Modernist Architecture of East Carpathian Spa Towns – a discussion about the book by Dr. Weronika Grzesiak

How did the moods of staying “by the waters,” the specific culture of the Eastern Carpathians and characteristic spatial solutions shape spa architecture? On modernism in a specific manifestation—conditioned by strong regional and cultural traditions and a unique landscape—on Thursday, March 19 at 18:00 at MCK Joanna Bryg‑Stanisławska will speak with Paulina Niemczyk, Dr. habil. Marek Zgórniak and Dr. Weronika Grzesiak, the author of the book “Modernist Architecture of East Carpathian Spa Towns (former Lwów and Stanisławów voivodeships).”

The publication, which was released in the scientific series “Studia i Materiały” of the POLONIKA Institute, addresses important questions concerning the protection of relatively young architecture. As the upper age limit of what we consider heritage shifts, we increasingly pay attention to buildings created in the 20th century. In her book, Dr. Weronika Grzesiak demonstrates that modernist spa architecture in the Eastern Carpathians is an important, though little‑known, part of Polish architectural culture.

Using examples of towns such as Truskawiec, Morszyn, Jaremcze and Worochta, the author analyzes the development of sanatorium and recreational infrastructure in the 1930s. Modern sanatoriums, boarding houses and spa pavilions reflected pan‑European modernist trends while arising in the exceptional context of a region with a rich history and a diverse cultural structure. The mountainous Carpathian landscape and the multinational mosaic of inhabitants created a particular backdrop for the “white spots” of modern architecture appearing in the resort areas.

These very buildings will be the topic of the meeting, during which we will discuss the factors that influenced the form and specificity of the East Carpathian spa towns. The discussion, which will also include Dr. habil. Marek Zgórniak and Paulina Niemczyk (National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad “Polonika”), will help uncover the historical context of the studied places and examine the social conditions of leisure in the interwar period. The meeting will be led by Joanna Bryg‑Stanisławska from the Kraków branch of the Association of Art Historians.

Participants and short bios:

• Dr. Weronika Grzesiak – a graduate of art history and Slavic philology, PhD in humanities; she lectures at the Institute of Art History at Jagiellonian University; affiliated with the Institute for Research on Art IRSA; board member of the IRSA Foundation for the Support of Culture; recipient of a Lanckoroński Foundation scholarship from Brzezie (2025); co‑curator of the permanent exhibition “Cross‑Sections. Gallery of Polish Architecture of the 20th and 21st Centuries” at the National Museum in Kraków (2021); has worked at the International Cultural Centre in Kraków and the Lviv Art Gallery.
• Paulina Niemczyk – an art historian, graduate of the University of Warsaw and the Institute for Research on Public Space at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw; a scholarship holder of the University of Copenhagen; a cultural manager with ten years’ experience in architecture‑related projects; currently associated with the National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad “Polonika”.
• Dr. habil. Marek Zgórniak – an art historian, emeritus professor at Jagiellonian University; he has studied 19th‑century architecture, sculpture and painting, including the work of Jan Matejko; he supervised Dr. Weronika Grzesiak’s doctoral dissertation; author of numerous publications.
• Joanna Bryg‑Stanisławska – an art historian, graduate of the Jagiellonian University; she specializes in 20th‑century Polish architecture, with particular emphasis on postwar modernism and socialist realism; her research focuses on transformations in Kraków’s architecture after World War II; member of the Association of Art Historians, Kraków Branch.