Long ago before towering apartment blocks stood a small village. This was Imielin. Its story stretches back to 1422. That’s when we first hear of this place. Now we stand in Stary Imielin a part of modern Warsaw. But its past is rich and layered.
Imielin wasn’t always part of Warsaw. For centuries it existed separately. It was a village near the road to Piaseczno. This is now Puławska Street. The name changed many times. It was Emilin Imielino Jamielin Jemielin and Jemielino. In 1445 Duke Bolesław IV granted it Kulm law rights. This gave it some legal independence. Imagine the villagers celebrating that day.
For a time the Słuszewiecki family owned Imielin. Their farmlands stretched over 85 hectares. A substantial size for that time. Later Jakub Hieronim Rozdrażewski a voivode held the land. Records show only 8 to 11 households then.
In the late 1700s Imielin and nearby Wyczółki formed a single estate. Grabowski a Warsaw cupbearer owned them. They had 35 households. He also founded the settlements of Grabowo and Pyry. The 1800s saw the rise of more settlements nearby. Grabowek Krasnowola and Ludwinów joined the area.
After serfdom ended in 1864 Imielin saw 21 peasant farms established. The village became part of the municipality of Falenty. The Grabów Emilin railway station opened in 1898. It connected Warszawa Mokotów to Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą. This tiny station served until 1957. It stood at the current intersection of Puławska and Mysikrzylika Streets.
By 1905 Imielin had 23 households. The 1921 census recorded 296 people. The number dropped to 211 by 1923. To the north lay Imielin Nowy. Finally in 1951 Imielin officially became part of Warsaw.
The 1970s and 80s transformed Stary Imielin. Two large residential neighborhoods rose up. West Ursynów to the west and Imielin to the east. West Ursynów included apartment buildings. The eastern part was given over to medical facilities.
The Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology began construction in 1979. Its first part opened in 1984. The complex wasn’t finished until 1997. This place represents progress in the fight against cancer. The Saint Christopher Oncological Hospice opened in 1996. It continues to care for people facing serious illness. In 2006 the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine opened its headquarters nearby. The Southern Hospital a major addition to the medical complex opened in 2021.
Today Stary Imielin is a blend of past and present. It’s a vibrant residential area. It’s a crucial medical hub. It reflects Warsaw’s evolution from a small village to a large metropolis. The history of Stary Imielin is part of Warsaw’s broader story. Its past shapes its present. Let us reflect on this remarkable journey.