Post-war reconstruction of Elbląg

[RS_UK-PL]

Post-war reconstruction of Elbląg. The city was part of Polish Prussia (Royal Prussia, the richest region of Kingdom of Poland) between 1454-1772 and is part of Poland since 1945. Unfortunately, Elbląg was heavily damaged by Soviets and Nazis during WW2. Poles are trying to rebuild this lost city...



The old Pomeranian proverb says:
"Gdańsk - rich, Królewiec - large,
Elbląg - fortified, Toruń - beautiful."

Market Gate (Brama Targowa)

Before and after WW2


Now


St.Nicholas Cathedral (Katedra Sw.Mikolaja)

Before and after WW2


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Art Centre Gallery EL (Galeria EL)

Before and after WW2


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Before WW2


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Before WW2


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Before WW2


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Many of buildings in Elblag have been simplified...

Before WW2


After WW2 ("reconstruction")


Which one is nicer?

This is what we call "more contemporary" architecture

Of course, there are some examples of nice architecture and sometimes (very rarely) it looks even better than before the war (see below).



image hosted on flickr

[RS_UK-PL]

Before WW2




After WW2


Now

[RS_UK-PL]

Elbląg Library (Biblioteka Elblaska)

Before WW2


Now (few years ago, car is a bit outdated )

[Mr. America]

Original top of gate was better But what happend to the clock? Is it smaller?

[RS_UK-PL]

Only 6 tenement houses (out of over 300, edit) in Elblag weren't completely destroyed during the war and were restored after 1945:

[RS_UK-PL]

Low Bridge (Most Niski) - reconstruction in progress

Before WW2


Now

[mike016]

Originally Posted by RS_UK-PL

Only 6 tenement houses (out of ~200)

More accurately and in more detail, in 15th century Elbing counted exactly 348 "erbe" (plots). Direct before the war stood over 300 houses in the Old Town district.

[aarhusforever]

It makes me VERY HAPPY to see all that reconstruction going on in Elblag, but I wich they would reconstruct all the buildings 100% back to the original design...instead of mixing old with new on the same buildings. I get the idea with this 'mix-concept', but IMO it would be better to keep it original.

Thank you for all the info and photos

[ufonut]

It's not a "post-war reconstruction". More like a "wild 1990s business construction"

[RS_UK-PL]

God's Body Church (Kosciol Bozego Ciala)

Before WW2


After WW2


Now

[RS_UK-PL]

City Hall (Ratusz)

Before 1777


Now

[Judge Roy Beam]

Originally Posted by RS_UK-PL

God's Body Church (Kosciol Bozego Ciala)

Before WW2


Now

The word "half-assed" comes to mind here.

Did the re-builders not have access to prewar photographs of this church?

[Iluminat]

^I think they didn't really rebuild it, just renovated the part that survived more or less

[RS_UK-PL]

Before WW2


Before 1997


Now

[TheReconstructer]

Nice

Like to see they reconstructed some nice buildings, but newly buildings like the 'reconstructed' Rathaus could've been better.
Are there plans for rebuilding the small bell tower on the Elbląg Library, and the small tower and the lower front of the Galeria EL, the spire of the Market Gate and the rest of the Church of God's Body?

[TheReconstructer]

One last question

Are they ever going to reconstruct this in original style? Would give the Altstadt of Elblag something more

[mike016]

Originally Posted by Judge Roy Beam

The word "half-assed" comes to mind here.

Did the re-builders not have access to prewar photographs of this church?

The other part, which was demolished after the war to expand the street, was an extension built in 19th century -the picture below shows how it looked before the enlargment of the church:

Originally Posted by TheReconstructer

One last question
Are they ever going to reconstruct this in original style? Would give the Altstadt of Elblag something more

Wouldn't expect that.

[rychlik]

It is a beautiful town.

[Urbanista1]

overall, the quality of the architecture is as good or better (certainly technically better) than pre-war and in some cases not as ornate and detailed. the architecture pre-war was of a simpler, vernacular form with some ornate landmarks, the latter were largely not rebuilt, except gothic and renaissance structures. what is intriguing is that the architects have created a new architectural language while maintaining the same proportions, heights and similar building silhouettes. I'm quite impressed, those in love with pre-war Elblag may have mixed feelings.

[RS_UK-PL]

Originally Posted by rychlik

It is a beautiful town.

"Town" with city rights since 1246 and population of around 126k

Not many people might know this, but Elblag was more populous city than Torun from 16th Century until 1939. Also, it was second largest port after Gdansk (for a short period of time, the largest) in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.