{{Short description|Townhouse in Gdańsk, Poland}} {{Infobox building | name = Lion Castle | image = 414 kamienica Lwi Zamek ul. Długa 35 front 1 Rafał Peplinski.JPG | image_caption = The Lion Castle in 2013 | coordinates = {{coord|54.3488|18.6516|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | architectural_style = Renaissance | address = 35 Long Street <br /> Gdańsk, Poland | completion_date = 1569 | owner = Gdańsk Miasto Literatury | floor_count = 4 | architect = {{ill|Hans Kramer|pl}} | footnotes = {{designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Historic Monument of Poland | designation1_date = 1994-09-08 | designation1_partof = Gdańsk – city within the 17th-century fortifications | designation1_number = M.P. 1994 nr 50 poz. 415<ref>{{Cite Polish law|title=Zarządzenie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 8 września 1994 r. w sprawie uznania za pomnik historii.|gazette=Monitor|year=1994|volume=50|number=415}}</ref> }}}} The '''Lion Castle''' ({{langx|pl|Lwi Zamek}}; {{langx|de|Löwenschloss}}) is a 16th-century Renaissance townhouse in Gdańsk, Poland, at 35 Long Street within the Śródmieście district. It is on the regional heritage list.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zestawienia zabytków nieruchomych - woj. pomorskie |url=https://nid.pl/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/POM-rej_31.01.2025.pdf |website=nid.pl |publisher=National Institute of Cultural Heritage |access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref>
== Architecture == The Lion's Castle is built in a Renaissance style. It has four floors and a small attic. Its façade is bound pilasters in alternating appearances, appearing in both Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders. The main portal at the building's entrance is located along the centreline of the façade. The cornice is decorated with two lions, from which the townhouse's name is derived.<ref name = :2>{{cite web |last=Barlewska-Szymańska |first=Ewa |title=LWI ZAMEK |url=https://gdansk.gedanopedia.pl/gdansk/?title=LWI_ZAMEK |website=gedanopedia.pl |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref> The building's architecture also has strong influences from contemporary Dutch architecture.<ref name = :0>{{cite web |last=Czaykowska |first=Kasia |date=22 December 2009 |title=Lwi Zamek |url=https://ibedeker.pl/obiekty/lwi-zamek |website=ibedeker.pl |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
== History == In 1411, Bartholomäus Gross, a city councillor and the owner of a house located on the modern site of the Lion's Castle, was murdered by the Teutonic Order, and the house shifted owners afterwards, eventually being completely rebuilt in 1569 under the oversight of {{ill|Hans Kramer|pl}}.<ref name = :0 /> Starting in 1615, the lay judge Heinrich Schwarzwald was its owner, passing it on to his descendants. Władysław IV Vasa stayed in the house during a visit to Danzig in 1636, and in the following cecnturies, the house more frequently changed owners.<ref name = :1>{{cite web |last=Babnis |first=Krystyna |date=27 October 2014 |title=Kamienica Lwi Zamek |url=https://zabytek.pl/pl/obiekty/gdansk-lwi-zamek-(dom-schwartzwaldow) |website=zabytek.pl |publisher=National Institute of Cultural Heritage |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
In the late 19th century, the two distinctive lions on the cornice were installed, among other renovations and expansions. In 1945, the Lion's Castle was almost entirely destroyed and was rebuilt from 1950 to 1953 using old drawings and plans.<ref name = :1 /> The interior was initially occupied by the offices of the draughters of Miastoprojekt, a city design office, and, starting in the 1960s, it was home to the Polish–Soviet Friendship Society.<ref name = :2 />
In 1996, the Russian Centre for Science and Culture started renting the Lion's Castle. The leasing agreement was extended in 2010, but following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the city of Gdańsk terminated the agreement due to the Centre's complicity in the inhumane actions against Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |last=Olejarczyk |first=Piotr |date=8 March 2022 |title=Rosyjski Dom Kultury ma zniknąć z Gdańska. "Do zobaczenia w Hadze" |url=https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/trojmiasto/gdansk-rosyjski-dom-kultury-ma-zniknac-z-miasta-urzednicy-wypowiadaja-umowe/44xffn4?utm_source=pl.wikipedia.org_viasg_wiadomosci&utm_medium=referal&utm_campaign=leo_automatic&srcc=undefined&utm_v=2 |website=wiadomosci.onet.pl |publisher=Onet |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
On 27 February, animal blood was poured onto the portal to the building in protest, followed by black paint on 2 March.<ref>{{cite web |last=Stąporek |first=Michał |date=2 March 2022 |title=Rosjanie i Białorusini z Trójmiasta nie odpowiadają za Putina |url=https://www.trojmiasto.pl/wiadomosci/Rosjanie-i-Bialorusini-z-Trojmiasta-nie-odpowiadaja-za-Putina-n164744.html |website=trojmiasto.pl |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref> On 18 March, the Russian Centre for Culture and Science moved out of the building.<ref>{{cite web |last=Oleksy |first=Ewelina |date=18 March 2022 |title=Dom Rosyjski wyprowadził się z kamienicy na ul. Długiej |url=https://www.trojmiasto.pl/wiadomosci/Dom-Rosyjski-wyprowadzil-sie-z-kamienicy-na-ul-Dlugiej-n165316.html |website=trojmiasto.pl |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref> The next occupant of the building was the cultural institution Gdańsk Miasto Literatury, which, with the help of Ukrainian artists and designers, opened its headquarters there on 4 November 2022.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 November 2022 |title=Gdańsk Miasto Literatury. Długa 35 - otwarcie nowej przestrzeni kulturalnej już w piątek |url=https://www.gdansk.pl/wiadomosci/Gdansk-Miasto-Literatury-Dluga-35-otwarcie-nowej-przestrzeni-kulturalnej,a,230865 |website=gdansk.pl |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
== References == <references />
Category:Buildings and structures in Gdańsk Category:Apartment buildings in Poland Category:1569 establishments in Poland Category:History of Gdańsk Category:Renaissance architecture in Poland Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures in Gdańsk Category:Restored and conserved buildings Category:Poland–Russia relations Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1569 Category:Residential buildings completed in the 16th century