Powstańców Śląskich – A Gem of Pre-War Wrocław – Renamed Five Times
Powstańców 163 is a tenement house with a rich history. The oldest discovered photographs date back to 1927.
During World War II, like many other buildings in Wrocław, it suffered significant damage.
In later years, the entire building underwent a thorough renovation.
It was then home to the Public Library for many years (until 2003). Since 2004, the premises housed a real estate agency.
A Short History of Powstańców Śląskich Street
The area along today’s Powstańców Śląskich Street was densely populated long before it became part of Wrocław. The first suburban homes and villas began to appear in the mid-19th century. In 1866, after the incorporation of Nowa Wieś Komandorska into the city, the street was renamed from Kleinburger Chaussee to Kleinburgerstrasse (throughout history, it had a total of five names). At the time, it extended only as far as today’s Hallera Avenue.
Wrocław’s Prestigious Avenue – 27 Meters Wide
In the early 1880s, after the parcelling of the Borek villa colony, the South Suburb was redeveloped according to plans by urbanists Kaufmann and Hofmann. The former road connecting Wrocław to the village of Kleinburg was transformed into a prestigious avenue 27 meters wide. Soon after, the street was renamed again to Kaiser Wilhelm Strasse – a name associated with the avenue’s golden era.
A Visionary Urban Design
Together with Świdnicka Street, it formed a straight axis connecting the Market Square, Kościuszko Square, and the extraordinary Powstańców Śląskich Square with the southern city gates – as emphasized by Katarzyna Hawrylak-Brzezowska, Wrocław’s city heritage conservator.
Elegant Tenement Houses with 300 m² Apartments and Impressive Villas
At that time, elegant tenement houses with 300 m² apartments and impressive villas sprang up like mushrooms. All buildings, modeled after Berlin’s style, were slightly set back from the street and featured charming front gardens. The true gem of the street – and of all Wrocław – was Hindenburgplatz (now Powstańców Śląskich Square), fully surrounded by baroque townhouses.
The street took on its current shape during redevelopment in the 1930s. At that time, tram tracks were built in the green median separating the roads. The Helmut von Moltke monument, originally erected during the general’s lifetime at the intersection of Kaiser Wilhelm Strasse and Augustastrasse (now Radosna/Szczęśliwa), was relocated to Pretficza Street during this renovation.
Sources: dolny-slask.org.pl