Lodz
Lodz - party time
The big industries work no more, nor did
factory sirens or the machine noise set the rhythm of life for the city of
Lodz. Factories have become trade and leisure centres or luxurious apartment
buildings, and the rhythm of life (especially at night) is set by DJ music from
the best Polish clubs. Lodz is also famous for its architectural monuments,
film school and the world-known Camerimage Cinematography Festival.
More about Lodz
Lodz is Poland's second largest city
(population 776,297 in 2004). It is located in the centre of the country and
serves as the capital of the Lodz Voivodeship. The coat of arms of Lodz is
canting, i.e. it contains a boat, alluding to the city's name which literally
means "a boat" in Polish.
Oldest history
Lodz first appears in the written record
in a document giving the village of Lodzia to the bishops of Wloclawek in 1332.
In 1423 King Wladyslaw Jagiello granted city rights to the village of Lodz.
From then until the 18th century the town remained a small settlement on a
trade route between Masovia and Silesia. In the 16th century the town had fewer
than 800 inhabitants, mostly working on the nearby grain farms.
With the second partition of Poland in 1793 Lodz came under Prussian
administration under its new Prussian name of Lodsch. In 1798 the Prussians
nationalized the town and it lost its status as a town of the bishops of
Kuyavia. In 1806 it joined the Duchy of Warsaw and in 1815 became part of
Russian-controlled Congress Poland.
Newest history
In early 1945, Lodz had fewer than 300,000
inhabitants. However, soon the number began to grow, and refugees from Warsaw
and from territories annexed by the Soviet Union immigrated. Until 1948 the
city served as a de facto capital of Poland, since events during and after the
Warsaw uprising had thoroughly destroyed Warsaw, and most of the government and
country administration resided in Lodz. Some even planned moving the capital
there permanently, but this idea did not gain support, and in 1948 the
reconstruction of Warsaw started.
After World War II, under the Polish Communist regime, many industrialist
families lost their fortunes when the authorities nationalized all private
companies. Once again, the city became a major centre of industry.
After the period of economic transition in the country during the 1990s, most
enterprises were again privatized.
Tourists in Lodz gravitate to Piotrkowska
Street, which stretches north to south for a little over four kilometers,
making it the longest commercial street in the world. Recently renovated, it
has many beautiful buildings dating back to the 19th century, in the
architectural style of the Secession. Well worth visiting from late Spring to
early Autumn, strolling from one pub to another on Piotrkowska Street allows
one to immerse oneself in the friendly atmosphere of this unique Polish city.
Although Lodz does not have any hills nor any large body of water, one can
still get close to nature in one of the city's many parks, most notably Lagiewniki
(the largest city park in Europe), Zdrowie, and Poniatowski. Zoo in Lodz, and Botanical
Gardens also offer pleasant opportunities for leisure. Lodz has one of the best
museums of modern art in Poland, Art Museum on Wieckowskiego Street, which
displays art by all important contemporary Polish artists.