Lodz. A little story about a big city. The cost of hotels and prices in stores. Cuisine and restaurants in Lodz

In the tourist environment, there is an opinion that industrial cities are not of particular interest from an architectural and cultural point of view.

That is why Lodz often remains in the shadow of the brilliant Warsaw and majestic Krakow. In fact, those who avoid it lose a lot.

The famous Piotrkowska street

In the city of Lodz, sights are found at every step; there are no less of them here than in the capital of Poland. Special place among them is central Street- Piotrkowska, colorful and atmospheric.

All of it is given over to the power of pedestrians, so you can look around completely calmly without endangering your life. And there will certainly be something to pay attention to here.

Mansions and villas, once owned by wealthy manufacturers, are luxurious, unlike each other. Industrial complexes are not gray and boring, but sophisticated and elegant.

Many buildings today are occupied by museums. A great option for those who come to the city of Lodz in autumn or spring and want to hide from rainy weather. Moreover, the expositions presented are really interesting.

Piotrkowska Street is famous not only for traditional, but also for very unusual sights. A special place among them is occupied by the Avenue of Stars, which immortalizes the names of directors known throughout the world, as well as famous Polish filmmakers.

By the way, this is far from the only attraction of Lodz associated with the film industry.

Film industry in Lodz

In addition to the Avenue of Stars mentioned above, the cinematic attractions of Lodz include the Higher School of Cinematography, the most “advanced” in all of Poland, and the Museum of Cinematography. The first, unfortunately for tourists, is operational. You can only look at it from the outside. It's unlikely to get inside. But the museum is completely given over to the power of the guests.

Its exposition, which began its work in 1976, tells about the past and present of Polish cinema - here you can see a collection of tapes on film and cassettes, various equipment, scenery.

In addition, the palace itself, in which the museum is located, is a very atmospheric place, it lit up on the screen more than once. Once owned by a wealthy German industrialist, the palatial Renaissance home caught the attention of filmmakers and directors immediately after World War II.

A little less known, but no less interesting museum of the city of Lodz, connected with the film industry - Se-Ma-For, dedicated to animated films. This is not even a museum, but a real cinema center.

There are not only expositions here, but also a hall where cult Polish cartoons are constantly shown, as well as a room for events. If you're lucky, you can take part in some master class or seminar.

Industrial past of the city

Lodz became the main industrial city of Poland in the 18th century. Rich and budding industrialists opened factories here. It is not surprising that wealthy people built themselves rich luxurious houses, unlike others. Many of them are perfectly preserved to this day.

The most exemplary are the Villas of Leopold Kindermann and Eduard Herbst - visiting them, you can get acquainted not only with architecture, but also with interior decoration. Having crossed the threshold, the guests seem to make a journey through time, getting from the dynamic XXI century to the much more measured XIX.

No less interesting are the Palaces of Mauritius and Israel of Poznan, which today house an art gallery and historical Museum Lodz. The latter is different from traditional boring expositions.

In its halls, using the example of the life of a wealthy family, you can learn about how industrialists and manufacturers of the city lived in the 19th century.

However, one should not think that everything here is dedicated exclusively to the Poznański family. There are many interesting "corners" devoted to completely different topics. There are even theatrical ones among them - colorful and "dusty".

IN art gallery everything is much more typical - the works of Polish and European masters of the 19th century brush side by side with modern canvases, sometimes ambiguous, but certainly interesting, amazing.

In the city of Lodz, not only private properties are of interest, but also industrial buildings. It's hard to believe that a manufactory can be architectural masterpiece, but it is so. The White Factory, once owned by Ludwig

Geiro, built in 1837. It is an excellent example of neoclassical style. In 2002, the plant stopped its work, becoming a textile museum.

Guests can touch all stages of production, look at machine tools, materials, rare products of the 19th century, as well as photographs and documents. In addition, this is another chance to learn about the industrial history of the city of Łódź.

What not to forget to see in Lodz

Having got acquainted with Lodz factory and Lodz cinema, you should not think that all the sights of the city have been examined.

There are many others here interesting places worthy of attention. For example, the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostika or Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Catholic and Orthodox churches get along well on the same street, attracting tourists and locals.

Walking around the city, be sure to pay attention to interesting monuments- Three manufacturers, a bench by Julian Tuwim, a piano by Arthur Rubenstein and others. And tired of the urban bustle, you can relax in one of the city's parks.

NUM height Population Density

2629.1 people/km²

Timezone Telephone code Postal codes

from 90-001 to 94-201

car code Official site

Central street of Lodz

Łódź is the center and largest city of the Łódź Voivodeship. The population of the city is 770 thousand people and is gradually declining (1988 - 854 thousand). Back in the 1990s, Lodz was the second most populous city in Poland after Warsaw, but in the 2000s it lost this place to Krakow.

