Hotel Katowice – the return of the iconic neon in a new form

The Hotel Katowice neon was never just a sign. It was a symbol of the era — a characteristic blue glow above the city center and an iconic part of the urban landscape remembered for decades. When the time came to modernize the hotel, the investor faced a crucial question: how to bring back a neon everyone remembered, even though the original could no longer be saved? That’s when the Pretende team stepped in.

The old neon, despite its cultural value, had no chance of being restored. The metal sheets crumbled in hand, the structure was eaten by rust, and the glass tubes were cracked or missing. Technically, it was impossible to repair it in a way that would meet modern safety requirements while preserving its intended quality.

It wasn’t about simple renovation. It was about preserving the spirit of Katowice — which is why we chose to recreate the entire structure from scratch, matching the original down to the centimeter.

In Pretende’s workshops, a neon was created that is both new and completely familiar to the residents. Each letter was reproduced according to the original shape, proportions, angles, soft curves, and the exact route of the neon glass along the edges.

The color was crucial. The iconic blue shade that had illuminated Katowice for years was recreated using precise digital pigment analysis. The result? A blue that looks exactly as it once did — only more vivid and refined.

Although the visual effect preserves the historical style, the construction itself was made from materials designed to last for decades. The aluminum letters — about 1.5 meters tall — are corrosion-resistant and stable even in harsh weather conditions. They were painted in our facility, where they filled the entire workspace. A double coat of weather-resistant paint was applied to ensure long-term durability.

The most demanding handcrafted work was the neon glass. It was shaped by a master with 35 years of experience, using traditional techniques rarely seen today. Thanks to this, the neon kept its classic rhythm, softness, and unique glow — something LED technology could never replicate.

Installing such a large neon in downtown Katowice required precision and specialist equipment. Letters spanning more than thirty meters were lifted using an extended-arm crane — the only one of its kind available in the city. Every movement needed to be perfectly aligned so the entire sign formed one straight line, visible across the city skyline.

And when we conducted the first lighting tests after dark, it became clear that the neon had returned in full glory — as if it had never disappeared.

Today, the Hotel Katowice neon lights up the city once again and draws attention just as it did in its prime. It looks familiar, yet behind its glow stands modern engineering, durable construction, and craftsmanship built to last decades.

This project doesn’t merely recreate history — it preserves it. It isn’t a reconstruction; it is the continuation of a symbol that has belonged to this city for generations.