The Bydgoszcz Water Tram is  perceived  as  an  element  of the city public  transport, and at the same time is a major tourist attraction. The popularity of this means  of  transport  can  be evidenced  by  numbers:  1570 hours of cruising a year with 40 thousand  people  carried.  The trip on a water tram can start at Rybi Rynek  (Fish Market). From there  we  can  head  off  in  two directions:  towards  Astoria  or Tesco.

Direction  RYBI  RYNEK  - TESCO

The  most  significant buildings  at  this  main  riverside square    Rybi  Rynek  –  are  the 18th century granaries with their t radi t ional   half  timbe r ed constructions.  The  beauty  of these  buildings,  which  presently serve  as  a  museum,  is emphasized by  the neighbouring shape  of  the  BRE  Bank.  These glass  granaries  designed  by Andrzej   Bulanda and Włodzimierz  Mucha  constitute  a symbol  of  an  energetically developing  city  and  are  an  icon of   cont emporary   Polish architecture.  Right  beside  this structure  there  is  an  enchanting red brick building designed in the Dutch mannerism  style   Lloyd’s Palace.  The  edifice  was  erected at  the end of 19th  century by a shipping  trade  entrepreneur Otto Liedke. On the other side of the  river  we  can  admire  the monumental brick building of the Main Post Office, from the end of the 19th century. Once  we  pass  under  the first  bridge  –  the  Bernardyński Bridge we  go past  a  palace  on the Brda  (1894)  that used  to be the  seat  of  Bydgoszcz  Rowing Association.

Today  it  is  a restaurant.  As  we  continue  our cruise we get  to  the main coach terminal, where there is the first stop along the route. Along  the  last section  we  can  see  the  sports and  event  hall “Łuczniczka”.    This  modern building  can  house  over  8.000 spectators  and  is  a  stage  for competitions  of  basketball, volleyball, handball and athletics. It  was  here  that  the  following events  were  held:  EuroBasket 2009,  European  Volleybal l Championships  2009 and one of the world most significant indoor athletic meetings – Pedros Cup. In  the  vicinity  of  the  last stop  there  is  the  luxurious hotel “Słoneczny  Młyn”.  The  hotel  is located  in  the  renovated  old buildings of the former Kentzer’s Mills.  This  facility  from  1916 presents  an  example  of  the typical  industrial  architecture  of 19th  century  Bydgoszcz.  The cruise  on  the  tram  “Słonecznik” or  ”Bydgoszcz”  will  end  by  the Tesco supermarket.

Direction  RYBI  RYNEK  – ASTORIA

We can start our cruise on the  Bydgoszcz  Water  Tram  at Rybi  Rynek  (Fish  Market),  rightbeside the historic half–timbered granaries from the 18th century. Just  before  we  get  to  the  firstbridge along this route – the old town  Jerzy  Sulima–Kamiński Bridge  – we will  notice  a  rather unique  sculpture  hanging  a  few meters above  the surface of  the water.  It  depicts  a  gravity defying  tightrope  walker  with  a pole  in  one  hand  and  spears  in the  other.  The  sculpture  was unveiled  on May  1st  2004  –  on the  day  Poland  joined  the European   Union tocommemorate  this  historical event. 

Once  past  the  bridge wehead  towards  the  buildings  of the Opera Nova,  the Parish Weir from  1899  and  the  SS.  Martinand  Nicolaus’s  Cathedral  of Bydgoszcz (14601502). The  next  place  on  our route  is Mill  Island – an enclaveof  greenery  dotted  with  anumber of historic objects.

 The majority of these buildings serveas  museums  and  exhibition centres. The White Granary from 1789,  located  right  by  the  bankof  the  Brda  River,  houses  an archeological  collection.  The biggest  complex  of  buildings  on the  island,  a  structure  that comp l iment s  its   un ique atmosphere,  are  Rother’s  Mills. Their  history  as  old  grain  millsgoes back to the  first half of the 19th century. The  high  point  of  our cruise,  in  the  middle  of  the waterscape  of  the  city,  is  the operations  connected  with getting  through  a  lock.  In  the city lock from 1915, the vessel israised  3.5  meters.  This  historichydroengineer ing  object enables  boats  to  overcome  the differences in the levels of water that are caused by weirs  located within the area of Bydgoszcz. The  most  interesting building  that  we  will  be  able  to spot  from  the deck of  the Water Tram  at  this  stage  of  our journey,  is  the  edifice  of  the former  Headquarters  of  the Prussian  Eastern  Railways.  One of the most splendid buildings  in the  city  it  was  built  in  1889  in the  style  of  Dutch  mannerism. The  brick  structure  is  richly decorated  with  masonwork details. A  stop  of  the Water  Tram is  located  right  beside  Queen Jadwiga  Bridge. 

Even  though there  are  over  30  bridges  of  all kinds  in  Bydgoszcz,  this particular  one  is  considered  the most  meaningful  in  the  city.  It owes its popularity to its elegant look as well as  to  Jerzy Sulima Kamiń s k i   –   wellkn own Bydgoszcz writer  – author of an epos  entitled  “Most  Królowej Jadwigi”  (Queen  Jadwiga Bridge). This  onespan  bridge decorated  with  beautiful  lamp posts and wroughtiron rails with the city’s crest was put to use on August 25th 1913.