Grodzka Street, Bydgoszcz

Grodzka Street is a historical street in Old Town of Bydgoszcz, Poland. The street is located in the northern part of the Old Town: it stretches along Brda River waterfront, following an east-west axis. The street starts at the intersection with Bernardyńska street and ends at Tadeusz Malczewski street's crossing. Its length is approximately 430 m. The Grodzka Street was laid out in mid-14th century, when Bydgoszcz became a charter city. Grodzka Street buildings vary greatly one from the other, beginning with the three historic granaries from late 18th century, to the all-glass similar-shape modern mBank in Bydgoszcz, which became an icon of Polish architecture.

History
The Grodzka Street changed names numerous times in its history. It was known from 16th century to 1750 as "Platea balnealis" (,Łazienna) for the western part, "Platea castriensis" for the eastern part. During the 19th century, it was called successively Mühlenstraße (1800–1816), then Alte Mühlenstraße (1840–1861) and Schloßstraße for eastern part of the street (1800–1900). Lastly, in the 20th century, its name was Burgstraße (1901–1920, 1939–1945) and Ulica Grodzka (1920–1939, since 1945).

Early history
In its eastern part, the street runs through Bydgoszcz oldest settlement, which included Bydgoszcz's early medieval castle from the castellany era and the 14th century castle of Casimir the Great. The area has been the focus of numerous archaeological excavations, which has intensified since the 1990s, providing a huge amount of information on various aspects of settlement and development of Bydgoszcz.



The first settlement of Bydgoszcz built between 11th and 12th centuries had its footprint in the area of Grodzka Street, between Przy Zamczysku and Bernardyńska streets. First comprehensive archaeological searches conducted in the 1990s led to the discovery of large-scale relics related to the first footprint of Bydgoszcz settlement, with its castle built on an island formed Brda river meanders. It consisted of a fortified area, with log cabin-type housing and utility buildings. In the southern part of this island has been unveiled wooden structures attributed to a harbor on the river. The fortification system has been dated by dendrochronology from 1037 to 1038.

Subsequent excavations have been taken in 2007 in connection with the construction of a Holiday Inn hotel at the confluence of Grodzka and Bernardyńska streets. Findings have complemented previous searches regarding former castle, unveiling among other things, wooden relics of log cabin buildings. Those documents and elements of the early medieval castle are now presented the elements in the district archeological museum in the White Granary on Mill Island.

Archaeological work was also conducted in the middle of the street, at the intersection of Grodzka and Podwale streets. It has unveiled wooden joists piles set on a NE-SW track, interpreted as remnants of a wood surface of today's Kreta street. On the other hand, at the crossing with Mostowa street have been discovered several building layers made of wood and brick. Those edifices are dated back to the second half of the 14th century, for the timber-framed buildings and to the 15th–19th century for brick buildings. Searches also excavated thousands of objects from daily life. In 2014, another study has unveiled a wooden road from the 16th century, preserved in a pretty good state.

From 14th to 18th century
Until 1772 Grodzka Street was the main axis that spread along the northern edge of the city. Starting at St Martin and St Nicholas cathedral where were laid the city walls, it led to the Old Castle in the east. In 15th and 16th centuries, on the western end of the street was built a bridge connecting to Mill Island in Bydgoszcz, located at Farna weir: it has been demolished since.

With time, southern side of the street developed estate houses, while northern side areas were used for business (granaries and waterfront harbour). In the western end of the street, around the cathedral, there was a municipal cemetery till the end of the 18th century.

Public baths
The western part of Grodzka street was called "Łazienna" from polish word for city bath, then located in the area. On June 21, 1549, Andrzej Kościelecki, Bydgoszcz Starosta and governor of Poznan, came to terms with the City Council to have public baths built. It was created on Brda river waterfront, but in the absence of reliable sources, the exact location of the property is not known. In 1573, the governor and mayor of Bydgoszcz, Jan Kościelecki, asked the City Council to renovate the devastated public baths, for hygienic purposes. Another mention in the documents dates back to 1717: minor bathing activity was still performed at this time.

Grodzka Gate
Until 1772, eastern end of today's Grodzka street was called named "Zamkowej" (polish for Castle), referring to the neighboring town castle to where the street led. Between the city itself and the castle stood a fence or defensive wall, which was pierced at the end of the street by the Grodzka Gate. It had no military importance but was the only connection between the city and the castle. No remains of the door have been ever found during archaeological excavations, but written sources proved its existence. Behind the gate was a bridge over the castle moat.

On the basis of several historical plans (Dahlberg (1657), Gretha (1774), Steermanna (1789), Lindner (1800)) studies have estimated the location of this gate in the area of the intersection of Grodzka and Podwale Streets: between the current Lloyd's Palace and Seminary building (at Nr.16 of Grodzka Street). The Grodzka Gate, along with the city castle were destroyed during Swedish invasions in the 17th century, and never rebuilt.