In 1940-1944 Lodz bore the name Litzmanstadt in honor of World War I German general Karl Litzmann. From until 1944, one of the largest Jewish ghettoes was located in the city.

Story

1332- Łódź is first mentioned in a document transferring the village of Lodzia (lat.) to the Bishops of Włocławek. On July 29, 1423, by decree of King Vladislav Jagiello, Lodz received city rights.

1820- On September 20, by decree of Konstantin Pavlovich, the governor of the Kingdom of Poland, Lodz was declared a factory town, in 1821 the Nove Miasto cloth settlement was founded, the continuation of which in 1824 was the weaving settlement Boat.

1865- July 30 local authorities received permission to lay railway connecting Lodz and Koluszki, which was put into operation on September 19, 1865. Passenger trains began to run regularly from June 01, 1866.

1888- October 6 in the building of the hotel "Victoria" on the street. Piotrkowska 67, the first professional theater in Łódź was established. Now there is a modern cinema "Polonia".

1898- December 24 at 13 o'clock in Lodz launched the first electric tram in the Kingdom of Poland.

1899- November 3 in Lodz, at st. Vskhodnya 19, Józef Piłsudski and his wife moved in. Here Piłsudski published the newspaper "Worker" - the organ of the underground Polish Socialist Party. On the night of February 22, 1900, Pilsudski was arrested by the tsarist police and imprisoned on the street. Gdansk 13. In December 1938, a memorial museum-apartment of J. Pilsudski was created here.

1903- On August 20, the Polish Theater Society was established in Lodz, the first organization in Poland engaged in theatrical and educational activities.

1905- On May 17, the first children's hospital in Poland was opened. Anna Maria (in memory of the deceased granddaughter of the largest manufacturer in Lodz, Karl W. Scheibler). In 1951, it was renamed the Hospital. Janusz Korczak.

1908- in Lodz, on al. Kosciuszko 14 continues to operate the largest bank in Poland (1100 m² hall).

1919- Łódź Voivodeship was created, headed by Anthony Kamensky.

1936- On 26 May, the Circle of Friends of Łódź was established, which resumed its activities in 1959 (27 November) and was renamed the Society of Friends of Łódź. The scope of its activities is quite wide: it is educational work, and historical and local history activities, the organization of cultural events and competitions, publishing work, the protection of historical and architectural values, etc. The main department of the ODL is located at pl. Liberties 2.

1945- on the basis of the Pedagogical Institute (1921-1928), the Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences (1921-1928) and a branch of the Free Polish University that existed in Lodz in the interwar period, the University of Lodz was created.

1948- On October 18, the grand opening of the Higher School of Cinematography, Television and Theater took place with the participation of its first applicants. This world-famous institution of higher education is located in the Oscar Cohn Palace on the street. Targovoy. The school is especially proud of its famous graduates: Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski, Andrzej Munk, Jerzy Skolimowski, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Zanussi and others.

Attractions

Piotrkowska street

Jewish market in Lodz. 1915

The current Piotrkowska Street runs along the line of the former Piotrkovsky Trakt, which witnessed the rapid development of the city in the 19th century. Piotrkowska street is the main street cities. It stretches from the octagonal Freedom Square (Polish. Plac Wolności Wolności Square), which was previously called market square New City (Polish) Nowe Miasto New Miasto). The longest in Poland pedestrian zone with shops, bars and restaurants (of which there are more than a hundred), and in summer also street cafes. In addition, you can ride a cycle rickshaw or retro tram along the boulevard. Numerous events, fairs, happenings and sports competitions take place on Piotrkowska Street.

Monuments.

st. Piotrkowska 32 - Three Factory Workers.
st. Piotrkowska 104 - Julian Tuwim's bench.
st. Petrkovskaya 137 - Vladislav Reymont's chest.
st. Piotrkowska 78 - Arthur Rubinstein's grand piano.
st. Piotrkowska 112 - a monument to Leon Schiller.
st. Piotrkowska 98-146 - a monument to the inhabitants of Łódź at the Turn of the Millennium: 12.859 plates engraved with the names of famous and ordinary inhabitants of Łódź.
st. Piotrkowska - a section of the street between Moniuszko Street and Passage Rubinstein - Alley of Polish Cinema Stars.

Historical Buildings.

Architecture

Delightful mansions of the largest industrialists, built next to factory buildings and working quarters, will not leave anyone indifferent. special attention deserves the picturesque decoration of the premises, which reflects the tastes of the manufacturers of the late XIX - early XX centuries. Living rooms, study rooms and ballrooms have retained their splendor and splendor to this day. Except typical mansions urban type (which are concentrated on Piotrkowska Street) it is worth visiting the villas and palaces immersed in greenery.

Palace of Israel Poznański - Ogrodova street 15.

