Preachers' House, Gdańsk

Preachers' House
Dom Kaznodziei
Main façade
Former names	German: Predigerhaus
Alternative names	House of Three Preachers
General information
Status	Completed
Type	townhouse
Architectural style	Mannerism
Location	Old Town
Address	ul. Katarzynki 1-3
Town or city	Gdańsk
Country	pl
Coordinates	54.353702°N 18.651489°E / 54.353702; 18.651489
Groundbreaking	1599
Completed	1602
Renovated	1970
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Anthonis van Obbergen
Historic Monument of Poland
Designated	1994-09-08
Part of	Gdańsk – city within the 17th-century fortifications
Reference no.	M.P. 1994 nr 50 poz. 415[1]

Preachers' House (also House of Three Preachers; Polish: Dom Kaznodziei or Dom Trzech Kaznodziei) is a mannerist townhouse in Gdańsk, Poland.^[2] It is located on Katarzynki Street, in the centre of the historical Old Town.^[3]

History

The house was constructed between 1599 and 1602 according to plans by a local architect, Anthonis van Obberghen.^[2][4] Initially, it housed rooms for the Lutheran clergy serving in the nearby St. Catherine's Church.^[2][4] The façade, one of the few in the area to survive World War II, is divided into three distinct parts, making the building look like three identical yet separate town houses.^[2] This made the large building fit better with the surrounding narrow mediaeval town houses.^[4] It was a common feature of many of van Obberghen's projects, notably the Grand Armoury and the Green Gate.^[2] In front of the façade stands a characteristic gilded railing.^[2]

The three parts of the façade are tied together by an inscription in the German language running right below the tops, reading "DIE AVF DEN HERRN HARREN KRIEGEN NEVE KRAFT DASS SIE AVFFAHREN MIT FLVEGELN WIE ADLER" (English: Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles).^[2][4]

On 27 February 1967, the building was listed in the Cultural Heritage Register.^[5] It was fully restored and reconstructed in 1970. Currently, it houses the Regional Endocrinological Health Centre.

References

1. Zarządzenie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 8 września 1994 r. w sprawie uznania za pomnik historii., M.P., 1994, vol. 50, No. 415
2. "The Preachers' House in Gdańsk". pomorskie.travel. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
3. Jerzy Z. Łoziński and Adam Miłobędzki, Guide to Architecture in Poland (Polonia, 1967), p. 76.
4. "Gdańsk - Wojewódzka Przychodnia Endokrynologiczna". fotopolska.eu. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
5. Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa (corporate author) (2013), Rejestr zabytków nieruchomych – województwo pomorskie [Registry of cultural heritage - Pomeranian Voivodeship], p. 21 {{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)

54.3537°N 18.6515°E / 54.3537; 18.6515