Sienkiewicza Street). Both locations were linked by a series of backyards.

House at 23
1885

Eclecticism

Otto Manthey, an administrative assistant at the post office was the landlord.

Recently refurbished (2024), the building architecture mirrors the one at No20, built the same year (1885).

Tenement at 14 Wileńska street
Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Heritage list Nr.725837, Reg.A/1528 (6 May 2009)

1894

Eclecticism

Otto Jr. Kochanowski, the son of the coppersmith at N.12, was the first landlord. Otto Jr. was a building materials merchant. in 1896, he moved to a house at then 25 Mittelstasse (modern-day Sienkiewicza Street).

The city heritage building boasts two decorated facades and a large corner bay window stretching on two levels.

Tenement at 11 Wileńska street
1895

Eclecticism

Johann Bordanowicz, a butcher who already owned the building at 3 Wileńska street, was the first landlord of this tenement. At the time, it was located at the junction of Boiestraße and Heyne straße.

Restored in 2017, the massive tenement displays two decorated facades on each street. The corner frontage features two heavy balconies.

Cohnfeld's house at 25
Early 1900s

Albin Cohnfeld was a wealthy Jewish merchant of Bromberg, member (and vice-president) of the "Jewish Management Board and the Council of Representatives" of the city, from 1903 to 1920. At the end of the 1880s, Cohnfeld received a concession from the city to build barracks in todays' Pomorska street, which was completed in 1890: nowadays, the plot is called Londynek.

Albin Cohnfeld was living in a lavish tenement in Bahnhofstrasse (today's 77 Dworcowa street) designed by architect Karl Bergner. At the turn of the 20th century, he purchased plots in the street at 25 and 28.

At 25, he had this one level house constructed, which he sold in 1905.

Tenement at 27
1908-1909

Early Modern architecture

The commissioner of the building was a merchant, Wilhelm Habermann, running a company of wood transportation (holzspedition), Habermann & Moritz). Living in Albert strasse (present day Garbary Street), he started renting the flats to more than 20 tenants, but sold the tenement a year later in 1911.

The large facade displays early forms of modern architecture, with tall and long vertical windows, under a wall gable still shaped with Art Nouveau design.

Faculty of Animal Breeding and Biology at 28
The "Galwana" Joint Stock Company was established in February 1920 and began its operations in 1922. The founders of the company were the brothers Baranowski: Bolesław was the administrative director and Kazimierz the technical director. Krzysztof lived in an apartment next to the factory while his brother Bolesław had a flat at 5 Cieszkowskiego street. The factory used the ancient Prussian barracks, making most of the space provided by the multi-story brick building, with side wings. It was located at then 16/24 Heyne strasse, employed 200 people, of which 50 were artists trained at the National School of Arts and Crafts. Galwana went bankrupt in 1925, the premises were then owned by ''Bank M. Stadthagen Tow. Akc. w Bydgoszczy'', one of the main share holder of the capital till the upset of WWII.
 * In 1890, the plot was acquired by Albin Cohnfeld (see details at paragraph Cohnfeld's house at 25): the municipal authorities commissioned him to build there barracks, as he did in Pomorska street.
 * Former Company Galwana 
 * Since 1971, the area is housing the faculty of the Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology. There former plant edifice has been refurbished and hosts today one of the building of the Faculty of Animal Breeding and Biology of Bydgoszcz.

Factory premises at 29
1901

Industrial architecture


 * The plot of land had been acquired at the beginning of the 20th century by Hermann Wenzel, a merchant living at 72 Danzigerstrasse (today's 137 Gdańska Street.
 * Carl Wenzel, Hermann's relative, set up the Carl Wenzel Kommanditgesellschaft. The company had the production site in Mazowiecka and a selling point in Długa Street (64 Friedrichstrasse).

Plant premises at 31/33
1906-1907

Industrial architecture

The parcel was purchased in 1907 by Gustav Granobs, living at 20 Kronerstrasse (Józefa Sowińskiego street). Granobs had a large factory built there to accommodate his booming firm Gustav Granobs - Fabryka Filników i Narzędzi created in 1910. The company will eventually grow into today's firm Befana.

Tenement at 10 Józefa Sowińskiego street
1890-1891

Eclecticism

Located then at 17 Kronerstrasse, the building was first owned by Ernst Meißner, a railway administrative assistant. He kept it till the start of WWI.

The corner building, in need of restoration, has lost all of its architectural decoration.