The Old Market is the central point of the city that was established at the order of King Casmir the Great in 1346. Until the end of the 18th c. the market was situated on an island. The 17th c. city together with the castle that does not exist anymore are presented on a model located next to the granaries [1]. The old times are also reflected by the Brda River that is just a 100 metres away from the Old Market and its arm – the Młynówka.
Getting to know the atmosphere of the Old Market [2] requires a longer stop. For centuries the central square of the city has always been full of life: at some point it concentrated the trade of the whole region, while today until late at night it is a venue of the cultural life of the biggest city in the region.
The majority of tourists as well as Bydgoszcz inhabitants enter the Old Market from the direction of Mostowa Street [3]. From this perspective the first building that draws our attention is the edifice of the Regional and Municipal Public Library [4]. It was built in the years 1774-1778 in Baroque-Classicist style and houses in its interiors many antique books: mid-fifteenth-century sermons, nine fifteenth-century editions of the Bible and the world's only preserved copy of a work in its entirety by Girolamo Savonarola, published in 1480 in Florence. Noteworthy also is a collection of royal documents beginning with king Ladislaus the Short (Władysław Łokietek) and ending with papers by Stanislaus August Poniatowski and the manuscript of "Rota" by Maria Konopnicka.
An excellent way to get to know local artists: painters, writers, poets and musicians is to visit the artists’ café “Węgliszek” that is located at the corner of the market and Batorego Street [5]. It is here that the local bohemians organize poetry nights and concerts, which with a bit of luck we can possibly join.
As an almost 700-year-old city, Bydgoszcz is surrounded by quite a number of legends: according to a story by the writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, for four months Bydgoszcz was home to a well known wizard – Mr. Twardowski [6]. He must have liked it here since now every day at 13.13 and 21.13 his figure appears in the top window of house No. 15 with his pact with the Devil in his hand (For more see: section Legends of Bydgoszcz).
The central building of the Old Market is the city hall, originating from the 17th c. later rebuilt several times [7]. Initially the building served as a Jesuits’ College, and since 1879 has been the seat of the city authorities. A detailed history of this place is presented in Polish, English and German on a glass plaque located in front of the city hall. There are a dozen or so of such plaques around the Old Town. We recommend having a look at some of them. In front of the city hall there is the Bydgoszcz Battle and Martyrdom Monument (1969) [8], that now commemorates the victims of the Nazi and Stalinist terror in the area of Bydgoszcz.
Another interesting spot in the Old Market, mainly due to its photogenic character, is the stone well – fountain presenting ”Children playing with a goose” [9]. The fountain by Karol Kowalczewski was funded by the family of pharmacists - Kupffenders. The sculpture was unveiled in 1909 on the 100th anniversary of the Pharmacy ”Pod Złotym Orłem”( “Under the Golden Eagle”) [10].
The route around the Old Town continues along Teofila Magdzińskiego Street right towards the market hall built in 1904 [11]. The building was designed by Berlin architects from the Boswau and Knauer GmbH studio in neo-Gothic and modernist style. Particularly interesting is the main entrance to the hall with its two towers and the city's coat of arms. Behind the building there is a small market where you can often find merchants of antiques.
When crossing Kościeleckich Sq. on our way to Długa St. it is recommended to have a look at the interiors of St. Andrzej Bobola church [12]. The church was built at the beginning of the 20th c. and until 1945 it served the evangelical community. Later, under an agreement with the church of Augsburg, the church was transferred to the Catholics. The interior features a neo-Gothic style crystal vault. The very unique element of the church is the organ by Wilhelm Sauer. For several years the church has been the venue of the Bydgoszcz Organ Evenings – an event that refers to a pre-war tradition of holding symphonic concerts in this building.
A visit to Długa St. is a good opportunity to buy some souvenirs from Bydgoszcz. You can find them at the Tourist Information Point in a historic tram [13] and in the shop of the Friends of Bydgoszcz Association at 15 Długa St. Additionally, regional crafts and products typical for the area of the kujawsko-pomorskie voivodeship, as well as modern art, can be found in various galleries in the Old Town (See: section Souvenirs from Bydgoszcz).
