Bright Meadows

The John Paul II Bright Meadows Square, commonly known as the Bright Meadows, and until 1945 known as Quistorp Meadow, is a garden square in the city of Szczecin, Poland. It is located in the neighbourhood of Śródmieście-Północ, within the district of Śródmieście. The park borders Szczecin City Hall to the south, and Jan Kasprowicz Park to the north. The square was opened in the 1927.

Characteristics
The park consists of a long rectangle-shaped lawn surrounded by alleys on its sides, with rows of flowers and London plane trees.

It is located in the district of Śródmieście, in the Śródmieście-Północ municipal neighbourhood. The park borders Szczecin City Hall to the south, and Jan Kasprowicz Park to the north, with the Monument to Polish Endeavor at its entrance. The Monument of John Paul II, located within the park, was designed by Czesław Dźwigaj and Stanisław Latour and constructed in 1987.

History
The park was built between 1925 and 1927, on the land donated in 1925 to the city by Martin Quistorp. Square was named after him, the Quistorp Meadow (German: Quistorp-Aue). Following World War II, when the city of Szczecin, Poland was transferred from the occupied Germany to Poland, the park was renamed to the Bright Meadows (Polish: Jasne Błonia).

Throughout its history, various events and festivals were hosted in the park, including the Trzymamy Straż Nad Odrą in 1946, and the meeting with Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union, in 1959.

In 1979, at the entrance to the Jan Kasprowicz Park from the Bright Meadows, was built the Monument to the Polish Endeavor, designed by artist Gustaw Zemła.

On 11 June 1987, Pope John Paul II had performed a mass at the Bright Meadows, during his visit to Poland. The altar had been placed in front of the Monument to the Polish Endeavor. In 1987, in the park was placed the Monument of John Paul II, to commemorate this event. It was designed by Czesław Dźwigaj and Stanisław Latour. In 1995, the square had been given full official name, that is the John Paul II Bright Meadows Square. It continues to be commonly referred to simply as the Bright Meadows.

In 2004, the square was included on the voivodeship heriatage register.