The largest manufacturer's residence in Poland, now the Museum of the History of the City of Łódź. The palace (in the neo-baroque style) is located at the corner of Zakhodnya (Western) and Ogrodova (Sadovaya) streets, along which massive factory walls and workers' quarters stretch.

Villa Eduard Herbst - Pshendzalnyan (Spinning) street 72.

A typical example of a late 19th-century mansion with elements of interior decoration typical of the residences of wealthy manufacturers.

Palace of Karl Scheibler - Zvychenstvo (Victory) Square 1.

The calm Renaissance façade with unobtrusive ornamentation contrasts with the colorfully decorated interior. The palace (now the Museum of Cinematography) is located in the depths of the old Zrudliska park with its 300-year-old oaks.

Villa Reinhold Richter - an outstanding monument of Polish Art Nouveau

Palace of Mauritius Poznański - Wieckowski Street 36.

The palace is kept in architectural style reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. The Museum of Modern Art located in it is proud of its unique collection of avant-garde art.

Palace of Charles of Poznań - Gdańska Street 32.

The architectural design of the palace is reminiscent of the Florentine Renaissance. It currently houses the Academy of Music.

Villa Leopold Kindermann - Vulchanskaya street 31-33.

The most magnificent secession style villa in Poland with rich exterior decoration. It now houses the City Art Gallery.

Villa Reinhold Richter - Skorupki Street 6.

A wonderful example of a juxtaposition of different styles (eclecticism). The mansion is located in the depths of a century-old park, in which a huge "oak-manufacturer" grows. Now here is the rector's office of the Polytechnic University.

Villa Florian Jaris - Kosciuszko alley 88.

Robert Biedermann's Palace - Franciscanska (Franciscan) Street 1/5.

industrial buildings

Despite the fact that the history of Łódź dates back to the Middle Ages, the city's heyday dates back to the period of the Kingdom of Poland. It was then, in the 20s of the XIX century, cloth and weaving settlements were created in Lodz: first along the Piotrkowski Trakt (now Piotrkowska Street), where the settlement of Nowe Miasto was founded, then Lodka and Nowa Lodka, as well as water-factory settlements on the river Ash. Favorable economic and living conditions attracted foreign industrialists. The first manufactories and mechanized factories were built in the style of classicism, had smooth, plastered walls. In the second half of the 19th century, hundreds of brick factories built using reinforced concrete structures appeared in Lodz, and the city received the nickname "Polish Manchester".

"White Factory"

Factory of Israel Poznański - Ogorodova street 17.

At one time, the factory, which owned the second place after the factory of Karl Scheibler, employed more than 6 thousand people and was engaged in dressing cotton fabric. At present, the trade, cultural and entertainment center "Manufactura" has been opened on the territory of the factory, in which it has found a combination of modern forms and architecture of factory buildings from the 19th century.

"Ksenzhi Mlyn" - on the corner of Pshenzalnyana and Tymenetsky streets.

This large factory and housing complex was created by Karl Scheibler, the owner of the largest cotton factory in Europe. Industrial architectural ensemble includes spinning mill, fire station, Train Station, hospital, school, shops, manor and houses for workers.

"White Factory" by Ludwig Geyer - Piotrkowska Street 282.

The first mechanized industrial enterprise in Łódź dates back to 1839. Now it houses the Museum of the Textile Industry.

Kopish's bleaching shop - Tymenetsky street 5.

This first manufactory in Łódź was founded in 1826.

"Barrels of Grohman".

Monofactory gates of the Grokhmanov weaving factory.

Converted factory buildings

Scheibler factory power plant - Tymenetsky street 3/7.

An interesting monument of industrial architecture in the Secession style (rhythmic forms, decorative elements made of ceramics and metal).

Factory of Markus Silberstein - Piotrkowska Street 250.

Factory building with features of fortification architecture. Now it is a shopping center.

Factory of Ferdinand Geldner - 1905 Revolution Street No. 52.

This restored factory building is occupied by the Higher School of Economics and Humanities.

Cinema

For many years, Łódź has been considered the capital of Polish cinema. On the territory of the city there were film studios for feature, popular science and animated films, sound recording studios and production of film copies. Łódź is famous for the world-famous Higher School of Cinematography, Television and Theatre.

In addition, Łódź is known as a city with a great theatrical tradition. Every year in December it takes place International Festival camera art "CAMER-IMAGE", which attracts recognized masters of cinematography, students and just movie lovers from all over the world.

