Park Casimir The Great Bydgoszcz
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Casimir the Great Park is the oldest park in
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
, Poland, covering an area of 2.24 ha. The park is located in a central part of downtown
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
, bordered by Gdańska Street, Konarski Street, Jagiellońska street and Freedom Square. Its area represents a rectangle of 100m by 200m.


History

Park Casimir the Great is a fragment of the much larger park of the Order of Saint Clare in Bydgoszcz dating back to the first half of the 17th century. Sisters of Poor Clares came to
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
in 1615, and after the construction of the monastery (now one of the city museum buildings), the adjacent garden was created and organized. It can be accessed today through an alley at 3 May Street 3: its surface is approximately 3.5 hectares. The original garden was not only ornamental, but also practical: a fish pond, a kitchen garden, an orchard with medicinal plants were part of it. After secularization of the order by the Prussian authorities, the garden belonged to the regional office of
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
, which turned it into a three hectare "District Park" (german: Regierungs Garten) in 1835, forbidden to city residents. In 1861 two swans and carp were purchased for the two ponds. In the 1900-1901, the park was renovated, and its area reduced to 2.4 ha. The work was led by Paul Meyerkamp. After completion on October 1, 1901, the park, now property of the municipal and urban park administration (german: Stadt Park), was made available to the city public. On 23 July 1904, on the northern edge of the park close to Freedom Square, the monumental foutain "The Deluge" was inaugurated. It is a work by the Berlin sculptor
Ferdinand Lepcke Ferdinand Lepcke (or Lepke) (1866–1909) was a German sculptor, who in particular realized two major monuments in Bydgoszcz: the Deluge Fountain and The Archer. He received a golden medal at the Great Berlin Art Exhibition and, the Berlin Mini ...
. The masterpiece sculpture has been integrated and connected with the surrounding park in a seamless manner. In 1938, 69 species of trees and shrubs were growing in the park, many dating back to 17th and 18th century. The largest specimens were, among others, several English oaks with trunk circonference 390 to 400 cm and 50 giant
Scots elm ''Ulmus glabra'' Hudson, the wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese and Sicily, where the species reaches ...
specimens. At this time, many species were growing in the park, including park include: elms, sessile oaks, pyramidal English oaks, ailanthi, horse-chestnuts, sugar maples,
maple trees ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
, birches, Siberian peashrubs, purple
hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...
s, purple European beeches, Kentucky coffeetrees, grandiflora hortensias, kerrias, magnolias, American sycamores,
peony The peony or paeony is a flowering plant in the genus ''Paeonia'' , the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae . Peonies are native to Asia, Europe and Western North America. Scientists differ on the number of species that can be distinguished, ...
bushes, black locusts, robinias, snowberry bushes, large-leaved lindens, small-leaved lindens,
yews Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus b ...
, pines, black pines, Caucasian walnuts,
cypress Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs of northern temperate regions that belong to the family Cupressaceae. The word ''cypress'' is derived from Old French ''cipres'', which was imported from Latin ''cypressus'', the ...
es, London planetrees and other trees and shrubs. During the German occupation, a lot of trees were cut down to build shelters, mainly during 1944. Generally speaking, trees of the park have been destroyed by war artillery. In January 1943 Nazis looted the fountain "The Deluge" for war purposes. In 1946, to celebrate the 600th anniversary of
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
an exhibition about Pomeranian Industry, Craft and Trade was held in the park and in the three schools located at Konarski Street. The exhibition, convened from 14 July to 15 September, housed 1085 exhibitors, and was visited by 120000 people during the first three weeks. A temporary outdoor amphitheatre had been set up for the occasion. The latter was replaced by permanent one, built in 1956 in the nearby Wincenty Witos Park. In the 1990s and the beginning of 21st century, the park Casimir the Great has undergone a restoration, culminating by the reconstruction of fountain "The Deluge" to its original shape in 2014.


Successive appellations

Through its history, the park had been given the following names: * 1615 - 1835, Garden of Poor Clare sisters * 1835 - 1901, Regency Park (german: Regierungs Garten) * 1901 - 1920, Municipal Park (german: Stadt Park) * 1920 - 1939, Park Casimir the Great ( pl, Park Kazimierza Wielkiego) * 1939 - 1945, Park Victoria (german: Viktoriapark) * Since 1945, Park Casimir the Great ( pl, Park Kazimierza Wielkiego). Patron of the park is king Casimir the Great (1309-1370) who gave civic rights to
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
city and ordered the building of the Castle of Bydgoszcz in 1346.


Rare trees

The park features the following rare tree species: *
cypresses Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs of northern temperate regions that belong to the family Cupressaceae. The word ''cypress'' is derived from Old French ''cipres'', which was imported from Latin ''cypressus'', the la ...
, * conical oaks, * London planetrees. In the park Casimir the Great seven specimens are identified as Polish Natural Monuments, and twelve others are located in the close vicinity. Polish Natural Monuments in the park Casimir the Great and its surroundingsMeasures from 2011


Gallery

File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego staw wyspa.jpg, Island in the pond File:View on Park Casimir.JPG, View on Park Casimir Bydgoszcz File:View on Park Casimir 2.JPG, View of Park Casimir Bydgoszcz File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego 3.jpg, In March File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego a.jpg, In May File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego kościół.jpg, At the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego BWA 1.jpg, View from BWA Gallery File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego staw płd.jpg, Southern pond File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego staw.jpg, Northern pond File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego aleja.jpg, Alley on Freedom Square File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego 4.jpg, Northern pond in winter File:Park Kazimierza Wielkiego villa secesja.jpg, Villa Secesja File:Park Kazimierza Wilkiego 2.jpg, Restaurant "Weranda" File:Staw płn w parku Kaz Wlk panorama.jpg, Northern Pond, on the right Taxodium distichum - Polish Natural Monument File:Bdg parkKazWlk pnr1 10-2013.jpg, Southern pond in Fall 2013


See also

*
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
* Freedom Square in Bydgoszcz * Gdańska Street, Bydgoszcz * St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Bydgoszcz *
Freedom Monument, Bydgoszcz Freedom Monument ( pl, Pomnik Wolności) is a monument in Bydgoszcz commemorating both the fallen Soviet and Polish soldiers who fought during the liberation of the city in January 1945, and the return of Bydgoszcz to Poland on 20 January 1920. Th ...
*
Tenement at Freedom Square 1, Bydgoszcz Tenement Freedom Square 1 is an historic house of Bydgoszcz. It is often displayed on postcards as one of the turn of the century iconic building in Bydgoszcz. The architect, Józef Święcicki, is also the builder of the Hotel "Pod Orlem" in Bydgo ...
* Parks and green areas in Bydgoszcz * Nature conservation in Bydsgoszcz


References


Bibliography

* * * * {{Authority control Parks in Bydgoszcz Casimir III the Great