Łódź is an extraordinary, colourful, and full of contrasts city. Although it is 601 years old, it began to develop in the 19th century. That’s when the „Promised Land” was created: factories, palaces, villas, and tenement houses.
During the trip, we will see the most important places on the map of Łódź and how Łódź has been changing!
Freedom Square was founded in 1823 when the clothier settlement „New Town” was established during the development of Łódź. The city was then called New Market.
On the square stands the monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko, national Polish hero. The first monument was built in 1930; during World War II, it was demolished and returned to this place in the same form in 1960. In 2024, the square was put into public use after a thorough renovation. Trees, several thousand flowers, and bushes were planted, and a fountain and the playground for children were also built so the inhabitants of Łódź gained a friendly, atmospheric space which they took to it.
All the walls of the backyard have been covered in mirror pieces, creating an exceptionally light mosaic. Broken fragments of mirrors are arranged in the shape of roses.
Piotrkowska Street, also popularly known as „Pietryna,” is the main artery of Łódź, with beautiful tenement houses, magnificent palaces, and courtyards. It is one of the longest commercial thoroughfares in Europe, with a length of around 4.2 km. It runs longitudinally in a straight line between Liberty Square and Independence Square. Nowadays, the restaurants, clubs, and pubs situated next to the street create a specific atmosphere with a “cult” character reaching even outside of Łódź.
The Poznański Family Palace is one of the most significant symbols of the city. It is called the „Louvre of Łódź” by its inhabitants. The building served a representative and commercial function. There were offices, shops, and living rooms here. Today, the Museum of the City of Łódź is located here.
Manufaktura is the former factory of Izrael Poznański, a Jewish manufacturer. In 1872, the first factory facility was built on Ogrodowa Street – a mechanical weaving mill. He expanded the factory until he died in 1900. Today, the building houses the Andel’s Hotel and the former Poznański’s complex comprises one of the most significant Polish commercial and recreational centres, Manufaktura, which has been an essential place on the map of Łódź since 2005. Manufaktura houses over 300 shops, restaurants, museums, and discos. In the summer, you can relax at the city beach and in winter – go skating on the rink.
Łódź Fabryczna station is the largest and most modern station in Poland. In just a few years, a tunnel will run under Łódź, connecting two Łódź stations and opening the city to high-speed rail. Modern architecture matches the impressive City Gate. This is where the New Center of Łódź begins.
EC1 was the first power station in Łódź, built in 1907. Today, in the industrial and revitalized interior, there is EC1 Łódź – The City of Culture, which includes the interactive Center of Science and Technology, the Planetarium, the National Center for Film Culture with an exhibition on the history of Polish cinematography “Polonia Cinema” and The Center for Comics and Interactive Narrative
Not long ago, it was a forbidden part of the city. Today, almost all of it has been revitalized. Each tenement house looks different, and there are shops, galleries, a cafe, and museums.
photos are from the archive of the City of Lodz