House of Words

The House of Words, formerly known as the Printing Chamber, is an artistic and educational institution in Lublin, established on October 3, 2014, in a tenement house at 1 Żmigród Street. The site, adjacent to the 17th-century former Pociejowski Palace, has a rich history as the home of the "Popularna" printing house, which operated from 1932 to 1951. Founded by Aleksander Michalski and Józef Rybiński, the printing house was a place where works by authors such as Józef Łobodowski and Franciszka Arnsztajn were published. During World War II, the printing house collaborated with the Polish Underground, which ended tragically in 1944 when most of its employees were arrested and murdered. After the war, the printing house was reactivated by Michalski's widow and operated until 1951, when its status was changed. The Lublin Printing Tradition Chamber was established in the 1970s but fell into disrepair due to financial difficulties. In 2007, it was handed over to the "Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre" Centre, which ultimately led to the creation of the Printing Chamber and later the House of Words. The institution aims to promote knowledge about the history of printing, collects antique machines, and organizes workshops in six studios, including a printing shop, typesetting room, bookbinding workshop, paper mill, and copperplate engraving studio. The House of Words also features a permanent exhibition of machines and the exhibition "The Power of Free Speech," and hosts various cultural events such as the Poetry Festival, the Small Stories Festival, and the International Festival "Meetings with Storytellers of the World." An integral part of the institution is its publishing program, which releases books related to Lublin's cultural heritage, as well as occasional printed materials. An interesting fact is the annual decoration of the tenement's courtyard, inspired by various fairy tales, adding an artistic and literary atmosphere to the local landscape. The House of Words has become an important cultural and artistic venue in Lublin, combining rich printing traditions with modern activities promoting literature.