The attractiveness of historic buildings in the Łowicz county according to their state of preservation

Abstract

The aim of the article was to present the current state of preservation and attractiveness in terms of the condition of the historic manor houses and wooden houses in the Łowicz County. The author wanted to draw attention to a serious problem related to the preservation of cultural heritage. In this area, there are currently 146 cottages and 14 manor houses listed as historic monuments. Although these buildings are listed as monuments, there are situations where they are not properly preserved or have long ceased to exist. This development of the matter has been aided by human passivity (in the past, insufficient attention was paid to monuments) and the lack of funds for renovations. Therefore, it is now necessary to pay greater attention and be aware of the existence of not only well-known, renovated, and attractive monuments, but also those in need of rescue (their fate partly lies in our hands). It is worth mentioning that private owners find it more difficult to obtain grants and funds for renovations (which should not be the case, as this heritage has shaped the history of this area). Manor houses and cottages are significant elements that showcase the history of the Łowicz County, and so they should be nurtured to remain for future generations. Therefore, we make it a point in the article to present the number of objects that have a chance to remain in space/landscape for a long time (buildings in good and fair condition) and to approximate the part that will become ruins or collapse completely in the near future if no action is taken (buildings in poor condition and ruins). Attractiveness in terms of condition was examined using the direct comparison method, while the condition was analysed based on the author’s inventory cards made in the field and compared with those obtained from the Voivodeship Office for the Protection of Monuments. The obtained results allowed the determination of the actual condition of manor houses and wooden houses in the Łowicz County as well as updated information for this area in the registry of monuments. The highest number of manor houses, i.e. as many as seven, were assessed as being in poor condition, while only three objects were classified as being in good condition. By creating a matrix of direct comparisons for manor houses and parks, it was possible to create a ranking of the most attractive manor houses and green areas in terms of their condition in the Łowicz County. Objects in better condition were ranked higher. The most attractive buildings were the manor houses in Borów, Stanisławów, and Osiek, while the parks in Boczki, Chąśno, Borów, and Sobota were highly rated. It is worth noting that among the examined manor houses, buildings themselves were usually much more attractive than the surrounding parks (although this relationship was not noticeable in the case of the manor house located in Boczki). It is also worth mentioning that out of 76 plots, old wooden houses have already been demolished, but cottages can still be found on 70 plots. Additionally, among the wooden houses, those in poor condition predominated (32) and were not utilised by anyone anymore. Only a small minority, i.e. 13 buildings, were in good condition and, furthermore, some of them have already changed their original form, e.g. they have been plastered.