Polish Soldier Square

Last updated
Polish Soldier Square
Szczecin plac Zolnierza Polskiego dron (1).jpg
The Polish Soldier Square in 2021.
Poland adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Former name(s)
  • White Parade Square (1725–1809)
  • King Square (1809–1945)
  • Theatre Square (1945–1946)
Type Urban square
Location Szczecin, Poland
Coordinates 53°25′42.2″N14°33′17.6″E / 53.428389°N 14.554889°E / 53.428389; 14.554889
East
South
West
Construction
Completion1725

The Polish Soldier Square, [lower-alpha 1] also commonly referred to as the Flower Avenue, [lower-alpha 2] is an urban square in Szczecin, Poland, located at the bounry of neighbourhoods of Centrum and Old Town, within the Downtown district. To the north and south of the square are placed roads, which intersect with Independence Avenue, Emancipation Avenue, Pope John Paul II Avenue, and Bałuki Street to the west, and with Jana Matejki Street and Castle Way to the east. The square was established in 1725, and was formerly known as the White Parade Square [lower-alpha 3] until 1809, and later as the King Square [lower-alpha 4] until 1945.

Contents

History

The formation of the square begun in 1725, and followed for around twenty years, during which, sections of the moat were filled in with the rubble from the former city walls. At first, its eastern portion was the location for the military training exercise. At the square begun being organised numerous parades and events, and it began being known as the White Parade Square (German: Weisser Paradeplatz; Polish: Biały Plac Parad). [1]

The monument of Frederick the Great, which stood at the square from 1793 to 1877. Currently in the Szczecin National Museum. Pomnik Fryderyka Wielkiego w Szczecinie 1.JPG
The monument of Frederick the Great, which stood at the square from 1793 to 1877. Currently in the Szczecin National Museum.

On 10 October 1793, at the square was unvailed the monument of Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1740 to 1786. It was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow, and made from marble. In 1877, as the statue begun deteriorating due to atmospheric demage, it was relocated inside, to the neaby Pomeranian Estates Parliamentary Building. In its place at the square was placed a bronze replica. [2]

At the turn of 19th century, alongside the square were constructed representative tenements, including Palace under the Heads, Pomeranian Estates Parliamentary Building, and the Grey Castle. In 1806, it was renamed to the King Square (German: Königsplatz; Polish: Plac Królewski). [1]

The monument dedicated to William I at the square in 1900. Stettin Wilhelmsdenkmal 1900.jpg
The monument dedicated to William I at the square in 1900.

On 17 October 1848, there was unvailed the monument of Frederick William III of Prussia, the emperor King of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1797 to 1840. It was made by Friedrich Drake, and did not remain to the present day. [3] In 1949 next to the square was opened the City Theatre. It was later greatly expanded between 1899 and 1904, and eventually deconstructed in 1954. [4]

On 1 November 1894, at the square was unvailed the monument dedicated to William I, emperor of Germany from 1871 to 1888. It was designed by sculptor Karl Hilgers. It consisted of the bronze statue of the emperor on a horse, placed on a stone pedestal, with bronse sculptures of the soldiers around it. [5]

The square was bombed in 1944 during the World War II, during which nearby Grey Castle tenement was destroyed. [1] In 1945, it was renamed to the Theatre Square (Polish: Plac Teatralny; German: Theater Platz). In May 1946, it was again renamed to the Polish Soldier Square, in honour of the Victory Day. Despite that the former name remained in some official use until 1950. [6]

During the conflict the statues of the soldiers in the William I Monument were taken down to be melted for materials. After the end of the war, on 31 July 1945, the monument was torn down by the Polish inhabitants of the city. The statue was then taken to Denmark and melted. It was used to manufacture the replica of the Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski Monument in Warsaw, that was destroyed during the war. [5]

The Monument of Graduate to the Soviet Army at the square in 1978. Szczecin Pomnik Wdziecznosci dla Armii Radzieckiej (1978).jpg
The Monument of Graduate to the Soviet Army at the square in 1978.

