Hatzfeld Palace

Hatzfeld Palace at ulica Wita Stwosza 32 in Wrocław is a remnant of the former seat of the princely Hatzfeld family, known today mainly as the building of the former Awangarda gallery of contemporary art. Its history is a series of rebuildings, destructions and further adaptations to new functions.

Hackner's Baroque palace

The first palace on this site was built in the Baroque style between 1715 and 1719 to a design by Christoph Hackner, for Count Franz von Hatzfeld. The building was destroyed during the Seven Years' War in 1760, and its remains were demolished between 1763 and 1764.

Langhans' Classicist rebuilding

The new palace was built between 1765 and 1773 for Prince Franz Philipp Adrian von Hatzfeld, to a design by architect Carl Gotthard Langhans. The building had four storeys and a mezzanine, and occupied the whole block between today's ulica Wita Stwosza and the neighbouring lane. This work is regarded as one of the pioneering achievements of early Classicism and Neo-Renaissance in Wrocław.

From family seat to offices

In 1802 the palace was bought by the city to serve as the seat of the provincial administration. In subsequent years it housed, among other institutions, the Royal Prussian Chamber and the War and Domains Chamber.

Wartime destruction and the Awangarda gallery

During the siege of Wrocław in 1945 the upper storeys of the palace were pulled down to make room for artillery fire. The facade collapsed in 1946, but the ground floor, portico and side walls survived. The ruins were then used as a film set by the Feature Film Studio in Wrocław. After the war, under the direction of Edmund Małachowicz, the building was adapted as the seat of the Awangarda gallery of contemporary art.

Current condition

Since 2019 the building has been undergoing renovation due to its poor technical condition, and the Awangarda gallery has moved its activities elsewhere. The building is not currently open for visits to the interior as a gallery.

Nearby

The palace stands in the very centre of the Old Town, close to Plac Dominikański. A few minutes' walk brings you to the Market Square, the Town Hall and the Museum of Architecture.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Wita Stwosza 32, Wrocław, Old Town district
• Getting there: the centre of Wrocław, near Plac Dominikański and the Market Square
• What to expect: a historic building under renovation, currently without an art gallery inside - the building is best viewed from the outside