34 Jacek Kuśmierski, Katarzyna Hodor
took into account the prevailing winter temperatures and
relative humidity [12]. Another typology was developed by
Jan Łebkowski in his 1937 work on greenhouses [13], in
which he distinguished a number of structures for the cul-
tivation of exotic plants, taking into account the structure’s
construction, the environmental conditions inside, and the
types of plants grown in them. Contemporary researchers
have so far distinguished between historical orangeries and
greenhouses by considering three criteria such as the time
of construction, the form and layout of the interiors and the
aforementioned plant types [14]–[16]. The state of their
preservation has only been studied for the Lublin Voivode-
ship [17], [18]. No publication to date has presented a com-
prehensive attempt to valorise the surviving structures in
Poland. This study aims to ll this gap concerning three key
issues, i.e. typology, conservation status and valorisation.
The aim of this paper is to present the results of the rst
cross-sectional study of historical orangeries and green-
houses in Poland. In the rst part of the paper, the identi-
ed orangeries and greenhouses are reviewed in terms of
location, types of spatial units and dimensions, and their
footprint. The analytical section then presents the results
of typological studies, conservation status and valorisa-
tion. The conclusions summarise the key ndings and fea-
ture the directions for further research.
Materials and methods
The subject investigated involved the use of indepth
historical analysis and a multiple-case study of each or-
angery and greenhouse site. Comparative analysis was
used to approximate the typological changes that took
place in orangery buildings in Poland with reference to the
state of the art in the rest of Europe. The cultural heritage
from the selected group of preserved sites was valorised
according to a set of predetermined indicators.
Data on existing historical orangeries and greenhouses
in Poland came from voivodeship monument registers, the
Map Portal of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage
[19] and the registration cards of architectural and civil
engineering, the so-called green and white cards stored in
the archives of voivodeship monument conservation oc-
es. These sources contain the most uptodate and reliable
information, allowing objective research and analysis.
Supplementary material was obtained from contemporary
cadastral maps, aerial photographs (orthophotos), the lite -
rature, online sources and eld research.
Due to the study’s subject and spatial scope, the re-
search was carried out in three phases, using several dif-
ferent methods. The rst stage involved identifying the
stock of existing historical orangeries and greenhouses in
Poland. After a review of the abovementioned materials,
165 sites were identied for which starting data was col-
lated and divided into three groups. The rst data group
includes the exact location (voivodeship, county, town),
the type of location and type of building. The second data
group includes the ownership, the current use, the spatial
unit in which they are located, the form and the material
of which they are constructed. The last group of data con-
cerned the date of construction, the architectural style, the
designer and builder, essential dimensions and the foot
print. The results were then analysed statistically and ty-
pologically by structural system, material, form, time of
construction and the architectural style of the buildings.
The second stage of the study “involved” an analysis
and interpretation of the data collected using the case
study method and architectural and conservation investi-
gation. On this basis, the state of preservation of histori-
cal orangeries and greenhouses in Poland was determined,
with particular emphasis on their structural systems, interi-
or form and equipment for growing and displaying plants,
or heating and water systems.
In the nal stage, valorisation of the orangeries and
greenhouses was done using an original rating method
with ratings given in three criteria. The rst is authentic-
ity (the degree of preservation of the original historical
substance) and integrity (completeness of surviving ele-
ments of the structure): original equipment, interior and
construction (3 points); original interior and construction
(2 points); original construction (1 point); none (0 points).
The second is the current use of the building: palm house,
orangery, greenhouse (3 points); church, hospital, hous-
ing, commercial, culture and education (2 points); out-
building (1 point); ruin (0 points). The nal criterion is
age, dened as the century in which the building was con-
structed: 18
th
century (3 points); 19
th
century (2 points);
20
th
century (1 point). On this basis, valorisation of the
surveyed structures was carried out on a fourlevel scale:
1. High (9–7 points) – a complete structure, restored,
with fully intact furnishings and xtures, used to winter
and exhibit plants.
2. Highmedium (6–4 points) – a structure subjected to
adaptive reuse, which retains most original structural ele-
ments, often adapted or stripped of its original equipment,
with its current use dierent than the original.
3. Lowmiddle (3–2 points) – a structure that is dilapi-
dated but that retains essential structural elements, in poor
technical condition, stripped of its original furnishings
or signicantly remodelled, with its current use dierent
than the original.
4. Low (1 point) – a structure that is de facto a ruin,
with only trace amount of surviving original structural el-
ements, stripped of its furnishings and abandoned.
Results and discussion
A total of 165 orangeries and greenhouses entered in
the register of monuments in 15 of Poland’s 16 voivode-
ships were identied. The highest number of structures
was found in the south-western and south-eastern areas
of the country. In terms of numbers, the Lower Silesian
Voivodeship came rst, with 35 structures, and the Sub-
carpathian Voivodeship came second, with 20. A dozen
or so sites each are located in the Masovian Voivodeship
– 19, the Greater Poland Voivodeship – 15, the Lublin
Voivodeship – 14, the Lubusz Voivodeship – 14 and the
Lesser Poland Voivodeship – 11. The voivodeships with
only a few structures each included the Warmian-Masurian
Voivodeship – 9, the Łódź Voivodeship – 7, the Kuyavian
Pome ra
nian Voivodeship – 6, the Opole Voivodeship – 4,
