PAST (Poland)
52.23611111111121.006388888889Koordinaten: 52 ° 14 '10 " N, 21 ° 0' 23" E
The PAST- building in Warsaw is a 11-storey office tower, was the start of construction in 1904. Upon completion in 1910 it was the tallest office building in Europe. During the Warsaw Uprising, the building was a symbol of the Polish liberation struggle here because of the hard-fought battles of the Polish Home Army with the German troops. Today, it houses various veterans organizations of the Polish Home Army, and lies at the Zielna Street in the downtown area ( Warszawa Śródmieście ). Besides the name " PAST " and it was named by the people as " Cedergren " or " pasta " skyscraper.
History
By the year 1900, the American Bell Telephone Company held the government concession to operate in Warsaw a telephone network. Effective November 1, 1901 this concession transferred to the Polish subsidiary Towarzystwo Akcyjne telefonów Cedergren the Swedish company Cedergren. As a result, the Polish Cedergren built two adjacent buildings at the Zielna Street; a telephone and a central administration building (now Nos. 37 and 39).
The skyscraper was built after the completion of the designated as "little pasta " building and after the demolition of an on this point three-story residential building in two stages 1904-1910. The lower part was built under the Swedish and Polish architect Lars Israel Wahlman, Isak Gustaf Clason and Bronisław Brochwicz - Rogoyski 1904-1905. The upper part was placed in the years 1907 to 1910. The building was constructed in reinforced concrete way then still rarely used. The height was 51.5 meters, so it was the tallest office building in Warsaw, of the former Russian Empire as Europe. Only with the completion of the Pudential - office building in 1934 it lost its status as Warsaw's tallest skyscraper. The building's design is inspired by the historicism and resembles a medieval castle tower. The interior has been designed in a contemporary Art Deco style.
After expiry of the concession in 1922 Cedergren the Polska Akcyjna Spolka Telefoniczna ( PAST ) took over with effect from July 1, 1922 and network building. The term of the concession was tendered to 25 years. Since that time the building with the addition of " PAST " or " pasta " (resulting from the Polish genitive form of the company abbreviation) was called.
World War II
During the German occupation, the building served as a regional telephone of the General Government. The Warsaw Uprising was a priority target of Polish attacks. After 20 days of bitter fighting led the Polish AK Battalion " Kiliński " could take over the building. In the course of hostilities ( from 2 to 20 August 1944) as well as retake by German units but it has been severely damaged.
After the war, the building was rebuilt. The company was not founded PAST again, their property and thus their property passed into the possession of the Polish state. In rebuilding some of the original facade elements were lost; so the ruined battlements of the tower were not reconstructed. The building was on July 1, 1965 declared a national monument ( Registration No. 757).
Destroyed building in World War II
Headquarters of the AK- veterans
On 9 November 2000 the skyscraper was passed because of the special importance in the Warsaw Uprising after many years of negotiations by the Polish government to a veterans organization of the Polish Home Army. On their behalf the building from the fundacja Polskiego Państwa Podziemnego is ( German: Foundation of the Polish Underground State ) managed. In a ceremony, the then Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek handed over the keys to the building to the Chairman of Światowy Związek Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej ( German: World Federation of the soldiers of the Home Army ), the resistance fighters and later Brigadier General Stanisław Karolkiewicz. Among those present were also the Voivode of Mazowsze province, Antoni Pietkiewicz, the Foreign Minister Władysław Bartoszewski and the Military Bishop Sławoj Leszek Głódź.
In August 2003, the Kotwica, the symbol of Polish resistance was installed on the roof. The gold-colored logo is 4 meters wide and 6 meters high, is made of aluminum and is lit at night. The top floor of the building also received a viewing platform.