Izrael Poznański Palace

Izrael Poznański's Palace is a 19th-century palace in Łódź, Poland. Initially a tenement building, transformed into a neorenaissance and neobaroque style in years 1888-1903.

History
The history of the Izrael Poznański Palace goes back to the 1860s. It was during this time that Kalman Poznański, a Jewish trader from Kowal in the Kujawy region, arrived and began to live in Łódź. Kalman started a cotton business. It was not a huge success. But when the business was taken over by his son Izrael Kalmanowicz (1834-1900), there was a phenomenal rise in the price of cotton. Izrael made a fortune from cotton. He spent a large part of his earnings on the palace, which eventually took on his name.

When Izrael Kalmanowicz acquired the site of the palace there was a modest two-story building standing already. He renovated and expanded the building into a large residence. The architect of the palace has been a tough task to determine. The palace was marked for its lavishness and grand size, an anomaly from the neighboring simple residences.