Staromiejski Park / Herring Park

Staromiejski Park lies on the border of Śródmieście and Bałuty, between Zachodnia, Ogrodowa, Północna, Franciszkańska and Wolborska Streets, and is crossed by Nowomiejska Street. It is one of the larger parks in central Łódź, known to residents mainly by the colloquial name Herring Park.

The area before the war and during occupation

Until the end of the 19th century, there was a pond on the Łódka river in this location. Later the river was channelled underground, and the area was built over. A dense pre-war section of the Old Town developed here, near the present-day Old Market Square, inhabited largely by Jewish residents, with a fish market as one of the trading centres. In 1941, German occupiers demolished a significant part of this development, establishing the southern boundary of the Łódź ghetto in this place. The present park thus emerged on a site that was once a living district of the city, brutally interrupted by war.

The creation of the park and the origin of the Herring Park name

The park was established in 1951-1953 according to a design by K. Chrabelski, on previously demolished land. It covers an area of 17 hectares. The colloquial name Herring Park refers to the pre-war fish market that operated in this place – herrings were among the cheapest and most popular food items at the time, so they became fixed in residents' memory. Herrings were never actually traded within the park itself; the name is purely a historical association with the former market.

What to see in the park

In the park stands a sculpture by Henryk Burzec and a sundial. On the eastern side there is a monument to the Decalogue, on the western side – a fountain and a monument to Aleksander Kamiński. There are also chess tables here. On the grounds operates an outdoor gym.

Renovation

Revitalisation of the park began in 2017. The plan included, among other things, recreation of the course of former streets and a crossroads, hedges and gabions with historic brick reminiscent of pre-war buildings, two gates, a second fountain and a green amphitheatre. The work was carried out by the Municipal Investment Authority as part of area revitalisation funded by European Union resources. As of December 2023, the renovation was in its final stages: the park gained a playground and outdoor gym, a small amphitheatre near Przystanku Architektura, fountains, openwork gates, shelters, chess and draughts tables, restored sculptures, three accessible toilets, new pathways, plantings and lighting.

Practical information

• Address: between Zachodnia, Ogrodowa, Północna and Nowomiejska Streets, Łódź
• Access: a few minutes' walk from Wolności Square and the Old Town
• What to expect: a spacious city park with monuments, an outdoor gym, a playground and a place for walking, in the vicinity of the Poznański Palace, which houses the Museum of the City of Łódź