By decision of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments dated 21 September, 2007, the urban layout of Gdynia City Centre was entered in the register of monuments of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The description of the monument was as follows: the historical urban layout of Gdynia City Centre formed by a network of streets, a parcel layout and buildings, defined by three main settlement phases:
- rural - including the complex of the former fishing and rural dwelling clearly defined by Portowa and Starowiejska Streets, along with Kaszubski Square, Konstytucji Square and part of Wójta Radtkego Street;
- resort - preserved within Kościuszki Square and 10 Lutego Street;
- urban - with a representative part open to the sea, marked by the main axis on the extension of 10 Lutego Street, through Kościuszki Square and Jana Pawła II Avenue, and with a residential and commercial part including Świętojańska, Starowiejska, Portowa and 10 Lutego Streets, Kościuszki Square and Kaszubski Square.
Dr. Eng. Arch. Marek Stępa - Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, expresses his joy at the fact that it was possible - at the request of the Mayor of Gdynia - to enter this area of the city in the register of monuments.
As Dr. Maria Sołtysik from the Gdańsk University of Technology said, Gdynia marks its existence on the map of Polish historical monuments for the first time. She also points out that the status of a monument is not determined by time, but by the fact that it is a culturally valuable site, a unique testimony of an era. The voivode's decision was made a week before the international scientific conference entitled: "Modernism in Europe. Modernism in Gdynia", which will take place on 27-28 September - naturally in our city!
Gdynia is a special place to hold a conference on the modernism of the interwar years. It is a city built from scratch during this very period. Within a dozen or so years, a strong urban centre with the population of 120 thousand and a large Baltic port appeared on the map of Europe. The architecture and urban planning of Gdynia - its centre, the port and residential districts - is a comprehensive record of the artistic currents of European modernism. Hence the topic of the conference.
On the occasion of this meeting of professionals, two thematic walks for residents titled "Encounters with Gdynia Modernism" are planned. The walks, organised by Gdynia City Hall, the City Tourist Information and Gdynia tourist guides, will take place on Saturday, 29 September 2007. Walk no. 1. Modernism in the district of Kamienna Góra. 29 September 2007, at 9.00, starting at the entrance to the new building of the Gdynia City Museum, in Zawisza Czarny Street. Walk no. 2. Modernism in the City Centre – 29 September 2007, at 16:00, starting at the statue of Antoni Abraham in Kaszubski Square.
The walks are free of charge, run by licensed tour guides and will take place regardless of weather conditions. The duration of each walk is about 2 hours. At the end of each walk, at the Film Club (1 Waszyngtona Street) a 40-minute documentary about the monuments of Gdynia will be screened.
Each participant of the walk will receive a specially published guide on the modernist monuments of Gdynia.
Download the folder about Gdynia modernism - click here.
Moreover, Modernist Gdynia presents itself especially to young Internet users - a short film presenting a virtual walk around the city can be watched on the website of Wirtualna Polska. It presents a city different from what they see on a daily basis...
The most important features of a modernist apartment house
