Ruins of the Victoria Municipal Theatre in Gliwice

The ruins of the Municipal Theatre, also known as the Victoria theatre, stand on Aleja Przyjaźni in the centre of Gliwice. The building was erected in 1890, it was never rebuilt after the fire of 1945, and today it is a permanent ruin used as a stage.

A theatre within an entertainment complex

The theatre was built to a design by the firm Zimmermann und Wache as part of a larger complex: it included service premises, a café, the Victoria hotel, a cabaret, the Grand cinema and a bathhouse. The auditorium held about 1,100 people and had electric lighting. The theatre was opened in 1899 after refurbishment, and in 1924 it was thoroughly rebuilt to a design by Karl Schabik, with improved acoustics and entrance. It then became part of the Theatre of Three Cities, which covered Gliwice, Bytom and Zabrze. Activity was suspended in August 1944.

Destruction and new life

In January 1945 the building was looted, and on 3 March 1945 it was set on fire, which destroyed the whole interior. The makeshift protection put in place after the war proved short-lived and the ruin gradually decayed. In the 1990s the Foundation for the Reconstruction of the Municipal Theatre was established, and instead of rebuilding it, it was decided to adapt the ruins for stage use. In 1996 the first concert took place in the renewed space, and the site became one of the stages of the Gliwice Theatre Meetings. Music festivals were also held here. The stage, called Ruiny (the Ruins), seats about 300 spectators.

In the neighbourhood

The ruins are in the very centre, right next to the Diament Hotel. Villa Caro and the Piast Castle are nearby, and a walk also leads to Fryderyk Chopin Park.

Practical information

• Address: al. Przyjaźni 18, Gliwice.
• The site is a permanent ruin, so access to the grounds depends on events and on the decision of the manager. Check the website of the Victoria Cultural Centre before your visit.
• From the outside you can see the surviving façade walls on the avenue side.