Bydgoszcz owes its special atmosphere also to people, whose achievements promote the city both in Poland and abroad. The most important ambassadors of the city on the Brda have been awarded the “Autographs of Bydgoszcz” [14], that is commemorative plaques located on the pavement of Długa St. Among the distinguished inhabitants of Bydgoszcz we can find: Jerzy Hoffman (film director), Rafał Blechacz (pianist), Zbigniew Boniek (footballer) and Tomasz Gollob (speedway rider).
Along Przesmyk St., past the corner house ”Dom Ekonomisty” from the mid-19th c., we get to Nowy Rynek (New Market) [15] that is dominated by the monument to King Casmir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki) [16]. On a relatively small area we are able to see the District Court from 1905 [17], remains of the city walls [18], the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas [19] and a half-timbered granary from the beginning of the 19th c. [20]. If we allocate more time for sight-seeing, it is worthwhile to go up a few steps to see a panorama of the city centre [21].
Then we get back to Długa Street and head on to Wełniany Rynek (Wool Market). The focal point of this triangular square is the monument to the last prewar Mayor of the city of Bydgoszcz – Leon Barciszewski [22].
We do not stay here for any length of time. Between two tenement houses there is a passage to a footbridge [23] that takes us right to Mill Island and the surrounding “Venice of Bydgoszcz” [24].
A frontage of tenement houses from the 19th and beginning of the 20th c., situated directly over the Młynówka River, is considered the one of the main tourist attractions of the city. This group of mainly brick buildings located right by the river bank has for many years been an inspiration for artists. The charming atmosphere of this area was appreciated by the film director Andrzej Maleszka, who located the plot of his film “The Magic Tree” right by the Młynówka River. From the boulevards of the island there are good views on other city attractions e.g. the Opera Nova [25] and the cathedral. Whereas, the beauty of the island is best observed from the amphitheatre outside the Bydgoszcz opera. In the distance, over the trees, we can see the historic water tower. This neo-Gothic engineering facility was designed by Franz Marschall and erected at the turn of the 20th century [26].
Mill Island is a green enclave - a park with historical objects scattered on its area. Most of these buildings currently function as museums. And so, for example, the White Granary from 1789 houses the Museum of Archaeology [27], and the building at 4 Mennica Street - The European Centre of Money [28]. The villa at 7 Mennica Street has been arranged as Leon Wyczółkowski’s House [29], and it is a museum devoted to the life and work of one of the leading representatives of the “Młoda Polska” – “Young Poland” period in the stream of realistic painting. The most valuable exhibits, however, are in the Gallery of Modern Art [30]. The interiors of the Red Granary (1861), extended by a characteristic glass shape, include works by such artists as: Jacek Malczewski, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Tadeusz Kantor and Tadeusz Brzozowski. Numerous park alleys with benches and footbridges are ideal places to relax between visits to museums.
The biggest structure on the island, which perfectly complements the unique atmosphere of the place, are the Rother’s Mills [31]. Its history dates back to the first half of the 19th century: originally it housed grain mills, today, the object is to be revitalized – in the future it is planned to be a hotel. Tourists, who are probably exhausted by now, can pop into one of the restaurants or cafés on Mill Island and the Venice of Bydgoszcz [32].
The last stop on the route through the Old Town is the Cathedral Church of St. Martin and Nicholas (1460-1502) [33]. To get from the Island to the oldest preserved church in Bydgoszcz we will walk along Przyrzecze Street or down the parallel Jezuicka Street [34].
The 15th century church was built in late Gothic style. On the main altar there is a painting of Our Lady with a Rose, also dating from the 15th century. The founder of the altar and of one of the most beautiful images of the Virgin Mary was a governor of Bydgoszcz – starost Jan Kościelecki. Inside the church there is a historic baptismal font and an altar from the Baroque era. It is worthwhile having a look at the polychromies (wall-paintings) made in the years 1922-1925 to a design by Stefan Cybichowski. Our visit round the city can be finished by the monument to St. John of Nepomuk of 1729 [35].
The location of the sculpture right by the bank of the Brda River is not accidental: St. John of Nepomuk is in fact the patron saint of bridges and according to folk tradition protects the fields and crops from flooding.