The Hunting Lodge

The Renaissance building was erected in the second half of the 12th century, when the town (Dąbie was not part of Szczecin at that time) became part of the estate of the Cistercian monks from Kołbacz. The manor house was a favorite retreat of Prince Barnim I, who would set out from there on hunting expeditions to the Goleniów Forest or the Bukowa Forest.

In the 16th century, the building was destroyed in a city fire, but in the early 17th century, another hunting lodge was erected on the original foundations at the behest of Prince Jan Fryderyk. The walls of the building were constructed using the half-timbered technique. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the structure underwent numerous renovations. The interior layout was altered, a second entrance was added on the left side, and a new chimney flue was installed. In this form, the building served as a residence for the widows of Protestant pastors.

In 1934, a decision was made to undertake another renovation, this time aimed at restoring the building’s original appearance. During the renovation, the windows were standardized, the second entrance was bricked up, and the hallway and staircase were removed. Rooms were created in the building for confirmands and residents of the mother-and-child care home. In 1940, an entrance was cut into the western facade, leading to a shelter built in the southern part of the basement. The building did not sustain significant damage during the war.

After 1945, apartments were created in the manor house; the resulting occupancy contributed to significant deterioration of the building. In 1955, an attempt was made to modernize the building. In August 1971, the last tenants left the manor house, and a year later, restoration work began, lasting until 1975. Since 1975, the hunting manor house on Dziennikarska Street has housed a branch of the public library.

The building was added to the provincial list of historic monuments in April 1955.