Prussian period
On a detailed plan of the city, prepared by the Prussian geometer Gretha in 1774, plots along the street are partially occupied by current buildings. In the western part, the street ran along the municipal cemetery to the bridge connecting Mill Island in Bydgoszcz. On the eastern side, the watered castle moat is still standing. Between the castle and the Brda river stands the cane sugar refinery building (now PZU building). On the map of Lindner from 1800 are clearly visible the new buildings erected during 25 years: the municipal granaries on the river waterfront and the fish Market, established along a dirt road meandering around the ruins of the castle.

From 1834 on, a continuous frontages of houses and granaries were visible in the western part of Grodzka street, but, since the mid-19th century, the bridge extending the street to Mill Island has been demolished, and Grodzka ends with a connection to Tadeusz Malczewski Street. The only difference between 1876's and today's layout is the extension of Grodzka street to the east, linking to Bernardyńska street.

In the second half of the 19th century, new buildings have been erected in the street: the Seminary Building (1858), and the Lloyd's Palace (1884), both placed on the plot of the dried moat castle. The most representative buildings, now gone, were standing at the intersection with Mostowa street: the House Jachmann (1838) with its cafe Bristol onto the Brda river, and the House Fryderyk (1902) comprising a restaurant Piwnica Fryderykowska, a department store and suites, design by builder Joseph Święcicki.

In the early 20th century, on the site of the former castle was built an evangelical temple, which after World War II became the Jesuit's church of St. Andrew Bobola.

Demolitions during the Nazi occupation
In 1940, on Hitler's orders, the Nazi occupation authorities demolished buildings and granaries nearby Mostowa street (in particular houses Jachmann and Fryderyk).

Post-World War II period
In 1960, two half-timbered granaries located on the fish market burned down. In 1973, a square with a fountain has been built nearby Mostowa street where the houses demolished in 1940 stood. The northernmost part of Grodzka street has been rebuilt in 2006–2007, works being completed in 2015 including: the Grodzka street section from Mostowa St. to Podwale St. (repaved), the bridge, entirely restored, and Jatki street, between old market square and Grodzka, renovated. After 1990, new distinctive modern buildings appeared in the street including: mBank seat in Bydgoszcz, recognizable by its glass granary architecture has been erected in 1996–1998, and the three star Holiday Inn hotel, built in 2008–2010 at the eastern end of the street. The modernization of the street pavement was included in the Revitalization Plan of Bydgoszcz.

Main places and buildings
The Culture institute – Catholic house, at 1

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage List Nr.702040, Reg.A/1266, (January 31, 2006).

The building was constructed in 1927–1928 to accommodate the growing number of the Polish Catholic community in Bydgoszcz after the city rejoined Poland in 1920. Pastor Tadeusz Skarbek-Malczewski wanted to improve dramatically the modest original rectory housing at Focha Street 11 and thus planned to build a house designed for meetings and educational activities for Catholics in Bydgoszcz. The plot selected at Grodzka 1 was owned by the church and the architect selected was Stefan Cybichowski from Poznan, builder of many monasteries in Wielkopolska and Pomerania. The construction was financed from social contributions and with the help of local authorities. The consecration of the Catholic House by Tadeusz Skarbek-Malczewski happened on March 11, 1927.

The ground floor housed a reading room and a hall room for 240 seats, while upstairs were a room hall with 60 seats and the manager apartment. The House held parish meetings, meetings with children and youth, performances of religious content by amateur theaters and youth teams, and various religious events. In December 1939, when Nazi forces took the city, collections were moved to the Municipal Museum building on Mill Island, leaving the edifice at the care of curator Kazimierz Borucki. The edifice has not been impacted by 1940s destruction of waterfront buildings nearby Mostowa street (Houses "Jachman" and "Fryderyk").

After World War II, the building has been used for meetings of Catholic associations and ministries activities. In 1964, the eastern part has been rebuilt and in 1989, a monument to Leon Barciszewski (Bydgosdzcz Mayor) has been unveiled in the nearby square – it has been moved to Długa street in 2008. In the years 1982–2000 the building housed classrooms of the Primate Institute of Christian Culture. Since the erection in 2004 of Bydgoszcz Diocese, the manager of the building is the diocesan curia. In 2007 renovations have carried out with subsidies from the city.

After granting Bydgoszcz with EU funds under the Regional Operational Programme of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, the edifice has been completely renovated and transformed into a "Institute of Culture – Polish House", dedicated to culture, business and society. The property houses the conference center of the diocese, and it is planned to open a Museum of the Diocese of Bydgoszcz. Official inauguration of the Polish House has happened on May 24, 2012, in the presence of Bydgoszcz bishop Jan Tyrawa and Bydgoszcz Mayor Rafał Bruski