A Silesian Masterpiece Returns After 80 Years
For eight decades, a single surviving portico on Wita Stwosza Street has been the only visible reminder that one of Silesia's finest Neoclassical palaces once stood in central Wrocław. That is about to change. Developer Rafin Developer has announced plans to reconstruct the Hatzfeld Palace in full, with the finished building set to operate as a luxury hotel.
From Breslau Residence to Wartime Ruin
The palace has a layered history that stretches back to the early eighteenth century. The first structure for the Hatzfeld family was completed between 1715 and 1719, designed by Christoph Hackner, but it did not survive the shelling of the city during the Seven Years' War in 1760. A replacement was commissioned shortly after, and the architect Carl Gotthard Langhans, who would later design the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, produced a Neoclassical residence drawing on Italian architectural traditions. Built between 1765 and 1773, the palace eventually filled an entire city block between Wita Stwosza and Krowia Streets.
In 1802 the city of Breslau took ownership and used the building as its administrative headquarters. The structure remained largely intact for nearly two centuries until the siege of Festung Breslau in 1945, when fighting reduced much of the city to rubble. Estimates cited by whitemad.pl, which first reported the reconstruction plans, put overall wartime damage to Wrocław at around 70 percent, rising to 90 percent in the Old Town. The palace suffered severely, and rather than being rebuilt, its ruins were steadily cleared through the 1960s. Only the portico, the vestibule, and fragments of the outer walls survived.
How the Ruins Were Preserved
In the 1960s, architect Edmund Małachowicz stabilised what remained and incorporated the surviving elements into a contemporary art gallery, the BWA Awangarda. The building served that purpose for roughly half a century until 2019, when the gallery relocated to the main railway station building because of the deteriorating condition of the Wita Stwosza site. The historic portico was then secured against further decay.
In 2021, Rafin Developer, a Wrocław-based company with more than 20 years of experience in the Lower Silesian property market, purchased the site with the explicit aim of reconstruction.
What the Rebuilt Palace Will Look Like
Architectural practice Greg Architekci has produced a design based on extensive archival research. The surviving historic elements will be integrated into the new structure rather than replaced. Interior renderings show light-coloured marble, gilded detailing, high ceilings, and decorative finishes intended to reflect the palace's appearance during its original period of use.
Once complete, the building will house a luxury hotel under the Autograph Collection by Marriott brand, with approximately 150 rooms, a spa, and conference facilities. The developer is currently working through approvals with the Provincial Conservator of Monuments. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2026 or early 2027, with a build time of around three years.
Why it Matters for Hosts
The arrival of a 150-room luxury hotel in a reconstructed heritage building will shift the competitive landscape for independent accommodation providers in central Wrocław. Rather than competing on prestige alone, smaller operators have an opportunity to lean into what a large branded hotel cannot easily offer: personalised local knowledge, flexible check-in, and curated neighbourhood experiences. The reconstruction will also raise the profile of the Wita Stwosza area, potentially increasing visitor footfall and making the surrounding streets a more attractive base for guests who want to stay close to a high-profile cultural landmark. Independent hosts who position themselves as guides to the city's layered history, including stories like the Hatzfeld Palace's own, will be well placed to attract the kind of curious, culturally motivated traveler this project is likely to draw.
Details of the Hatzfeld Palace reconstruction were first reported by whitemad.pl, written by Mateusz Markowski and published on 24 July 2026. This post is published by the Qontaktly travel blog.
First reported by Wroclaw Travel.