The main street of Zabrze, Wolności St, is probably the longest street in Europe - it is about 9,5 km long and goes throughout the whole city. In the past the street was a part of the Crown Prince Route (a road from Königshutte - nowadays Chorzów - to Gleiwitz - nowadays Gliwice, built in the 19th century to link important industrial centers in Upper Silesia) and even was called this (in German "Kronprinzenstrasse") until 1945.
Wolnosci Street is also the most representative street in the city centre. There it is closed to vehicular traffic and open only for streetcars. In this part of the street you can see many interesting buildings, which are excellent examples of the pre-war architecture.
One of them is the former hotel "Admiralspalast" ("The Admiral's Palace"), built in 1924-1928 in modernistic style with elements of Art Deco according to a design of Richard Bielenberg and Josef Moser. With its form the building refers to the American architecture and even was called "the Zabrze skyscraper" before the WW II.
During the first years after opening, it was one of the most exclusive hotel in Upper Silesia. On the ground floor there was a beer cellar, on the first floor an restaurant, a café and a ballroom for 500 people. The roof garden was also very exclusive - there was a dance circle for 300 people and an excellent view point.
Unfortunately, after 1945 the hotel never regained its former splendor. It changed its name several times - at first to "Prezydent" ("President"), later to "Przodownik" ("Work Leader"), and then to "Monopol". Since the late 1990s the building was abandoned (only a bank began to exist on the ground floor), so it became neglected and began to decay. At last, in 2013 the elevation was renovated, window frames and dome sheeting were replaced under the watchful eye of the city conservation officer. So there's hope that in the near future it will be a showcase of Zabrze again.
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