In its place, on 26 April 1950, was unvailed the Monument of Graduate to the Soviet Army. It consisted of a 17-metre-tall obelisk made from reinforced concrete covered in sandstone tiles, a sculpture of a soldrier and worker holding hands, and a concrete sculpture of a Soviet five-side star on the top. Unvailed in the 5th anniversary of the city being captured by the Red Army in World War II, the monument was dedicated to the Soviet soldiers that fought in the conflict. [5] Following the fall of the Soviet Union, and decommunization of Poland, the monument attracted many controversies and calls for its deconstructio, being seen as the symbol of Soviwt control of the country. The Soviet star was taken down in 1992, and the entire monument was deconstructed in November 2017. [7] [8]

In 1959, at the square was placed a plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Polish scouting and guiding organization structures in the city. It was installed in the former location of the monument of Frederick the Great. [9]

Until 2011, the square hosted a flower market, which led to it being nicknamed as the Flower Avenue to the present day. [10]

The Szczecin Meeting Point, a pavilion at the square, opened in 2012. Photography made in 2024. Glass pavilion in Szczecin.jpg
The Szczecin Meeting Point, a pavilion at the square, opened in 2012. Photography made in 2024.

The Polish Soldier Square was renovated and rebuilt between 2011 and 2012. At its eastern end, at the pavement was installed a large sundial. The main avenue was decorated with modernist light installation and sculptures of metal boxes, as well as small and shallow water canalls. At its western end was constructed a pavilion known as the Szczecin Meeting Point. It has a form of a one-storey-tall cuboid, with structure made out of a weathering steel, façade covered in glass pannels, and most of its usbale area located underground. [11] [12] Originally it hosted a coffeehouse, and sincr 2016, it is a visitor centre. [13]

In 2019, part of the square, located between Pope John Paul II, Independence Avenue, and Aviators Square, which previously included the Monument of Graduate to the Soviet Army, was separated into a new separate Paweł Adamowicz Square. It was named after Paweł Adamowicz, mayor of Gdańsk from 1998 until his assassination in 2019. The square was renovated and rebuilt, and opened on 27 September 2019. [14]

Characteristics

The sundial at the Polish Soldier Square in 2021. Zolnierza Polskiego Square in Szczecin, clock, 2021.jpg
The sundial at the Polish Soldier Square in 2021.

The Polish Soldier Square has the form of an oblong rectangle avenue, with rows of linden trees on its sides. [1] [12] [15] At its eastern end, in the pavement is inbinstalled a large sundial. The main avenue is decorated with modernist light installation and sculptures of metal boxes, as well as small and shallow water canalls. At its western end is located a pavilion known as the Szczecin Meeting Point. It has a form of a one-storey-tall cuboid, with structure made out of a weathering steel, façade covered in glass pannels, and most of its usable area located underground. [11] [12] Currently, it functions as a visitor centre. [13]

To the north and south of the square are placed roads, which intersect with Independence Avenue, Emancipation Avenue, Pope John Paul II Avenue, and Bałuki Street to the west, and with Jana Matejki Street and Castle Way to the east. To the south it also connects with Tkacka Street and Staromłyńska Street. To the west is located the Paweł Adamowicz Square, and to the northeast, the Prussian Homage Square. [1]

The square also includes a plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Polish scouting and guiding organization structures in the city, and one of the historical 19th-century city water pumps. [9] [16]

The square is surrounded by tenement buildings, including the Palace under the Heads, and the Pomeranian Estates Parliamentary Building, which houses the Szczecin National Museum. [1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Polish: Plac Żołnierza Polskiego; German: Platz des polnischen Soldaten
  2. ↑ Polish: Aleja Kwiatowa; German: Blumenallee
  3. ↑ German: Weisser Paradeplatz; Polish: Biały Plac Parad
  4. ↑ German: Königsplatz; Polish: Plac Królewski

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saviour Square</span> Urban square and roundabout in Warsaw, Poland

Saviour Square is an urban square and a roundabout in Warsaw, Poland, within the Downtown district. It forms an intersection of Marszałkowska Street, Mokotowska Street, Nowowiejska Street, and Emancipation Avenue. The square was constructed in around 1768. It is surrounded by tenements of the Marshal Residential District, and the Church of the Holiest Saviour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pazim</span> Skyscraper in Szczecin, Poland

Pazim, also known as Pazim Center, is a skyscraper in Szczecin, Poland. The building is located in the neighbourhood of Centrum, at 8 Rodło Square, at the intersection of Wyzwolenia Avenue and Piłsudskiego Street. It has the height to the roof of 92 m, and total height, including its radio mast, of 128 m, making it respectively the third tallest, and the tallest building in the city, depending on definition. It was designed by Miljenko Dumenčić, and constructed between 1990 and 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey Castle, Szczecin</span> Tenement house in Szczecin

The Grey Castle was a tenement house in Szczecin, which was located at the corner of today's Polish Soldier Square and Independence Avenue, on the north-western edge of the Old Town, in the Centre district. It was destroyed during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailor Monument</span>