Higher School of Cinematography, Television and Theater - Targova street 61/63.. It occupies the building of the Oskar Cohn Palace. The special pride of the school are its graduates: Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski, Jerzy Skolimowski, Marek Piwowski, Krzysztof Kieślowski.
Museum of Cinematography - Zvytenstva Square 1.. Located in the palace of Karl Scheibler. Temporary exhibitions dedicated to the history of cinema, Polish film hits recent years and contemporary Polish art, in particular photography and media art.
Avenue of Stars - Piotrkowska Street (section of the boulevard between Moniuszko Street and Rubinshtein Passage).
Opus Film (Opus Film). - Lonkova street 29.. It occupies the building of the former Art Film Studio.
Se-ma-for- Polish studio of short films.

Population

Along with the indigenous people, the visiting population played a huge role in the industrial development of Łódź. In the second half of the 19th century, Poles, Germans, Jews, Czechs, Silesians lived in Lodz, who moved to this industrial city in search of the "Promised Land". The Jewish population, numbering 240 thousand people, gave Lodz the largest manufacturers (Israel Kalmanovich Poznansky, Marius Silberstein, Stanislav Yarotinsky, Oscar Kohn, etc.), merchants, bankers, famous architects (David Lande, Gustav Landau-Gutenteger, etc.) and writers (Julian Tuwim and Jerzy Kosinski). The Festival of Four Cultures, which has been held in Lodz since 2002, helps to plunge into the multinational past of the city.

Poznański Palace- Ogrodova Street, 15. Now the palace houses a museum of the history of the city of Lodz, which contains exhibits related to the life of the city and its celebrities: Julian Tuwim, Vladislav Reymont, Alexander Tansman, Arthur Rubinstein and Jan Karsky.

Ancient Cemetery on Ogrodova Street - Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox. The largest industrialists are buried here: Biedermanns, Grohmans, Geiers, Kindermanns, Scheiblers, as well as scientists, actors, artists, national heroes and priests. Among the dozens of historical tombstones, the mausoleum of the manufacturer Scheibler, which looks like a small neo-Gothic temple, is distinguished by its monumentality.

jewish cemetery- near Bratskaya street. The largest Jewish cemetery in Europe (41 hectares) was established in 1892 and has about 160,000 graves. Many stone tombstones, in particular the mausoleums of major industrialists: the Poznanskys, the Silbersteins, the Prussians, the Steillers, the Yarotinskys, are classified as architectural monuments. The parents of Julian Tuwim and Artur Rubinstein are buried here. In the southern part of the cemetery are the graves of the victims of the Łódź ghetto.

twin cities

Omsk, Russian Federation
Saratov, Russian Federation
Ivanovo, Russian Federation
Minsk, Belarus (since 1992)
Lviv, Ukraine
Odessa, Ukraine
Vilnius, Lithuania
Barreiro, Portugal
Chemnitz, Germany
, Germany
Lyon, France
Murcia, Spain
Örebro, Sweden
Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
Rustavi, Georgia
Szeged, Hungary
Tampere, Finland
Tianjin, China
Tel Aviv, Israel

Lodz is the first city in Poland to introduce compulsory schooling, in honor of which in 1921 the local authorities decided to erect a monument. And although the cornerstone had already been erected on the place allotted to him in the Railway Park, these plans did not materialize. There is now a monument on this site.

Chelyabinsk, Detroit and Lodz - these cities have a lot in common. All of them were large and very rich industrial centers, then all three experienced a strong decline in industry and were covered by a wave of crisis, unemployment and depression. But only one of them can now boast the title of the creative city of the world and inclusion in the relevant UNESCO lists. Yes, yes, there is such a gradation!

Today we will talk about Lodz. I drove past this city dozens of times, not considering it worthy of my attention, and drove here for the first time only this summer. And you know, I had to radically change my mind about Lodz. This city is a real gem of Poland. And very special too!

Now, after two decades of post-industrial chaos and depression, Łódź is experiencing a new birth and I have witnessed the changes taking place in this city. I share these observations with you!

2.

I came here with my daughter for just one day. In the very center of the city, I managed to find a mega-cheap hostel with free parking. A double room with breakfast here cost a ridiculous 16 euros. Such prices are possible only in Poland!

True, the amenities were in the corridor, and the walls turned out to be cardboard. Breakfast, in general, struck my imagination. In the morning, a hostel worker just came from the nearest store and dumped yogurt, sliced bread, sausage with vegetables out of the bag onto the table, without even taking anything out of the packages.

Fans of original hotels should stay at the local Grand Hotel, which has been operating almost continuously since 1927.

We walked around the city twice - late in the evening and early in the morning. Both walks began and ended with the main city attraction - Piotrkowska Street.

It is known as the longest pedestrian street in Poland. In addition, the number of interesting architectural objects on it just rolls over.

Once upon a time, the Petrovsky tract passed in its place - the main transport artery of the rapidly growing city. Almost along it, the city itself grew, beginning and ending with weaving factories.

This is the main difference between Lodz and other ancient Polish cities with a usually pronounced Old Town, which was formed most often around the main town hall or market square.

