This tenement house dates back the beginning of the XIXth century. This was the period of Cracow’s great development when considerable emphasis was put on the Vistula river regulation. Wrzesińska is a street that was situated in floodplain areas (in memory of this fact the neighbouring street was named Starowiślana St.). On the publicly available plans of Cracow we won’t find Wrzesińska Street. It didn’t appear on the maps until the 1820s/1830s.
We don’t actually know what happened with the house during the greatest historical, turbulent events. We found the information that the building located at 9 Wrzesińska Street was inherited by children of Berta nee Hirsch Rubinstein who died on the 17th of October 1938 in Cracow. The house was then inherited by children: dr. Juliusz, properly named Joel Loebl Rubinstein, Gizela nee Rubinstein Goldberg, David Rubinstein (their place of residence isn’t known), Amalia nee Rubinstein Jurkowicz.
After the war the tenement house was divided into smaller flats and the then Cracow’s authorities granted these flats to individual citizens. This state continued until August 2015 when the last resident of this allotment moved out. The condition of premises upon removal of residents was very varied. Until the moment when the tenement house’s legal status has not been regulated, the residents made unrestricted alterations of interiors.
“Since the time when Leone was opened, that is April 2013, the most damaged part (second and third floor) has been renovated. The first floor is in the best condition – in these rooms there are most of the antique furnaces, formerly coal-fired. The whole staircase and the entry are originally retained. The passage of many years can be seen at the main entry on the stairs made of sandstone blocks. One can try to guess how many people have walked over this place. The talks concerning the works aiming at their full restoration go on, however it’s a very elaborate process and it requires huge expenditures.
When it comes to more pleasant part, we can be proud of the thing that brings joy at the entry itself – namely the front façade of the tenement house that was renovated last year. Its authentic colour is blue. Isn’t it beautiful? This was one of the greatest surprises that have been discovered by us during the works with this building.
At the main entry there is a floor, probably made of original tiles – although they are already cracked, they’ve still got their charm. Here I cannot fail to mention about the angels hanging just at the reception office, they were renovated in 2013 and they attract with their beauty again. In Leone one can see the footprints of the kind and the cruel traits of history, none of it can be forgotten. We are happy that our guests are as sensitive as we are and that they perceive the beauty in old tenement houses.” – relates the manager of Leone aparthotel.
Check our gallery of interiors and the results of renovations.
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