3 Maja Street, Bydgoszcz

3 Maja Street is a historical street of downtown Bydgoszcz, Poland, which displays several murals.

Location
Parallel to the east to Gdańska Street, this south–north path starts from Jagiellońska street, crosses P. Skargi street and ends at the crossroad of Markwarta, Krasińskiego and Staszica streets.

It borders the western side of the Ludowy Park.

History
In the 19th century, the region out of the city of then-Bromberg was devoted to farming. In the 1850s, the new railway track leading to Toruń cut the village of Bleichfelde (today's Bialewy district) into two parts. The southern side was then the target of financial magnates of Bromberg, parcelling out family farms from the newly acquired swaths of land.

Therefore, in 1851, Karl Hempel, after the death of his father (one of the wealthy investors), took over the Grostwo estate. The latter was quickly renamed Hempels Feld (Hempel's field) and the land was incorporated in 1858, into the Bromberg's territory under this calling, Hempel straße.

The path is clearly referenced in the maps of the last quarter of the 19th century. For certain periods of time, until the early 1930s, the street had been encompassing a northern extension, nowadays Staszica street. Such was the case:
 * till 1865, the path being known as "Grostwo" (estate), then "Hempel field";
 * from 1914 to 1918, as "Hempel straße";
 * from 1919 to 1926, as "Grodztwo".

Naming
During its existence, the street bore the following names:
 * Till 1858 "Grostwo" (estate) then "Hempels Feld";
 * 1858–1920, Hempel straße. Named given after Karl Hempel (1827-1899) who took over the family estate then existing on the plot. Karl was a member of the German Reichstag from 1881 to 1884, representing the Bromberg region for the German Progress Party. He was also the co-founder and board member of the "Bromberger Gewerbebank". Furthermore, from 1868 onwards, he became a city councilor.
 * 1920–1926, Grodztwo in reference to the Grostwo estate;
 * 1926–1939, Ulica 3 Maja;
 * 1939–1945, Hempelstraße;
 * 1945–1948, Ulica 3 Maja;
 * 1948–1956, Ulica 15 grudnia 1948 (15 December 1948 street), in reference to the date of the creation of the Polish United Workers' Party (Communist party which ruled Poland from 1948 to 1990);
 * From 1956, Ulica 3 Maja (3rd of May street).

This name commemorates the "3 May 1791 Constitution Day".

Main edifices
Medical College Buildings, at 13/15 Jagiellońska street

1850–1852

Functionalism

The building was erected between 1850 and 1852, as Bromberg hospital garrison. It was located then at the crossroads of then "Wilhelmstrasse" and "Hempelstrasse". The main building, U-shaped, was a monumental edifice of brick facades, with a three-storey body, flanked by 2 avant-corps in its corners: they were higher than the facade and topped with battlements, like medieval towers. Originally the building had a symmetrical facade along a two-storey avant-corps topped with battlements, where was located the main entrance, and three extra barracks for the sick. Additional elements were built regularly until 1910:
 * In the back of the lot in 1881 an outbuilding was constructed;
 * In 1890–91, a new western edifice part housed hospital administration and direction;
 * In 1910, a new, ground-floor morgue was built.

In 1919, with the recreation of the Polish state, city authorities took over the hospital from Prussian militaries. The size of Bydgoszcz garrison and the proximity with the fighting area of Polish–Soviet War increased significantly the activity of the institution: in 1920, under the command of Poznan General District, the medical capacity of the institution reached the maximum amount of 1,140 beds. After the conflict the number of hospitalized patients steadily decreased, with 320 beds (1922), 300 beds (1923) and 200 in 1924–1925. In 1928, Torun military authorities decided to stop the activity of Bydgoszcz hospital, which had only 100 beds left, keeping only the District Hospital in Torun. In this way, Bydgoszcz remained till 1939 without Military medical department.

During Nazi occupation, the building was used as a German military hospital.

After the liberation of Bydgoszcz, from 26 January to 10 February 1945, hospital buildings accommodated a Mobile Field Surgical Hospital of the Polish Army. In 1948, a huge renovation occurred: expansion of the main building, demolition five secondary edifices. The renovated complex housed the Provincial Council of Polish Communist Party till the end of the communist era.

In 1990, the edifice became the property of the Regional Treasure Department: at that time, several buildings passed to the ownership of the Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, which housed here offices of the rector, two deaneries, college administrators, some classrooms, a cafeteria and an additional dormitory. Around 2000, with Tax and Revenue office leaving the premises, the whole building fell under the responsibility of the university.

From the former buildings of the garrison hospital, only the U-shaped footprint is left. It was initially constructed in the style of historicism, using forms of Neo-Romanesque. Its appearance resembled a fortress, but these stylistic features have been lost during the complex reconstruction carried out in 1947–1948, which also wiped away the avant-corps, changed the size and shape of the windows, added a fourth floor and extended the gable to the whole edifice.