Although Łódź itself is over 700 years old, all the most important events in the city took place during the last 200 years. In 1820, by decree of the Russian tsarist authorities, Lodz was declared a factory town. This decision was a turning point in the fate of before small town.

There were many forests in the neighborhood and several small rivers flowed. All this attracted large industrialists from neighboring regions here. Benefits from the state, raw materials, fuel and water for steam engines- that's what was needed at that time to start a successful business. Over several decades, Łódź has turned into a gigantic industrial centre with 300 thousand people.

10.

Jews, Germans, Czechs and Silesians came here en masse. Dealers made gigantic fortunes in the cotton trade. Petrovsky tract was quickly built up luxurious palaces, villas, apartment buildings, banks and shops.

12.

Here settled the largest manufacturers in the region, merchants, bankers, architects and engineers. Dealers who made millions of fortunes built the most luxurious mansions for themselves, trying to outdo each other.

13.

And almost all of these monuments to human vanity have survived to this day in excellent condition.

14.

The industrial value of the city saved it from destruction in both the First and Second World Wars. The city was practically not bombed, street battles were not fought here.

15.

But the Jewish population of the city was much more unlucky. By 1945, out of the huge 300,000-strong community that then dominated the city, only 900 people survived. The most beautiful synagogue was also destroyed by the Germans.

16.

During the years of Soviet power, Lodz continued its rapid growth. By 1989, almost 900 thousand people lived here. In addition to the textile industry, pharmaceutical, transformer, watch, and automobile factories worked in the city.

With collapse Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, most businesses went bankrupt and closed. After that, the whole city was overwhelmed by a wave of depression. Whoever could, he sold everything and left here. Others were less fortunate. The city was overrun with drunkenness and gopnichestvo.

18.

In general, the consequences of this collapse are felt in the city to this day. Among the more than 150 different drinking and snack establishments on Piotrkowka Street, the bulk are alcoholic stalls and kebabs that work around the clock. Get drunk in them always more than enough!

19.

But there are also many very decent establishments with historical interiors. We looked into the old beer restaurant Esplanade, which has been operating since 1926. Very nice place with very reasonable prices!

20.

Well, in the morning I ran almost along the entire Petrkovka street, which is already 4 kilometers long.
It’s a pity there wasn’t much time, but there is something to see in Lodz.

21.

The main pride of the city today is the famous Manufactory.

22.

This multifunctional center with cinemas, a hotel, restaurants and shops is wildly popular due to its special appearance.

23.

The fact is that most of buildings in the complex was built over a hundred years ago. Then the largest weaving factory in Lodz was located here. It belonged to a wealthy businessman Israel Poznansky. He was called neither more nor less than the “cotton king” of Poland. The factory itself once employed almost seven thousand people. But at the same time, the factory complex can be safely called an architectural masterpiece.

24.

Most of the buildings were built of red brick in the neo-Gothic style. The luxurious gates alone were worth something!

25.

It is very cool that in 2006 there were people and a lot of money who gave the long-closed factory a second life and transformed Lodz, giving the whole city a new vector of development.

26.

At the other end of the city, we stopped at another so-called White Factory. It was built in 1827 by a major industrialist Ludwik Geyer and to this day is one of the most beautiful industrial buildings in Poland.

27.

Until very recently, weaving workshops operated here, and only recently its entire territory was given over to a museum.

28.

Surprisingly, in this story, I described the sights of only one, albeit the longest street in Lodz (with the exception of the Manufactory, located nearby). But Lodz Big City, where there are many more the most interesting objects.

32.

In particular, this city is considered the capital of Polish cinema. It was not for nothing that master David Lynch himself confessed his love for Lodz. So, if my opinion is not enough for you, trust the eminent American director and, if necessary, look here. There is something to see and do here even for a venerable traveler!

33.

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Lodz(Polish Lodz(inf.) - "boat", "rook") - one of largest cities Poland. Located in the center of the country, 120 kilometers southwest of Warsaw, it is the center of the Polish electronics industry. Founded in the XIII century, the status of the city since 1423.

In 1940-1944 Lodz bore the name Litzmanstadt in honor of the German general of World War I Karl Litzmann. From 1940 to 1944, one of the largest Jewish ghettos was located in the city.

Story

1332- Łódź was first mentioned in a document transferring the village of Lodzia (lat.) to the Bishops of Włocławek. On July 29, 1423, by decree of King Vladislav Jagiello, Lodz received city rights.

1865- On July 30, local authorities received permission to build a railway connecting Lodz and Koluszki, which was put into operation on September 19, 1865. Passenger trains began to run regularly from June 01, 1866.

1887- The largest, most beautiful and luxurious synagogue on the territory of the Kingdom of Poland, burned down by the Nazis in 1940, was opened.

