Miasto i Gmina Gniew

The complex of townhouses

Gniew is a city, which can boast with the most valuable and the biggest complex of historic townhouses in the Pomerania. The history of some of them goes back even up to the XIV century. Rebuilt in the XVIII century, they have preserved the beam ceilings in some places, window frames and valuable element of equipment, such as staircases with decorative railings or bas-relied doors with decorative fittings and brass knobs, coming from this period.

Damage, housing needs and changes in the functions were the cause of numerous reconstructions of individual townhouses located in the western part of the market. In the XVIII century, townhouses were stripped of the characteristic peaks, covering them with a common mansard roof.

Considerable work was performed in the XIX century, introducing, among others, changes in the interior. Trade and the life of residents flourished based on the shaded townhouses.

Traders could trade under the arcades at any time, regardless of the rain or scorching heat. Once, at each side of the market, ten houses were located with the equal width of seven metres, so that three windows could fit to each façade. While arcades had different forms. Some of them had semicircular arches, others – flattened arches, and others had two semicircular or two pointed arches. This way they formed a varied, vivid picture.