Goldstein Palace
Encyclopedia
The Pałac Goldsteinów or Goldstein Palace is neo-renaissance
palace, which was built by two brothers, Abraham and Joseph Goldstein. It is located in Katowice
, Silesia
, Poland
, at the west end of the city centre, at 50°15′33"N 19°0′47"E.
The palace is representative for the building style of second part of the 1870s.
Front elevations and interior staircases are decorated in typical neo-renaissance
ornamentation. The opulent use of marble
and sandstone
testifies of the owner's wealth. It has two floors. On every floor there are lords’ room, kitchen, bathroom, pantry and two rooms for staff.
The Goldstein brothers owned sawmills
in multiple cities in Poland, also in Katowice, on the background of palace. After a fire burned down the Katowice sawmill in 1892, the Goldstein brothers, because of heavy losses, switched their main business to Wrocław. The Estate was sold to the firm "Kohlen Produzenten Georg Von Giesches Erben".
Before the Second World War, the local Chamber of Commerce
was located in the building. From 1952 until 1990, the building housed the Towarzystwo Przyjaźni Polsko-Radzieckiej (Fellowship of Polish-Soviet friendship) and the Przyjaźń (friendship) cinema. From 1960 to 1970 in the basements was a vanguard theater named "12a". There also was a restaurant "Kolumb" in the building, but currently it is undergoing reconstruction to become a Urząd Stanu Cywilnego (Office of Civil Status) in 2007.
The owner of the Goldstein Palace is City of Katowice.
The architect
of the building is unknown, but historians suspect him to be from Berlin
.
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
palace, which was built by two brothers, Abraham and Joseph Goldstein. It is located in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, at the west end of the city centre, at 50°15′33"N 19°0′47"E.
The palace is representative for the building style of second part of the 1870s.
Front elevations and interior staircases are decorated in typical neo-renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
ornamentation. The opulent use of marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
testifies of the owner's wealth. It has two floors. On every floor there are lords’ room, kitchen, bathroom, pantry and two rooms for staff.
The Goldstein brothers owned sawmills
Sawmills
Sawmills may refer to:* A sawmill, a facility where logs are cut to length* Sawmills Studio, a famous UK music recording studio* Sawmills, North Carolina...
in multiple cities in Poland, also in Katowice, on the background of palace. After a fire burned down the Katowice sawmill in 1892, the Goldstein brothers, because of heavy losses, switched their main business to Wrocław. The Estate was sold to the firm "Kohlen Produzenten Georg Von Giesches Erben".
Before the Second World War, the local Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
was located in the building. From 1952 until 1990, the building housed the Towarzystwo Przyjaźni Polsko-Radzieckiej (Fellowship of Polish-Soviet friendship) and the Przyjaźń (friendship) cinema. From 1960 to 1970 in the basements was a vanguard theater named "12a". There also was a restaurant "Kolumb" in the building, but currently it is undergoing reconstruction to become a Urząd Stanu Cywilnego (Office of Civil Status) in 2007.
The owner of the Goldstein Palace is City of Katowice.
The architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of the building is unknown, but historians suspect him to be from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.