1888- October 6 in the building of the hotel "Victoria" on the street. Piotrkowska 67, the first professional theater in Łódź was established. Now there is a modern cinema "Polonia".

1898- On December 24, at 1 pm, the first electric tram in the Kingdom of Poland was launched in Łódź.

1899- November 3 in Lodz, at st. Vskhodnyaya 19, Józef Piłsudski and his wife moved in. Here Piłsudski published the newspaper "Worker" - the organ of the underground Polish Socialist Party. On the night of February 22, 1900, Pilsudski was arrested by the tsarist police and imprisoned on the street. Gdansk 13. In December 1938, a memorial museum-apartment of J. Pilsudski was created here.

1903- On August 20, the Polish Theater Society was established in Lodz, the first organization in Poland engaged in theatrical and educational activities.

1908- in Lodz, on al. Kosciuszko 14 housed the largest bank in Poland (1100 m² hall).

1914 - in the first months of the First World War, the battle for Lodz took place between the German and Russian armies.

1919- Lodz Voivodeship was created, headed by Anthony Kamensky.

1939- Lodz was annexed to Germany and renamed Litzmannstadt in honor of the German general who captured Lodz at the end of 1914, since 1941 became the center administrative district Litzmannstadt Reichsgau Wartheland.

1940- Before the Nazi occupation, 230,000 Jews lived in Łódź, who made up one third of the city's population. At the beginning of the war, all the Jews of the city and the surrounding area were herded into the ghetto and later deported to the death camps. The Lodz ghetto was the last of the Polish ghettos to be liquidated, as it was important for German industry. During the war, 420,000 inhabitants of the city died, including 300,000 Jews and 120,000 Poles. In the vicinity of Łódź, camps for Roma and Poles were also set up. After the war, 900 Jews remained in the city.

1945- January 18, 1945 the city was liberated by the Red Army. In 1945, the Polish government moved to Lodz, and the city de facto served as the capital until 1948. In 1945, based on the Pedagogical Institute (1921-1928), the Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences (1921-1928) and Polish university that existed in Lodz in the interwar period, the University of Lodz was established.

In 1972, the construction of multi-apartment buildings in the residential area of Retkinya began.

Along with the indigenous people, the visiting population played a huge role in the industrial development of Łódź. In the second half of the 19th century, Poles, Germans, Jews, Czechs, and Silesians lived in Lodz. The Jewish population, numbering 240 thousand people, gave Lodz the largest manufacturers (Israel Kalmanovich Poznansky, Marius Silberstein, Stanislav Yarotinsky, Oscar Kohn, etc.), merchants, bankers, famous architects (David Lande, Gustav Landau-Gutenteger, etc.) and writers (Julian Tuwim and Jerzy Kosinski). Since 2002, the city has hosted the Festival of the Four Cultures.

old cemetery on Ogrodova Street - Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox. The largest industrialists Biedermanns, Grohmans, Geiers, Kindermanns, Scheiblers, as well as scientists, actors, artists, national heroes and priests are buried here. Among the dozens of historical tombstones, the mausoleum of the manufacturer Scheibler, which looks like a small neo-Gothic temple, is distinguished by its monumentality.

jewish cemetery- near Bratskaya street. The largest Jewish cemetery in Europe (41 hectares) was established in 1892 and has about 160,000 graves. Many stone tombstones, in particular the mausoleums of the major industrialists Poznański, Silberstein, Prussians, Steiller, Yarotinsky, are classified as architectural monuments. The parents of Julian Tuwim and Arthur Rubinstein are buried here. In the southern part of the cemetery are the graves of the victims of the Łódź ghetto. In 1956 it was delivered memorial Complex in memory of those who died during the war. On November 20, 2012, over 20 tombstones from the 19th century were smashed by vandals.

Attractions

Carl Anstad alley

Monument to the Victims of Communism in Poland.

Piotrkowska street

The current Piotrkowska Street runs along the line of the former Piotrkovsky Trakt, which witnessed the rapid development of the city in the 19th century. Piotrkowska Street is the main street of the city. It stretches from the octagonal Freedom Square (Polish. Plac Wolności Wolnosci Square), which was previously called the market square of the New Town (Polish. Nowe Miasto New Miasto). The longest pedestrian zone in Poland with shops, bars and restaurants (of which there are more than a hundred), and in summer also street cafes. In addition, you can ride a cycle rickshaw or retro tram along the boulevard. Numerous events, fairs, happenings and sports competitions take place on Piotrkowska Street.

