Visited with my very good friend - Gosia (owner of cute 8 dogs). I had many sites planned to visit while on the short break in Poland. This morning we meant to go and check amazing train bunkers, located 30mins away from my city close, to villages - Konewka (Watering Pot Village) and Jelen (Deer Village) - had to translate their names - sounds quite funny in English 
Unfortunately night before our trip, we had first snow storm, around 12" of snow in the morning, around minus 6 so we had to give up... Gosia's car wouldn't make it.. maybe if we had a tractor, even one like this - seen this morning on the way to the factory :
And apparently all emancipated women in communist Poland could drive a tractor according to many socialism posters like this one:
Well this is a bit off topic... Anyway we decided to check out Scheibler's power station, which is a part of Scheibler cotton empire. We did our research few days before while exploring nearby Adam Osser's Cotton Mill, and after some hassle we finally got in. And it was a big wow. I've seen few power plants before - Belgian IM and ECVB, but this one is absolutely amazing, such a beauty...
And after 10 mins inside we got busted... All of the sudden we heard the voice outside, shouting "who is there? I'm calling police now!".We didn't really want to have police involved, and there was nowhere to hide anyway, so I decided to go out and check... And I saw this really tall, old guy, who looked rather happy when he realised that I'm not one of metal thieves, he probably expected to find. He turned out to be a really nice guy, let's call him Mr A, who worked in the factory for over 30 years, really loved and really cared about the place. We had a long chat with him, he gave us his phone number asking to call him if we get in troubles again. When I asked him how did he find us he only smiled politely pointing at our foot print in the deep snow Well we were proper snowsplorers this morning:
So we could carry on our eventful trip... After checking out the main hall, I decided to take some 3 page photos there, Gosia wasn't really happy about that, saying that Mr A can be back any minute, that its well too cold for that. Well we made it in the end, and we couldn't stop laughing while taking them
History of Scheibler's Power Station:
K. Scheibler's Power Station was built in 1910 by an engineer Alfred Frisch. It is the best in Lodz example of industrial construction from the beginning of the 20th century. Modern, reinforced concrete allowed for giving the object a curious shape and, using big windows, to make the interiors bright - the decor inside is in Secession (Art Nouveau) style. The main Hall is filled with immense turbines produced by a well known German company AEG. Power station was supplying electricity until late 90' (factory and local housing area), and shortly after that was deccomissioned.
Karol Scheibler empire:
In 1855, Scheibler founded a spinning mill with 34 frames and a steam engine of 40 horsepower. In 1857, Scheibler employed 180 labourers and earned a turnover of 305.100 Ruble in 1860. Scheibler made large profits after cotton prices in Europe increased because of the American Civil War and sold his stock at triple the price, he became known as the "King of the Cotton and Linen Empires of ŁÃ³dź". In 1870 1,911 employees worked in his factory, which was the third largest (9.3 percent) cotton producer of Poland.
Scheibler's factory continued to prosper and he bought several smaller mills in the districts of Źarki and Księży Młyn. After a fire destroyed the factory at Księży Młyn in 1874, Scheibler rebuilt it with 88.000 spindles and built his own "Kingdom" of Księży Młyn with houses for 321 families, a fire station, schools, shops and a hospital Scheibler was known for his social engagement and supported the foundation of a municipal credit association, the Commercial Bank of ŁÃ³dź (Bank Handlowy) in 1872 as well as the construction of a Lutheran and a Catholic Church.
In 1880, he transformed his enterprise into a stock corporation with a share capital of 9 million Ruble.
Here is old pic:
And Finally my beautiful industrial princess... I love my city
Turbines Hall:
Original AEG turbine:
Hungarian turbine:
Amazing stained-glass windows:
Ceiling:
Stairs:
Staircase and attic:
Basement:
Outside view:
Snowsplorers:
I do really hope that this is not boring... We also checked out Boiler Room, old chimney and water tower and rest of factory - part II in progress...
Unfortunately night before our trip, we had first snow storm, around 12" of snow in the morning, around minus 6 so we had to give up... Gosia's car wouldn't make it.. maybe if we had a tractor, even one like this - seen this morning on the way to the factory :
And apparently all emancipated women in communist Poland could drive a tractor according to many socialism posters like this one:
Well this is a bit off topic... Anyway we decided to check out Scheibler's power station, which is a part of Scheibler cotton empire. We did our research few days before while exploring nearby Adam Osser's Cotton Mill, and after some hassle we finally got in. And it was a big wow
. I've seen few power plants before - Belgian IM and ECVB, but this one is absolutely amazing, such a beauty... And after 10 mins inside we got busted... All of the sudden we heard the voice outside, shouting "who is there? I'm calling police now!".We didn't really want to have police involved, and there was nowhere to hide anyway, so I decided to go out and check... And I saw this really tall, old guy, who looked rather happy when he realised that I'm not one of metal thieves, he probably expected to find. He turned out to be a really nice guy, let's call him Mr A, who worked in the factory for over 30 years, really loved and really cared about the place. We had a long chat with him, he gave us his phone number asking to call him if we get in troubles again. When I asked him how did he find us he only smiled politely pointing at our foot print in the deep snow
Well we were proper snowsplorers this morning:
So we could carry on our eventful trip... After checking out the main hall, I decided to take some 3 page photos there, Gosia wasn't really happy about that, saying that Mr A can be back any minute, that its well too cold for that. Well we made it in the end, and we couldn't stop laughing while taking them
History of Scheibler's Power Station:
K. Scheibler's Power Station was built in 1910 by an engineer Alfred Frisch. It is the best in Lodz example of industrial construction from the beginning of the 20th century. Modern, reinforced concrete allowed for giving the object a curious shape and, using big windows, to make the interiors bright - the decor inside is in Secession (Art Nouveau) style. The main Hall is filled with immense turbines produced by a well known German company AEG. Power station was supplying electricity until late 90' (factory and local housing area), and shortly after that was deccomissioned.
Karol Scheibler empire:
In 1855, Scheibler founded a spinning mill with 34 frames and a steam engine of 40 horsepower. In 1857, Scheibler employed 180 labourers and earned a turnover of 305.100 Ruble in 1860. Scheibler made large profits after cotton prices in Europe increased because of the American Civil War and sold his stock at triple the price, he became known as the "King of the Cotton and Linen Empires of ŁÃ³dź". In 1870 1,911 employees worked in his factory, which was the third largest (9.3 percent) cotton producer of Poland.
Scheibler's factory continued to prosper and he bought several smaller mills in the districts of Źarki and Księży Młyn. After a fire destroyed the factory at Księży Młyn in 1874, Scheibler rebuilt it with 88.000 spindles and built his own "Kingdom" of Księży Młyn with houses for 321 families, a fire station, schools, shops and a hospital Scheibler was known for his social engagement and supported the foundation of a municipal credit association, the Commercial Bank of ŁÃ³dź (Bank Handlowy) in 1872 as well as the construction of a Lutheran and a Catholic Church.
In 1880, he transformed his enterprise into a stock corporation with a share capital of 9 million Ruble.
Here is old pic:
And Finally my beautiful industrial princess... I love my city
Turbines Hall:
Original AEG turbine:
Hungarian turbine:
Amazing stained-glass windows:
Ceiling:
Stairs:
Staircase and attic:
Basement:
Outside view:
Snowsplorers:
I do really hope that this is not boring... We also checked out Boiler Room, old chimney and water tower and rest of factory - part II in progress...
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