Park Miejski Błonie

Park Miejski Błonie occupies former meadows above the Bzura river, close to the centre of Łowicz. It is the largest green area in the city, divided into zones for running, ball games, walks and leisure with children. The official address of the park is ulica Starorzecze, though in many places it operates under the colloquial name Park Miejski.

The origin of the name Błonie

Błonia are former riverside meadows, used in Łowicz for centuries for grazing livestock. When the city transformed this area into a public park, the name remained permanently. In 2011 the Polish Urban Society recognised the park as the best developed public space in Łódzkie Province, which confirms that the arrangement of this place was considered exemplary at that time.

What you will find in the park today

The eastern part of the area is sports-focused: there are playing fields, a sledging slope, cycle paths, a play area and a concert shell with an amphitheatre, which hosts city events. The central part serves for walks and rest: paths run through it on the flood defence embankment, crossed by a bridge over the old course of the Bzura. The park also regularly hosts parkrun events, in which residents of Łowicz of all ages take part. Those looking for attractions in the very centre will easily find their way from here to Nowy Rynek.

Revitalisation plans

Łowicz municipality is preparing extensive revitalisation of the park, dividing it conceptually into four zones: sports and recreation, leisure, historical and representative, and contemplative. The plans include among others a Japanese-style garden, thermal pools, a ski run, a rope park, a pumptrack-type circuit and an open-air cinema. A separate idea is an educational Solar System layout spread across the park, with a central element symbolising the Sun and a circle representing the Earth with climate zones. The municipality is seeking funding from the EU LIFE programme, and the project also includes the neighbouring Nowy Rynek. Realisation depends on obtaining funds and formal permissions, so the work schedule is not yet established.

Historic surroundings

A walk around the park can easily be combined with visiting the old town. In the centre of Łowicz, a few minutes' walk from Błonie, stands the collegiate church [kolegiata], one of the city's most important monuments, and nearby the Archdiocesan Museum operates with a collection of sacred art. This is a natural complement to a park visit for those interested in the history of Łowicz.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Starorzecze, 99-400 Łowicz (the area is also known as Park Błonie-Bohaterów Września)
• Getting there: centre of Łowicz, walking distance from the market square, near public transport stops and car parks
• What to expect: extensive green area open around the clock, sports zones and play areas, some infrastructure in the course of planned redevelopment