Monuments

st. Piotrkowska 32 - Three Factory Workers.
st. Piotrkowska 104 - Julian Tuwim's bench.
st. Petrkovskaya 137 - Vladislav Reymont's chest.
st. Piotrkowska 78 - Arthur Rubinstein's grand piano.
st. Piotrkowska 112 - a monument to Leon Schiller.
st. Piotrkowska 98-146 - a monument to the inhabitants of Łódź at the Turn of the Millennium: 12.859 plates engraved with the names of famous and ordinary inhabitants of Łódź.
st. Piotrkowska - a section of the street between Moniuszko Street and Passage Rubinstein - Alley of Polish Cinema Stars.

Historical Buildings

st. Piotrkowska 11 - home of Karl Scheibler.
st. Piotrkowska 29 - the banking house of Wilhelm Landau.
st. Piotrkowska 72 - the former factory of Ludwig Meyer, rebuilt as the "Grand Hotel" ***.
st. Piotrkowska 74 - palace and factory of Ludwig Geyer.
st. Piotrkowska 77 - the palace and banking house of Maximilian Goldfeder, now the Academic House of Culture and the magnificent restaurant "Heirs' Club". special attention colorful stained-glass windows and picturesque decoration of the rooms on the second floor deserve it.
st. Piotrkowska 86 - The facade is decorated with a sculpture by Jan Gutenberg.
st. Piotrkowska 100 - in the past it was a trade house in the secession style, currently the Esplanade restaurant.
st. Piotrkowska 104 - the palace of Julius Heinzl, now the building of the mayor's office of the city of Lodz and the regional administration.
st. Piotrkowska 137/139 - the palace of Ernst Kindermann decorated with a Venetian mosaic frieze.
st. Piotrkowska 152 - the largest wall graffiti in Poland.
st. Piotrkowska 262 - the mansion of the industrialist Robert Schweikert, currently the European Institute, which hosts seminars, conferences and other events.
John Paul II Square - Cathedral Saint Stanislaus Kostka.
st. Piotrkowska 272a - the residence of the brothers Karl and Emil Steinert, divided in half.
st. Piotrkowska 282 - "White Factory" by Ludwig Geyer, Museum of the Textile Industry.
st. Piotrkowska 283 - Evangelical-Augsburg church of St. Matthew in the neo-romantic style.

Architecture

Palace of Israel Poznański - Ogrodova street 15. The largest manufacturer's residence in Poland, now the Museum of the History of the City of Łódź. The palace (in the neo-baroque style) is located at the corner of Zakhodnya (Western) and Ogrodova (Sadovaya) streets, along which massive factory walls and workers' quarters stretch.
Villa Eduard Herbst - Pshendzalnyan (Spinning) street 72. A typical example of a late 19th-century mansion with elements of interior decoration typical of the residences of wealthy manufacturers.
Palace of Karl Scheibler - Zvychenstvo (Victory) Square 1. The calm Renaissance façade with unobtrusive ornamentation contrasts with the colorfully decorated interior. The palace (now the Museum of Cinematography) is located in the depths of the old Zrudliska park with its 300-year-old oaks.
Palace of Mauritius Poznański - Wieckowski Street 36. The palace is designed in an architectural style reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. It currently houses the Museum of Modern Art.
Palace of Charles of Poznań - Gdańska Street 32. The architectural design of the palace is reminiscent of the Florentine Renaissance. It currently houses the Academy of Music.
Villa Leopold Kindermann - Vulchanskaya street 31-33. Secession style villa with rich exterior decoration. It now houses the City Art Gallery.
Villa Reinhold Richter - Skorupki Street 6. The eclectic mansion is located in the depths of a centuries-old park, in which a huge “oak-manufacturer” grows. Now here is the rector's office of the Polytechnic University.
Villa Florian Jaris - Kosciuszko alley 88.
Robert Biedermann's Palace - Franciscanska (Franciscan) Street 1/5. Currently the building of the University of Lodz.

industrial buildings

Factory of Israel Poznański - Ogorodova street 17. At one time, the factory, which owned the second place after the factory of Karl Scheibler, employed more than 6 thousand people and was engaged in dressing cotton fabric. At present, the trade, cultural and entertainment center "Manufactura" has been opened on the territory of the factory, in which it has found a combination of modern forms and architecture of factory buildings from the 19th century.
"Ksenzhi Mlyn" - on the corner of Pshenzalnyana and Tymenetsky streets. This large factory and housing complex was created by Karl Scheibler, the owner of the largest cotton factory in Europe. The industrial architectural ensemble includes a spinning mill, a fire station, a railway station, a hospital, a school, shops, a farm and workers' houses.
"White Factory" by Ludwig Geyer - Piotrkowska Street 282. The first mechanized industrial enterprise in Łódź dates back to 1839. Now it houses the Museum of the Textile Industry.
Kopish's bleaching shop - Tymenetsky street 5. This is the first manufactory in Łódź, founded in 1826.
"Barrels of Grohman". Manufactory gate of the Grokhmanov weaving factory.
Scheibler factory power plant - Tymenetsky street 3/7. A monument of industrial architecture in the Secession style (rhythmic forms, decorative elements made of ceramics and metal).
Factory of Markus Silberstein - Piotrkowska Street 250. Factory building with features of fortification architecture. Now it is a shopping center.
Factory of Ferdinand Geldner - 1905 Revolution Street No. 52. This restored factory building is occupied by the Higher School of Economics and Humanities.