The Sailor Monument is a monument in Szczecin, Poland at the Grunwald Square at the Pope John Paul II Avenue. It was designed by Ryszard Chachulski and completed on 19 June 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brama Portowa I</span> Office building in Szczecin, Poland

Brama Portowa I is an A-class office building located in the quarter bounded by Niepodległości Avenue, Wyszyński Street and Tkacka Street, in the Old Town, in the Śródmieście district. Brama Portowa I earned a LEED Gold certification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wojska Polskiego Avenue, Szczecin</span>

The Wojska Polskiego Avenue is one of the main streets of the Polish city of Szczecin, running from the south-east to the north-west. It lies on the territory of eight municipal neighbourhoods: Centrum, Śródmieście-Zachód, Śródmieście-Północ, Łękno, Pogodno, Arkońskie-Niemierzyn, Zawadzkiego-Klonowica, and Głębokie-Pilchowo. It constitutes a section of voivodeship road 115.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bright Meadows</span> Urban green space in Szczecin, Poland

The John Paul II Bright Meadows Square, commonly known as the Bright Meadows, and until 1945 known as Quistorp Meadow, is a garden square in the city of Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the neighbourhood of Śródmieście-Północ, within the district of Śródmieście. The park borders Szczecin City Hall to the south, and Jan Kasprowicz Park to the north. The square was opened in the 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railwayman Monument (Szczecin)</span> Monument in Szczecin, Poland

The Railwayman Monument, also known as Onto New Tracks, is a monument by Ryszard Chachulski in city of Szczecin, Poland, located at the Kolumba Street in front of the Szczecin Główny railway station. It was completed in 1964, and depicts a railway worker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodło Square</span> Urban square in Szczecin, Poland

The Rodło Square is an urban square in Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the neighbourhood of Centrum, within the district of Śródmieście, at the intersection of Wyzwolenia Avenue, and Piłsudskiego Street. It was constructed in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope John Paul II Avenue, Szczecin</span> Avenue in Szczecin, Poland

Pope John Paul II Avenue is an avenue located in the areas of the Centrum and Śródmieście-Północ neighborhoods in the Śródmieście district of Szczecin. The avenue is 1.18 km long and runs from the southeast to the northwest, connecting Polish Soldier Square with Wacław Felczak Street. It is a representative downtown avenue with tenement houses listed in the Registry of Cultural Property and the municipal records of monuments. Throughout its entire length, it is part of the Golden Route – a tourist trail connecting the Ducal Castle with the Valley of the Seven Mills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concord Square (Szczecin)</span> Square in Szczecin, Poland

The Concord Square is an urban square in Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the district of Śródmieście, at the boundary of neighbourhoods of Centrum and Śródmieście-Zachód, at the intersection of Wojska Polskiego Avenue, Księcia Bogusława X Street, Bohaterów Getta Warszawskiego Street, and Bałuki Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paweł Adamowicz Square</span> Urban square in Szczecin, Poland

The Paweł Adamowicz Square is an urban square in Szczecin, Poland, in the neighbourhood of Centrum, within the Downtown district, between Pope John Paul II Avenue, Independence Avenue, and Aviators Square. It was opened in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William I Monument (Szczecin)</span> Monument in Polish Soldier Square, Szczecin, Poland

The William I Monument was a monument in Szczecin, Poland, in form of an equestrian statue of William I, emperor of Germany from 1871 to 1888. It was designed by sculptor Karl Hilgers, and unvailed on 1 November 1894 at the King Square. The monument dismantled on 31 July 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviators Square (Szczecin)</span> Urban square in Szczecin, Poland

The Aviators Square, until 1945 know as the Augusta Square, is an urban square in Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the neighbourhood of Centrum, within the Downtown district, at the intersection of Pope John Paul II Avenue, Jagiellońska Street, Kaszubska Street, Małopolska Street, and Mazurska Street. It was opened in the 1890s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stefan Żeromski Park (Szczecin)</span> Urban park in Szczecin, Poland

The Stefan Żeromski Park, until 1945 known as the Grabowo Gardens, is an urban park in Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the Old Town neighborhood, within the Downtown district, between Matejki, Malczewskiego, Parkowa, Kapitańska, Storrady, Wawelska, Starzyńskiego, and Zygmunta Starego Streets. With an area of 21.97 ha, it is the second largest park in the city. It was established in 1910, in place of the former Grabowo Cemetery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Mickiewicz Monument (Szczecin)</span> Monument in Szczecin, Poland

