Gorodnitsa in Grodno

Gorodnitsa is a historic part of Grodno, which was built on the initiative of the local mayor Antony Tyzengauz in 1765-1785. I. Moeser (1765-1774) and Giuseppe de Sacco (1774-1785) were its architects.

Historical References

In 1765, the Lithuanian cash keeper Antony Tyzengauz took control over the royal economy by order of the king of the Rzech Pospolita Stanislaw August Poniatowski. From 1765 to 1785, Tyzengauz rebuilt Gorodnitsa - new administrative, cultural, and industrial centers appeared which included many buildings for various purposes.

Handicraft industry was replaced by manufactories. It helped to improve the financial stability of the economy in Grodno. It allowed to invite well-known scientific figures from Western European countries. Most Gorodnitsa was destroyed during the World Wars.

What did this complex of buildings include?

There were about 85 buildings. New methods and techniques of design and construction were used during their construction. It was divided into three separate areas – administrative and cultural, academic, and industrial, which were located in the western, central and eastern parts of Gorodnitsa.

There are such streets as Vilenskaya, Ozheshko, Ostrovsky, Pushkin and Mickiewicz. Tyzengauz Square is a center of the composition.

Administrative and Cultural Area of Gorodnitsa

This area includes 6 buildings, preserved present days. Here you will find the Palace of Tyzengauz, deputy administrator’s house, warehouse, theater, house of the forest administration and lyamus. Thus, the two-storey deputy administrator’s house combines features of classicism and baroque. It was built of brick. Nowadays, the building is occupied by the Grodno State Archive.

The two-storey house of the forest administration is rectangular and features a mansard. The main element of the composition is a hipped roof. The central part of the facades is distinguished by risalits.

A botanical school and medical school are the most famous objects in the academic area. The industrial area included many factories, which are not preserved present days. Only one of 20 dwelling houses was preserved.

In conclusion, Gorodnitsa in Grodno attracts many tourists.