Hotel Pod Orłem in Bielsko-Biała

The four-storey building at ulica 11 Listopada 60, right by Plac Wolności in the former Biała Krakowska, was completed in 1905 as a hotel. It was designed by Alexander Neumann and commissioned by the Biała manufacturer Jakub Gross, owner of a vodka and liqueur factory. Today the building houses offices and a shopping arcade.

From inn to hotel

An inn from the time of the laying out of the imperial road, from the late 18th century, had earlier stood on this site. The new hotel was named Pod Czarnym Orłem (At the Black Eagle), which referred to the double-headed eagle of the Habsburgs. The eagle on the façade, however, has a single head. The hotel hosted displays by the Biała Sokół gymnastic society, wrestling matches, theatre performances and balls of the Maritime and Colonial League. Its guests included Emperor Charles I with his wife Zita, and Józef Piłsudski as commander of the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions.

Façade and interiors

The elevation combines Neo-Baroque and Neoclassical features. It is decorated with Ionic pilasters, medallions with eagles, lion masks and vases, and at the top stands a stylised eagle with two putti. The heritage register describes the style as eclectic and the material as brick. Inside, an Art Nouveau vestibule and a staircase with a lift have survived. On the first floor is the Neo-Renaissance Redoute Hall (Sala Redutowa), covering 709 square metres, with ceiling paintings, cast-iron arcades, balconies and stucco.

Practical information

• Address: ul. 11 Listopada 60, Bielsko-Biała, city centre.
• The building is listed in the heritage register. It houses offices and a shopping arcade, so it is viewed mainly from the outside and in the part open to customers; check the accessibility of the halls before a visit.
• Nearby, 200 metres away, stands the Pod Żabami Tenement House.