Dunajec 3 Regions
Lesnica - Łącko - Szczawnica

In the very heart of Szczawnica, amid the greenery of the Upper Park, stands one of the most important symbols of the spa’s cultural life – the Dworek Gościnny. It is a place where history intertwines with modernity, and elegant architecture creates a space conducive to meetings, events, and the arts.

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Location and contemporary character

Located in Szczawnica, in the picturesque Upper Park and just a five-minute walk from Dietl Square, the Dworek Gościnny is a multidisciplinary venue hosting a wide variety of cultural and business events.

At the heart of the building is a 400 m² theater hall that can accommodate 362 people in the audience.

On the ground floor, the club-style Jazz Bar restaurant serves international cuisine enriched with elements of regional tradition.

The facility was built in 2011 on the historic site where the original “Dworzec Gościnny,” erected in 1884 by the Academy of Learning, stood until it was destroyed by fire in 1962.

The present building is distinguished by a significantly larger volume than its predecessor.

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Origins

“Szczawnica lacked a gathering point, a shared Guesthouse, what the Germans call a Kursalon,” wrote an anonymous correspondent from the spa in 1881. Józef Szalay had already envisioned such a building, and in 1875 he even began realizing his plans by laying the foundations. When the Academy of Learning inherited the spa, it commissioned Maciej Moraczewski to prepare the design and cost estimate. The construction of the splendidly designed “Dworzec” was carried out by Stanisław Eliasz Radzikowski, who was also the builder of the parish church in Szczawnica.

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19th-century splendor

The building presented itself as exceptionally impressive: a wooden structure adorned with numerous porches, galleries, and roof turrets. It was ceremoniously opened in 1884. Inside, it housed a grand ballroom for 500 people, encircled by a gallery for spectators and musicians.

There was also a performance hall with a stage, a restaurant hall, a confectionery, a piano room, two lounges for ladies and gentlemen, the photographic studio of Awit Szubert, a tobacconist’s shop, a hair salon, a reading room, two shops, a billiard room, and a card-playing room.

The veranda with arcades along the front housed tables where, as old tourist guides note, more than a hundred guests could enjoy coffee outdoors at once.

In the basement were kitchens and other utility rooms. The reading room offered more than thirty press titles.

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Cultural and artistic life

During the season, the Kraków and Lwów Theatres staged performances here three times a week. The greatest stars of the Polish stage appeared: Frenkiel, Aleksander Zelwerowicz, Ludwik Solski, Stefan Jaracz—who made his debut here in 1904—and later also Juliusz Osterwa, Kazimierz Opaliński, and others.

The venue also hosted numerous concerts, lectures, and social gatherings with dancing.

Charity balls combined with raffles were organized as well, with proceeds dedicated to noble causes.

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The end of the former "Dworek Gościnny"

Between 1959 and 1962, the collections of the Pieniny Museum found their first home in the “Dworek.” A fire outbreak caused a massive blaze, and the building burned down in 1962.