Botanical Garden

Founded in 1929 and located in the western part of the city on the street. Kzhemenetskaya 36/38.

Łódź received the title of city in 1423, but in 1820 its population was only 800 people. Change began in 1823 with the construction of the New Town (Now Miasto)- the first settlement of textile workers. The elimination of customs barriers between Poland and Russia led to a sharp increase in textile exports to Russia, and by the end of the 19th century. Lodz has become one of the world centers of the textile industry.

During World War II, the Nazis set up two transit camps in Lodz for Polish prisoners of war, as well as a camp for Russian pilots, a camp for 5,000 gypsies from Germany, Austria and Balkan countries, as well as a camp for 4,000 Polish children. In neighboring Chełmno and Nereme, about 260,000 Jews were killed; the inhabitants of the city itself also suffered - out of 600 thousand people, only half remained after the war.

After the war around historical districts cities grew new homes and industries. In addition to the traditional textile industry, electrical and chemical industries have appeared in Lodz. New higher education institutions were opened educational establishments, the most famous of which is the State Higher School of Cinematography, Theater and Television. The University of Lodz has a faculty of Polish for foreigners.

Main attractions

The main attraction of Lodz is Piotrkowska Street, a wide pedestrian street 5 km long, which divides the city in two.

It contains many beautiful buildings cities that housed hotels, restaurants and bars, and in summer the street turns into a series of open cafes. Here, in the "White Factory", is the Museum of the textile industry (Muzeum Wlokiennictwa, ul. Piotrkowska 282, open: Tue-cp, nm 9.00-17.00, Thu 11.00-19.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-16.00, admission fee, www.muzeumwlokiennictwa.pl). It tells about the development of technology in the textile industry, as well as an excellent collection of textiles from all over the world, from the 16th century to the present. to our days.

There are others in Łódź interesting museums. At the Museum of Art (Muzeum Sztuki, ul. Wiackowskiego 36, open: Tue 10.00-17.00, cp, nm 11.00-17.00, Thu 12.00-17.00, Sat, Sun 10.00-16.00, admission fee, www.muzeumsztuki.lodz.pl) located in former palace Poznański family, exhibited works of Polish and foreign art from the 19th century. Until now. Museum of the History of Łódź (Muzeum Historii Miasta Lodzi, ul. Ogrodowa 15, open: Sat-Mon 10.00-14.00, Tue, Thu 10.00-16.00, cp 14.00-18.00, admission fee, www.poznanskipalace.muzeum-lodz.pl) is located in another Poznański palace, and here are stored historical documents, showing what the city looked like before it was destroyed during World War II.

Łódź Film School

Roman Polanski writes in his autobiography that "Łódź became Poland's film capital through a whim of history... After the war, the capital of the country, Washau, lay in ruins... and the government chose the nearest suitable city when looking for a location for a film center." Two years after the end of World War II, the Krakow Film Courses were moved to Łódź, and this is where Polish filmmakers have been studying ever since. Probably the most famous director of the Łódź School is Polanski. (movies "Rosemary's Baby", "Chinatown"); among other famous masters, the director of the school, Andrzej Wajda ("Promised Land", "Man of Iron", "Danton") and Krzysztof Kislowski ("The Double Life of Veronica", "Three Colors: Blue, White, Red").

The road there and back

From airport (www.airport.lodz.pl) where buses No. 55, No. 56 and L go (2.40zt, 20 minutes), there are several UK destinations including London (at least once a day) and Dublin (two times a week). This airport does not serve domestic flights.

From the station "Łódź Fabryczna", which is located 400 meters east of the city center, you can get to Warsaw (33zt, hour and a half, departures hourly), Czestochowa (25zt, two hours, four flights a day) and Krakow (40zt, four and a half hours, two flights a day). Station "Lodz Kaliska" (Lodz Kaliska) is located 1.2 km southwest of the city center and can be reached by tram number 12. Trains run from here to Warsaw (35zt, hour forty, four flights a day), Czestochowa (35zt, two hours, seven flights a day), Krakow (51zl, five hours, four flights a day), Wroclaw (46zt, four hours, five flights a day), Poznań (31zt, 4.5 hours, five flights per day), Turun (37zt, 2.5 hours, 12 flights per day) and Gdansk (56zt, seven hours, five flights a day). Buses go in all directions from the bus station located near the Lodz Factory.