Government conservators of historical properties

An overview of the conservator’s office

In Poland, the office of the konserwator zabytków (“conservator of historical properties” or “conservator of monuments”) is responsible for ensuring the preservation of the nation’s most cherished historical properties – including not only buildings but also paintings, sculptures, and other physical objects of great historical, aesthetic, and cultural significance.

Detail from the panorama of Kraków in “Civitates Orbis Terrarum” (1617)

Within the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, there is a national office of the Generalny Konserwator Zabytków (Conservator General of Historical Properties) that manages the historical preservation system as a whole and carries out certain specialized functions. However, for most owners of historical buildings, the primary point of contact for matters relating to preservation and restoration will be the regional conservator of the voivodeship (state) in which the property is located or, in some cases, a local county or municipal conservator to whom the voivodeship’s conservator has formally delegated certain functions.

The voivodeship conservators form the backbone of the historical preservation system in Poland. From them, the owner of a historical property can obtain free analyses and recommendations regarding the preservation and potential restoration of a property and request permissions necessary for carrying out construction or renovation work. The voivodeship conservators also play a key role in ensuring that historical properties are taken sufficiently into account when regional and local governments are adopting or revising their zoning and development plans. Below are links to the offices of voivodeship, county, and municipal conservators across Poland.

List of conservators by voivodeship

Dolnośląskie Voivodeship

Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship

Lubelskie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator

Lubuskie Voivodeship

Łódzkie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator
    • Łódź (municipality; office of the city architect)

Małopolskie Voivodeship

Mazowieckie Voivodeship

Opolskie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator
    • Opole (municipality)

Podkarpackie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator

Podlaskie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator

Pomorskie Voivodeship

Śląskie Voivodeship

Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator

Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator
    • Elbląg (municipality)
    • Olsztyn (municipality)

Wielkopolskie Voivodeship

Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship

  • Offices of the voivodeship conservator
  • Counties or municipalities with a local conservator