Mechanical School No. 1, Bydgoszcz

The building of the Mechanical School in Bydgoszcz is a historic public edifice, serving educational purposes, located at 37 Świętej Trójcy Street, in downtown.

The building of is located in the south-western part of downtown Bydgoszcz, in the corner of Świętej Trójcy and Kruszwica streets.

The edifice has been standing for a long time nearby the old Bydgoszcz Canal, until its burying in 1971-1973, replaced by the large Grunwaldska roundabout.

The construction of the building is associated with lengthy efforts of city authorities to create a technical high school of fine arts in Bromberg.

Already in 1872, William I, Emperor of Prussia, laid a cornerstone for the start of the construction of the school for art and industry (in today's Konarski street).

The second half of the 19th century being a period of extraordinary growth Bydgoszcz, it soon dawned on people the need for modern education staff which could teach business, factory industry and craft workshops.

The edifice at Konarski street quickly out of funds for its specialized equipment and teachers, and the building was converted to a high school for girls.

[2] The edifice has been designed on a grand scale and was standing in an attractive location, overlooking the Bydgoszcz Canal, as a showcase, in view of the headquarters of the artistic direction of Bromberg university.

The Royal-Prussian School of Craft and Art Industry (German: Königliche Preussische Handwerker- und Kunstgewerbeschule) was inaugurated on October 2, 1911; its first director being Berlin architect Arno Koernig.

On September 1, 1921, on the initiative of the faculty, has been established the local branch of the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts (Polish: Towarzystwo Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych).

In 1932 it had 11 classrooms, a reading room, a library school (with more than 2 000 books) as well as offices and laboratories such as: In addition, several new areas have been opened, like: During German occupation, the building have been used as police headquarters.

Pediments are adorned with many architectural details: ox-eye windows, vegetal motifs, reliefs of garlands, urn and many other forms.

The school in 1908 at its inception, with the Bydgoszcz canal
Workshop at "Royal-Prussian School of Craft and Art Industry", 1913 Bydgoszcz
View of the building in 1941, housing German Police HQ