The “Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre” Centre in Lublin is a local government cultural institution. It works towards the preservation of cultural heritage and education. Its function is tied to the symbolic and historical meaning of the Centre’s location in the Grodzka Gate, which used to divide Lublin into its respective Christian and Jewish quarters, as well as to Lublin as a meeting place of cultures, traditions and religions.

Part of the Centre are the House of Words and the Lublin Underground Trail.

The “Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre” Centre in Lublin is a local government cultural institution. It works towards the preservation of cultural heritage and education. Its function is tied to the symbolic and historical meaning of the Centre’s location in the Grodzka Gate, which used to divide Lublin into its respective Christian and Jewish quarters, as well as to Lublin as a meeting place of cultures, traditions and religions.

Part of the Centre are the House of Words and the Lublin Underground Trail.

The well at the Lublin bus station

The well at the Lublin bus station

Suction lift  pumps with wooden pipes were being installed in wells in Lublin already since 1826, and in 1841 engineer of the province, Feliks Bieczyński began to endeavour to replace them with lift-and-force pumps with iron pipes. Count Andrzej Zamoyski’s Machines Factory in Warsaw, that by 1863 had installed three of such devices in municipal wells, accepted the commission. Pumps were meant to be equipped with flywheels and cranks.

After operation tests, the project was accepted for implementation: In the catholic city, where each of 8 wells is about 160 ft deep, suction lift pumps with flywheel and pump casing will be installed, whereas in the Jewish city, where all 4 wells are shallow - lift-and-force pumps are to be fitted.

Zamoyski’s factory also offered a standard design of the pump housing. In the city files from 1809-1874 period such design is kept, submitted by the factory in 1864, when the company was assembling the well on the market square, near the Świętoduska St. and Nowa St. (part of today’s Lubartowska St.) junction.

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Architecture of the former Jewish quarter in Lublin

Architecture of the former Jewish quarter in Lublin

Hardly any remnants of the Jewish quarter, once situated around the castle, have been preserved. Beginnings of Jewish settlement in Lublin date back to the 15th century. The first buildings were constructed in the closest vicinity of the castle hill. Those were low wooden buildings. Gradual sprawling of the Podzamcze district, frequent fires and damage caused by wars and raids prompted intense construction activity in that area.

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Maharshal synagogue in Lublin (defunct)

Maharshal synagogue in Lublin (defunct)

The Maharshal synagogue, also called The Great Synagogue, was pride and glory of the Jews of Lublin. Its construction had begun in 1567. Located at the foot of the castle hill, it was the biggest Jewish building in Lublin. Nowadays, Tysiąclecia Avenue runs along the site.

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Zamkowy Square in Lublin

History of Zamkowy Square (Castle Square) is related to the Jewish settlement in Lublin. Until 1942, Szeroka Street ran across the site of today’s square. It was the main street of the Jewish Quarter that was nearly completely destroyed by Germans during the World War II. After the war, the authorities decided that a ceremonial square would be created at the site, together with monumental stairs leading to the Lublin Castle.

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