Map of the 19th-century Factory Town

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The 19th century Factory Town is situated in the very centre of today’s Żyrardów. The preserved historic centre is undoubtedly unique in European city landscapes and an example of the model industrial town.

Approximately 95% of the original historic architectural substance was preserved that is still used with accordance to its purpose-built designations. The streets were planned regularly including green patches with the zoning idea in mind to separate workers’ tenements and the exclusive residential district for managers from the industrial buildings. These are the most characteristic elements of the 19th-century ideal industrial town.

In 1975 and the following years 1980s and 1990s more than 200 buildings were included in the historic sites register. Żyrardów as the purpose planned architectural factory town was registered in 1979.

In 1990 a revitalization project of the historic centre of Żyrardów was established with the area of over 70 ha. It gives the idea of some unquestionable values and scale of the historic factory town.

Walking Tour of the 19th-century Factory Town

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1. Market Place

The former market was situated in the heart of the Factory Town, just opposite the mills’ gate. It was paved with cobbles. It was also a site of a number of manifestations and workers’ mass meetings; among others the spoon weavers’ strike in 1883, the first general strike in the territory of the Polish Kingdom. Among others there followed some important manifestations on 1 May 1891 and 26 December 1905.
In 1924 the market changed its location and the remaining square was called Plac Władysława Sołtana, to honour the chief of Warsaw Voivodship. After the Second World War it was changed to Plac Wolności, and in 1998 renamed to Plac Jana Pawła II (John Paul II Square).

2. Residential House

The house was built in the 1890s. Its ground floor was designated for grocery shops and the upper floors for housing needs. Today it comprises the post office “Poczta Polska” and some apartments.

 

 

3. Kindergarten

The kindergarten for workers’ children built in 1875 was extended in 1885 and surrounded by the greenery. Children who attended the kindergarten were over two years old. In twenty classes there were 1200 children. In 1889 the kindergarten was visited by Persian Shah, Masr Eddin. Nowadays it is the Municipal Kindergarten No 9.

4. Women’s House

It was a dwelling-house for 35 kindergarten teachers. It was built in the 1880s in the close distance from the Kindergarten.

 

 

5. The Town Hall

The edifice of the Town Hall was purpose-built in 1910. Its ground floor served as the Factory Shop with the textile products and the post office. The first floor was the Town Hall itself. The second floor was adopted for service-flats. Nowadays the whole building serves official purposes.

6. Women’s School Building

It was built in the 1860s to house the first women’s school in Żyrardów. Later it housed the State Archive. Nowadays it houses among others the Town Promotion and Cultural Department and some non-governmental organizations.