They constitute an example of a Catholic and Evangelical school as well as of a Polish senate school of the interwar period. The structures comprising the complex are an example of 19th-century school buildings. They form a compact group of buildings, similar to one another in terms of the architectural style employed; their distinguishing features are the half-timbered structure, lavish fretwork decoration and the well-preserved historical substance.

History

The complex consists of two school buildings and a lavatory. The buildings were erected on a plot of land situated adjacent to the Jesuit church of St Ignatius of Loyola. Before the school was built, a Jesuit college existed here, having been erected in 1621, although it was subsequently completely devastated during the armed clashes which took place in 1813. In years 1827-1828, the first of the two school buildings was erected, located on the southern side of the existing complex; the accompanying lavatory building was built during the same period. Initially, the school building consisted of two wings, with a two-storey southern wing and a single-storey northern wing. After 1885, the northern wing was extended upwards so that its height was the same as that of the southern wing. From the moment of its construction until 1945, the building was used as a Catholic and Evangelical school. Around 1900, the second school building was erected in the northern section of the complex, directly adjacent to the rectory (and initially being used for educational purposes by the local parish). From the 1930s onwards, the facility was used as a Polish senate school.

After the Second World War, the buildings were used as a storage facility of the “Cezas” Centre for School Supplies. Today, the buildings form part of the parish of St Ignatius of Loyola. In recent years, both buildings have been restored.

Description

The complex is located in the Stare Szkoty district of Gdańsk. It stands on a large plot of land, also containing the church of St Ignatius of Loyola, the rectory and a garden with a group of old trees. The property adjoins the Brzegi street and the Radunia canal from the east, while from the west it borders on the cemetery and a sloping part of an elevated area, covered with vegetation. From the south and the north there is a group of houses positioned alongside the Brzegi street, although the area is not densely urbanised.

The complex comprises two school buildings - the northern building and the southern building - as well as the lavatory building positioned west of the main buildings. The southern school building and the lavatory building are free-standing structures, while the northern building abuts the rectory.

All buildings feature a half-timbered structure with brick infills.

The southern building consists of two wings positioned perpendicularly towards one another, forming a T-shaped structure. The southern wing is positioned so that its gable end faces the street; the roof ridge of the northern wing runs parallel to the street. Both wings are two-storey structures with gable roofs. The northern wing features a three-bay layout with a wide corridor in the middle, while the southern wing has a two-bay layout, the corridor running through the northern section. A staircase is positioned in the corridor of the southern wing. Both wings featured two classrooms on each level. The main entrance to the building is located on the north side thereof.

The distinguishing feature of all facades of the building is the exposed timber frame, lavish fretwork decoration as well as the use of two-toned brickwork (red and yellow brick) for the infills. The arrangement of the posts and beams is accentuated by lines made out of yellow bricks. Profiled faces of the ceiling beams project out of the building’s facade, which is also adorned with cornices that form a visual dividing line between the storeys. Fretwork bargeboards adorn the gables. The windows are framed by profiled surrounds with cornices below the window sills. A gable rooflet with lavish fretwork decorations is positioned above the entrance, resting on profiled corbels with openwork wooden panels, topped with a decorative cresting and acroterions. The original, sumptuously decorated main door leading into the building has also survived intact. The window joinery has been replaced, the new windows designed to resemble the original ones.

The northern building is a two-storey structure with a slightly elevated knee wall, its roof nearly flat. The building features a two-bay interior layout with a corridor and staircase positioned on the axis of the structure. Each floor features four classrooms. The entrance into the building is positioned in the eastern facade. The facades of the building feature exposed timber framing and relatively austere carved decorations. A notable feature are the corbels supporting the roof and the frieze separating the storeys, consisting of profiled faces of ceiling beams and bricks positioned vertically between the said beams. The building also features the preserved original entrance door. The window joinery has been replaced, the design of the new windows based on the original ones.

The Lavatory is a small, single-storey building with a flat roof. The building was erected on a rectangular floor plan, divided into three cabins. The eastern facade incorporates individual entrances into the cabins, while the side facades and the rear facade feature small dual windows. The facades feature exposed timber framing. The sole decorative feature is a profiled wooden cornice beneath the eaves. The toilets themselves have now been removed.

No visitor access to the building.

Compiled by Beata Dygulska, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Gdańsk, 06.08.2014.

Bibliography

• Karta ewidencyjna, Budynek biurowy, d. gimnazjum, oprac. Rosowski W., Szczęsny J., Warszawa 1983, Archiwum NID.
• Karta ewidencyjna, Magazyn „Cezasu”, d. gimnazjum, oprac. Rosowski W., Szczęsny J., Warszawa 1983, Archiwum NID.
• Samp J., Orunia, Stare Szkoty i Lipce, Gdańsk 2005, s. 143-145.