"Old Sorrento" Villa

The villa was built on a plot of land set aside by August Horn in 1873. It is one of the two oldest wooden houses approved by the building commission in Szczecin. Nearby, on Wojska Polskiego Avenue, stands a second similar residential house belonging to the co-founder of the company with Johannes Quistorp. Both of these houses were built as part of the development of a new neighborhood, now known as Łękno. The building at 2 Mickiewicza Street somewhat resembles a summer cottage. It is constructed in a symmetrical, cross-shaped layout and has two stories. Its green-painted facade, featuring corner moldings and board cornices, draws the eye, as do the projections on the long walls. There are verandas on the ground floor. In 1900, Carl Schels became the owner of the property; he built restrooms in the basement and quickly sold the estate to Dr. Rabbow, who in turn had acquired it at auction. At that time, this neighborhood was very fashionable, and it was common to purchase property here with the intention of reselling it at a higher price. The second buyer did the same, which allowedJ. Bundfüss, director of the company CW Kemp Nachf Aktion Geselschaf, tosettle there for an extended period. As an owner with serious plans for the property, he commissioned the renovation of the outbuilding as well as the construction of a garage. This task was entrusted to the carpenter E. Krause. In 1935, the owner additionally hired the companies Betonbaugeschäft Max Bremmehl and Stetiner Cement und Steinwaren Fabrik, which undertook the construction of a concrete fence and stairs leading to the entrance. After the war, the building housed public housing as well as the “Sorrento” café, which was well-known and beloved by the residents of Szczecin. For a time, the administration of the “Społem” chain was also headquartered here. In 1987, the property became the property of the University of Szczecin, which designated it as the Center for Southern Studies. Currently, the plot and the building are owned by the Spanish company Ingeno Consult BPK Sp. z o.o. The building’s architecture and numerous interior details have been preserved to this day. In the 1990s, only the window frames were replaced.