Rotmistrz Pilecki Municipal Park

Rotmistrz Pilecki Municipal Park covers 1.23 hectares in the centre of Wieluń, on Kopernika and Ewangelicka streets. It was established on the site of the city's former medieval fortifications and was among the first public municipal parks in the Kingdom of Poland.

From fortifications to park

The park's history dates to 1852, when work began to develop an area based on Wieluń's medieval fortifications: moats, ramparts and defensive walls. Rather than demolish the remains of the old fortifications entirely, the city decided to convert the area into green space accessible to residents. The park was among the first public municipal parks established in cities of the Kingdom of Poland at that time, making it one of the older examples of this kind in the region. In 1900-1902, an Orthodox church was built on its grounds, a structure that survived political changes and today houses Wieluńskie Domy Kultury [Wieluń Cultural Centres].

The name of Rotmistrz Pilecki

The park received its current name in 1933 in honour of Rotmistrz Witold Pilecki, before the events that would later make him one of the most recognisable figures in Polish twentieth-century history. A monument to Pilecki was unveiled in 2008, many years after the park was given his name. The park also contains a monument dedicated to the history of scouting in the Wieluń region, adding another dimension to this place of local memory.

A place of Katyń remembrance

The park contains a memorial dedicated to victims of the murder carried out by the NKVD. Katyń commemorations take place here each year, bringing together residents of Wieluń and the surrounding area. The park thus combines a recreational function with the role of a place of national memory, evident in the distribution of monuments and memorials throughout its grounds.

The park today

The park has a woodland character, with denser tree coverage than a typical city park, a network of walking paths, a children's playground and benches placed along the pathways. Its proximity to Muzeum Ziemi Wieluńskiej [Museum of Wieluń Land] and the municipal stadium means the park often serves as a stopping point between visiting central Wieluń and sporting activity in the area.

Practical information

• Address: Kopernika / Ewangelicka 6, 98-300 Wieluń, the park is adjacent to Muzeum Ziemi Wieluńskiej
• Getting there: centre of Wieluń, walking distance from the market square, the municipal stadium is next to the park
• What to expect: woodland character, walking paths, children's playground, benches, monuments to Pilecki and the scouts, Katyń memorial