| Building at 1 Freedom Square, Bydgoszcz | |
| Native Name: | Polish: Kamienica na placu Wolności 1 w Bydgoszczy |
| Image Alt: | Tenement at 1 Freedom Square |
| Building Type: | Tenement |
| Classification: | Nr.601429-Reg.A/1041, 20 October 1990[1] |
| Architectural Style: | Eclecticism, Neo-baroque |
| Location: | Bydgoszcz, Poland |
| Address: | 1 Plac Wolności |
| Coordinates: | 53.1272°N 18.0053°W |
| Start Date: | 1896 |
| Completion Date: | 1898 |
| Architect: | Józef Święcicki |
Tenement Freedom Square 1 is an historic house of Bydgoszcz. It is often displayed on postcards as one of the turn of the century iconic building in Bydgoszcz. The architect, Józef Święcicki, is also the builder of the "Pod Orłem" hotel (Under the Eagle), the oldest hotel in downtown Bydgoszcz. The building is located on the east side of Gdańska Street, on the corner of Plac Wolności.
The piece of land on which the house stands, was already built in 1850. The building facing Gdańska Street was devoted to residential purposes, whereas the one giving onto Plac Wolności was used for business purposes.[2]
The property belonged from 1855 to 1876, to the widow of Fryderyki Götz, a teacher, then to another teacher, Carl Wolff; in 1895, his son, aka Captain Ernst Wolff, inherited the building.[3] The new owner sold part of the property (at 5 Plac Wolności), and raised funds for the construction of a new, stately townhouse corner. Its designer, Bydgoszcz builder Józef Święcicki,[4] gave to the new tenement the characteristics of an urban and commercial building.
Construction started in October 1896, the reception happened on January 28, 1898.[3] Local companies were employed, such as master bricklayer Hermann Lewandowski, master roofer Julius Jakoby, carpenter Menning.[3] The ground floor was devoted to shops and restaurants, while the upper ones displayed for luxury apartments. In the building was installed in 1898 the first electric lift in the city, imported from Berlin.[4] The corner location of the building enabled its symmetrical shape, the symmetry axis being underlined by a tower covered ending in a bulbous dome.
Ernst Wolff was the owner of the building until 1916, then his widow Martha Wolff till 1919.[5]