User:Wojciech.pospula/sandbox/The Hipolit House

The name, Hipolit House comes from one familiy name that lived and owned the house in 17th century, Hipolits. After 2nd half of 17th century it became the property of Zaleskis, another merchant's family. Afterwards, the tenement changed its owners and tenants many times. Due to these numerous changes of ownership, the house was constantly rebuilt as show many construction marks.

The house cellars and stone portals are dated to 14th century but renaissance window columns and polychromes, baroque stuccos of Baltazar Fontan, ceiling fiezes and wooden balconies come from later times. Rokoko and 19th century were also marked with polychromes. Today we can admire all of the architectual, inside and outside renovations in the museum exhibition.

One of the unique charasterictics of this house were outstanding Sgraffitos on its elevation - a wall decoration technique. This technique was also used to decorate other houses in Krakow but Hipolit House had most vareity of subjects. It included figures of saints, plan ornaments, motifs of suspended fabrics and decorative vases. In 2016 part of the front wall decoration were restored. Among the restored parts were saint Helena with the relic of the Holy Cross and saint Zygmunt. The museum's branch was opened in 2003. A permanent exhibition called Bourgeois house (Mieszczanski dom) was set in the Hipolit House (Kamienica Hipolitów). It shows how burghers lived in the past, how they arranged their homes, their living conditions. We can see the interiors dated from 17th to 19th century. There is a plan to extend the exhibition with 20th century interiors.