The Adam Mickiewicz Monument is a monument in Szczecin, Poland, located at the Mickiewicz Square near the Stefan Żeromski Park. It consists of a concrete statue of Adam Mickiewicz, a 19th-century poet, writer, and political activist. It was designed by Sławomir Lewiński and unvailed on 3 May 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Szczecin Meeting Point</span> Pavilion in Szczecin, Poland

The Szczecin Meeting Point, also colloquially known as the Glass Trap, and the Aquarium, is a pavilion in Szczecin, Poland, placed at the northern entrance to the Polish Soldier Square. It has a form of a small one-storey-tall cuboid, with structure made out of a weathering steel, façade covered in glass panels, and most of its usable area located underground. It was completed in 2012, and currently houses a visitor centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revival Square</span> Urban square in Szczecin, Poland

The Revival Square is an urban square and a roundabout in Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the neighbourhood of Centrum, within the district of Śródmieście, at the intersection of Mazurska Street, Monte Cassino Street, and Piłsudskiego Street. It was designed in 1882.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jakub Wujek Square</span> Square in Szczecin, Poland

Jakub Wujek Square is a circular garden square and a roundabout in Szczecin, Poland. It is placed on the axis of Przerwy-Tetmajera Street, in the municipal neighbourhood of Pogodno, within the district of Zachód. It is surrounded by histoical villas dating to the early 20th century. The square was developed in the 1890s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey Ranks Square</span> Urban square in Szczecin, Poland

The Grey Ranks Square is an urban square and a roundabout in Szczecin, Poland. It is located at the boundary of neighbourhoods of Centrum and Śródmieście-Północ, within the district of Śródmieście. It forms the intersection of Piastów Avenue, Piątego Lipca Street, Piłsudskiego Street, Wielkopolska Street, and Wojska Polskiego Avenue. The square was designed in 1879.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Encyklopedia Szczecina, vol. 2: A–O. Szczecin: University of Szczecin, 2000, p. 735–736. ISBN 83-87341-45-2. (in Polish)
  2. ↑ Encyklopedia Szczecina, vol. 2: P–Ż. Szczecin: University of Szczecin 2000, p. 147–148. ISBN 83-7241-089-5. (in Polish)
  3. ↑ Historia Pomorza, vol. 3, issue 3. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, 1969, p. 34. (in Polish)
  4. ↑ Marek Jaszczyński (14 May 2022). "Wznosił się przy Königsplatz 13. Tak wyglądał Teatr Miejski w Szczecinie [ZDJĘCIA]". szczecin.naszemiasgo.pl (in Polish).
  5. 1 2 3 Encyklopedia Szczecina, vol. 2: P–Ż. Szczecin: University of Szczecin, 2000, p. 151–154. ISBN 83-7241-089-5. (in Polish)
  6. ↑ S. Bursewicz: "Nazwy szczecińskich ulic 1945-2004. Cz.1: Do roku 1956", Kronika Szczecina 2003, no. 22, p. 119-152. Szczecin, 2004. (in Polish)
  7. ↑ Andrzej Kraśnicki Jr. (25 April 2014). "Jak ocalała radziecka gwiazda z pomnika Wdzięczności [25 LAT MINĘŁO*]". szczecin.wyborcza pl (in Polish).
  8. ↑ "Pomnik Wdzięczności dla Armii Czerwonej zniknął. Taka jest teraz perspektywa al. Papieża Jana Pawła II [ZDJĘCIA]". szczecin.wyborcza pl (in Polish). 19 November 2017.
  9. 1 2 "Tablica pamiątkowa poświęcona 'Harcerstwu w Szczecinie'". um.szczecin.pl (in Polish).
  10. ↑ "Te miejsca znali wszyscy. Teraz można je oglądać tylko na archiwalnych fotografiach". wszczecinie.pl (in Polish). 11 November 2022.
  11. 1 2 Tomasz Sachanowicz (16 October 2012). "Nowy pawilon promuje Szczecin. Mieszkańcy: 'szklana pułapka', 'akwarium' [ZDJĘCIA]". bryla.pl (in Polish).
  12. 1 2 3 "Aleja Kwiatowa w Szczecinie". budolux.pl (in Polish).
  13. 1 2 "'Szklana pułapka' znów będzie otwarta. Miejsce dla turystów zamiast kawiarni". szczecin.wyborcza.pl (in Polish). 29 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "Plac Adamowicza w Szczecinie nareszcie gotowy [zdjęcia]". 27 September 2019.
  15. ↑ "Przedwiosenne cięcie lip". 24kurier.pl (in Polish). 5 March 2019.
  16. ↑ "Street water pumps". visitszczecin.eu.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.