The Loitzs’ Mansion in Szczecin

The Gothic tenement house at Kurkowa Street was built for Hans Loitz between 1539 and 1547. It was erected on the building plot purchased from Albrecht Hohenholz. The Loitzs were the influential family of merchants and bankers. Among their customers were Polish kings from the Jagiellon dynasty (funds granted by the Loitz family were used for such purposes as the development of Polish fleet).

When this dynasty died out in 1572, the Loitz family went bankrupt and its members fled to Gdansk and then to Cracow. Their mansion was taken over by the duke. After the Pomeranian Griffith dynasty died out, the building became the seat of the Swedish counsellor, Rosenhandt. In the 18th century, the mansion was redeveloped by Dubendorf brothers. As a result, the decorative top part of the building was destroyed, and the interior was ravaged. Starting from that time, due to the new owners’ nationality, the building was referred to as the “Swiss Mansion”. In 1944, the building was burnt down in an air raid launched by the Allied Forces. The tenement house was rebuilt in 1955. Today it is the seat of the State High School of Arts.

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