Kamienica (architecture)

Kamienica (tenement) is a Polish term describing a type of residential building made of brick and/or stone, with at least 2 floors. The word is usually used to describe a building which is incorporated with other, similar buildings. The ground floor is often taken up by shops and businesses, while residential flats occupy the higher floors. Kamienice ("plural") have windows in the front, but not in the gables, since they neighbor closely on others. This type of building is most prevalent in city centres, especially in historical rebuilding of previously destroyed parts of old town districts. The name comes from the Polish word "kamień" ("stone") and dates from the 15th century.

References

* Zbigniew Zuziak, International Cultural Center (Kraków, Poland), Maria Bogdani-Czepita, [http://books.google.ca/books?id=IpuGAAAAIAAJ&q=building+called+kamienica&dq=building+called+kamienica Managing Historic Cities] 1993, page 194.
* Tomasz Torbus, 2001, [http://books.google.ca/books?id=zq1NW-9-3dsC&pg=PA164&dq=building+called+kamienica&sig=ACfU3U0ev4KtUsNWFS0mFtkmEVzTRcM0Jw Poland] 254 pages.

ee also

* Culture of Poland