History of Pakoszow Palace

From the members of the merchant society developed an aristocracy of merchants, not inferior to the ancestral aristocracy and equally prosperous. These so-called “lords of voile” could afford to erect costly merchant houses, which served as warehouses and transhipment centers and had mostly on floors large halls for representational purposes.

The title most important representative of the merchant aristocracy was Christian Menzel (1667-1748), who belonged to the most prosperous inhabitants of the city, and also owned the most beautiful house in the center of Jelenia Góra. It was Menzel who contributed most to the construction and financing of the Evangelical Church of Grace, one of the most beautiful Churches in Silesia. In addition, he also funded organs that can still be listened to today and which can be admired in full glory.

Subsequent owners were Georg Friedrich Smith (1703—1757) and from 1771 Heinrich Hess (1745—1802), merchant and director of the sugar factory in Jelenia Góra. It was at this time that the name Biellowery Hessa became established.

The building has been used for residential purposes and as a flax bleaching house. Materials were on the ground floor soaked in vats, rinsed and laid out on meadows to dry. The water needed for this purpose was drawn from the Kamienna River flowing past. The so-called water privileges necessary for this purpose were granted by certificate by King Frederick II in 1777. The whitewash for economic reasons was converted in 1856.

After Heinrich Hess's death, the palace passed into the possession of his cousin, Johann's adopted son Daniel Hess (1764—1854). Later landlord dealing with the martial judiciary Daniel Hermann Hess (1815—1884), working as a lawyer in Jelenia Góra used the Palace as a summer residence. The last occupants were Margarethe Drewes, from the house. Hess (1872—1939) with her husband pastor Hans Drewes and seven children. The Pakoszowska whitewash remained in their rule until 1945.

As the aftermath of the war, almost all of Silesia passed into Poland. The owners of Pakoszow were expropriated by Polish authorities. Subsequently, the palace was used for various purposes- among others as a children's home. It later remained empty. Since 1 September 1959, the palace has been listed on the list of monuments at 630/619.

The grandson of the last owner Hagen Hartmann (born 1941 in Wrocław), acquired in 2005 the property, which was owned by a private Polish owner. With the help of architect Christopher Jan Schmidt between 2008 and 2012, he adapted it for hotel functions, restored and expanded it.

A recreation of the Baroque Hall with its illusionistic and allegoristic paintings was taken by the Dresden painter Christoph Wetzel, who also renovated the Baroque dome of the Dresden Frauenkirche. The original painting, which has not been preserved until the present day, was painted by Baroque painter Johann Franz Hoffmann.

The walls of the rooms were decorated with portraits of the mayors and patricians of Jelenia Góra. The most valuable room is a living room with a preserved sandstone fireplace and 18th-century Delft tiles. Next to the palace has been reconstructed the eastern part where the Wellness area is housed with a small pool. The palace is surrounded by about 18.5 hectares of large green space, three ponds are laid on the north side, used earlier as fish ponds. The whole was launched on 1 April

2012.Today the site is used as a palatial *****hotel, restaurant and for cultural purposes. The grounds as well as the historical rooms of the palace are made available to visitors from outside. As the next step of Pakoshov's cultural development, an exhibition about the production, manufacture and operation of high-quality linen products from the turn of the seventeenth century is planned.