Staszica and Paderewskiego Streets, Bydgoszcz

Staszica and Paderewskiego streets are located in downtown district, in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Many of the buildings along this axis are either registered on the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, or part of a historical ensemble of Eclectic and Art Nouveau architecture in Bydgoszcz.

Location
Streets stretch on a continuous axis, roughly south-north oriented, running parallel to Gdańska and 20 Stycznia 1920 streets on the west.

Staszica street, is 220 m long, from the crossing with Krasiński Street to the southern tip of Paderewskiego street.

Paderewskiego street, 580 m long, extends to the north Staszica till reaching the intersection with Chodkiewicza street.

History
On an 1876 map by Paul Berthold Jaekel, the pathway is indicated, without any mention of the name. The first map to reference both streets dates back to 1908, under the following calling: Braesicke Straße and Schiller Straße.

In Bromberg address books, both axis are listed from 1905 onwards. During several decades, Staszica street has been part of a longer path, incorporated to now 3 Maja street:
 * till 1860s, this longer track was known as Grostwo (estate), then Hempel estate;
 * identically, from 1914 to 1926, 3 Maja (then Hempel straße) and Staszica (then Braesicke straße) streets were merged under the calling Hempel straße and Ulica Grodztwo.

Paderewskiego street inception was part of a district developed in two plans, one at the end of the 19th century, another in 1903. The concept of this new area was based on a rectangular grid of streets (Gdańska, Adam Mickiewicz Alley, Józef Weyssenhoff Square, Niemcewicza and Chodkiewicza), all located within city boundaries. This district was also convenient by the proximity of the newly built facilities (administrative and educational center), main railway station.

By 2023, Paderewskiego street will be extended to the north by 180 m to join the future Music Academy Campus which is planned stand on a three-hectare plot, between streets Kamienna, Chodkiewicza and Gdańska

Naming
Staszica street was known as Braesicke Straße, from its construction to 1920 and during German occupation (1939-1945). Mr Braesicke was a mayor of Bromberg from 1890 to 1898.

Current name comes from Stanisław Staszic (1755-1826), a leading figure of the Polish Enlightenment: a Catholic priest, philosopher, geologist, writer, poet, translator and statesman.

Paderewskiego street was called Schiller Straße, from its inception till 1920, and also during German occupation, with reference to German poet Friedrich Schiller.

Patron name refers to Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941), a Polish pianist and composer, politician, statesman and spokesman for Polish independence.

Staszica Street
The street, on its first numbers, faces on the east a large green area, Lieutenant Leszek Biały square.

Tenement at Zygmunt Krasiński Street 23, corner with Staszica street

2010, by Budlex

Modern architecture

The plot at then Fröhnerstraße 3 was first owned by Robert Böhme, also landlord of tenement at Nr.21. At the end of World War I, the area has been left abandoned until a first theatre, Paw, was built. It opened on Sunday 8 November 1929 with an 800-seat capacity. It became cinema Appolo in 1931. During World War II, Nazi authorities changed its name to Bidegast. The theatre was renamed Polonia in 1945: it welcomed movies till March 31, 2003.

Once demolished, the place has been housing a new habitation complex, Rubinowy Dom (Ruby House), since 2010.

Paderewskiego Street
Copernicanum building, at 1 Kopernika Street

Registered on the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Heritage list Nr.601363, reg.A/784 (May 5, 1992)

1903-1906, by Carl Zaar and Rudolf Vahl

Secession Style

The building had many owners: initially a Prussian realschule, then a city high school for mathematics and natural sciences, it housed a military hospital during German occupation. In 1923, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, the then junior high school adopted his name. The University of Casimir the Great has been the current owner of the edifice since 2005.