Quistorpa Villa (Emergency Medical Services)

The building at 92 Wojska Polskiego Avenue was one of the first structures of its kind erected in the former Westend district. It’s hard to imagine today, but what is now Szczecin’s longest and most prestigious street was not always part of the city limits. What is now Szarych Szeregów Square was considered a suburb of Szczecin until the 1870s. It was not until Martin Quistorp founded the Pomeranian Building Company that he began to develop a new residential area administratively affiliated with Szczecin. Toward the end of the 19th century, many historic villas were built here. Quistorp’s villa was constructed between 1871 and 1872 and was designed as a family home for a wealthy and highly respected entrepreneur. Stables and a carriage house were built next to the villa. In addition, the building housed restrooms and staff quarters. The villa itself is built in the Italian Neo-Renaissance style, which later served as inspiration for subsequent villas. Similar villas, aside from those on Wojska Polskiego Avenue, can be found in Tuscany, Italy. They are characterized primarily by the asymmetry of the building.  In the case of the Quistorp Villa, the most striking feature is the three-story tower. It features tondos depicting an infant with a stork and a woman caring for children. On the building, we can also see reliefs of women holding palm branches and baskets of flowers. The tympanum above the entrance to the basement, featuring putti with garlands, also catches the eye. All these symbols refer to the peace and family happiness enjoyed by the Quistorp family, who were regarded as kind and generous wealthy people. The building’s interiors no longer retain their original form, as the Emergency Medical Services, which have been housed here since 1950, have adapted them to their own needs.