Pasaż Róży

Pasaż Róży in the courtyard of Antoni Engel's tenement building at ulica Piotrkowska 3 is an artistic installation by Joanna Rajkowska, created in 2014 as part of the Łódź Four Cultures Festival. The walls of the courtyard, covering approximately 800 square metres, are covered with hand-cut pieces of mirrors—triangles, diamonds and rectangles—arranged in a dense, irregular pattern that sometimes resembles rose buds.

The artist and project genesis

Joanna Rajkowska is a Polish visual artist known for socially engaged work and sensitivity to the human condition. The name and symbolism of Pasaż Róży refer to her daughter, Rosa, who was diagnosed with eye cancer—the installation symbolises the journey from not seeing to seeing. The project was realised in 2013–2014 and unveiled to the public in 2014.

Spatial effect and courtyard transformation

The installation completely transformed the previously dark, neglected courtyard into a bright, illuminated space. The mirrors reflect and scatter daylight, creating an interplay of reflections and depth. In subsequent years the passageway underwent modernisation work; renovation was completed around 2020. Today it is one of the most frequently photographed places in Łódź and a regular stop on tourist routes along ulica Piotrkowska.

Access and surroundings

The entrance to Pasaż Róży is from ulica Piotrkowska, at its northern end, just by plac Wolności [Freedom Square]. The courtyard is open to the public, with free admission. Service and catering establishments also operate in the courtyard, running their own hours. In addition to Pasaż, just nearby on Piotrkowska is the Akademia Muzyczna im. Grażyny i Kiejstuta Bacewiczów [Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music] and Hotel Stare Kino.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Piotrkowska 3, Śródmieście, Łódź (entrance from plac Wolności side)
• Getting there: northern start of ulica Piotrkowska at plac Wolności, tram and bus stops (routes running along ulica Zachodnia and Północna)
• Best viewing conditions: in daylight; courtyard accessible during the day
• What to expect: artistic installation of mirror walls, interplay of light and reflections, irregular geometric pattern