Mickiewicza Park

Mickiewicza Park lies in the centre of Łowicz, in a triangle formed by Mickiewicza, Żabia and Bonifraterska streets. It is not a single plot under one address, but an entire area of greenery between these three streets, laid out in the 1930s and serving as an ordinary municipal park ever since, now under conservation protection.

Origins of the park

The park was formally opened on 7 June 1936, on land previously known as Plac Bratkowski, opposite the former Primary School No. 2 named after J. Mościcki. The opening was marked as part of celebrations for the 800th anniversary of Łowicz. The initiator was Władysław Stanio, a teacher at the Teachers' Seminary in Łowicz and a naturalist by profession, who presented the City Council with a garden project as early as 1932.

Natural garden, not merely a park

The place was originally called the Interdisciplinary Natural Garden and was designed as a botanical and educational garden. The project provided for beds cultivated by pupils, experimental plots, a flower clock in the centre, as well as an arboretum and alpine garden divided into several botanical sections. Not all these elements survive to this day, but the concept itself shows that the park was intended from the outset to serve both leisure and education.

Changes after the war

At the turn of 1988 and 1989, the city decided to develop the park, drawing on an earlier plan by Wacław Zajkowski. From that project, mainly the laying of paved paths between Bonifraterska and Żabia streets was realised at that time. In 1994, municipal gardener Stanisław Olęcki returned to work on the park, again drawing on pre-war concepts.

Revitalisation

The Łowicz Municipality carried out a revitalisation of the historic park, including green space development, lighting, utility connections and small architectural elements, including a pergola. A tender for this work was announced with an offer submission deadline of 4 November 2014, and the investment was partly financed with funds from the Regional Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Łódź.

Practical information

• Address: an area between Mickiewicza, Żabia and Bonifraterska streets in Łowicz, formally at Mickiewicza 1.
• Getting there: the park lies in the city centre, within walking distance of the Old Market Square and Łowicz Castle, so it is easy to combine it with a visit to the historic centre.
• What to expect: peaceful urban greenery with a preserved pre-war layout, with no admission charge. It is worth checking exact opening hours and information about the current condition of the paths on site, as the park has no single official entrance with an information board.