Stary Port Street, Bydgoszcz

Street stretches along the Brda river from the intersection with Bernardyńska street to Theatre square. On its way, the following streets intersect it from the north:

• Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki street;
• Pocztowa street.

Kasernenstrasse 1899

View from the river to the west

The renovated walkway following the Brda river has been given in 2009 the name of Boulevard Zbigniew Urban ((in Polish) "Bulwar Zbigniewa Urbanyiego").

The street was founded with as the trail along the old road leading to the old harbour. The road already existed in the Old Polish period (before the 16th century). The river banks were used for storing stored goods and timber rafting. Earliest written mention of the street can be found on a detailed plan drawn by the Prussian geometer Gretha in 1774, where is noticed a row of granaries along its path. In the late 18th century, was built at the place of today's Main Post Office a complex of barracks for the Prussian garrison: hence the name "Kasernenstrasse". On a city map from 1809 appears a complex of buildings in the northern part of the street, with some gardens and farm fields towards Grodztwo.

In the middle of the 19th century, newly built granaries and few other buildings were standing in the street. More buildings appeared in the end of this century:

• The main Post office building complex (1883–1885);
• Tenements in the corner with Theatre Square (1894).

In addition, a wide wharf was used for loading and unloading goods from barges plying on the waterways between Vistula and Oder.

The street frontage did not evolve much through the beginning of 20th century and World War II.

In 1976–1978 and 1986–1987, Brda river waterfront has been renovated and upgraded, setting up a walkway and recreation areas.[1]

In 1989, in front of N°9, has been unveiled a sculpture, "The three Graces ((in Polish) Trzy Gracje ). This work, realized by Jerzy Buczkowski, displays a bronze casting of three women, the Graces, who, according to Greek mythology were goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity, and fertility. The "Three Graces" are considered one of the most successful examples of modern sculpture in Bydgoszcz. The setting emphasizes the area as the most representative renovated section of the Brda riverbanks in Bydgoszcz.

Kasern strasse 1905 Bydgoszcz

Elevations on Stary Port seen from Brda bridge

The "Three Graces"

Frontages of Stary Port street belong to buildings erected in the second half of the 19th century, such as half-timbered granaries, and two larger edifices:

• Post office buildings;
• Polish National Bank building.

Currently, the street is part of "Zbigniew Urban Boulevard", namesake for Bydgoszcz water way. This area of the city is closely associated with Brda river, with highlighted sights such as:

• Lloyd palace;
• Granaries;
• mBank office building aka "new granaries";
• the Main Post Office.

Reflections of facades in the water of the river are part of Bydgoszcz typical scenery.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stary Port Street in Bydgoszcz.

• Bydgoszcz
• Fritz Weidner
• Józef Święcicki

• Bydgoszcz Main post office
• Restaurant Stary Port 13

• (in Polish) Derenda, Jerzy (2006). Piękna stara Bydgoszcz, t. I z serii Bydgoszcz, miasto na Kujawach. Bydgoszcz: warzystwo Miłośników Miasta Bydgoszczy. ISBN 9788391617816.
• (in Polish) Umiński, Janusz (1996). Bydgoszcz. Przewodnik. Bydgoszcz: Regionalny Oddział PTTK "Szlak Brdy".
• (in Polish) Winter, Piotr (1997). Dawne bydgoskie budynki pocztowe i z pocztą związane. Materiały do dziejów kultury i sztuki Bydgoszczy i regionu, z. 2. Bydgoszcz: Pracownia Dokumentacji i Popularyzacji Zabytków Wojewódzkiego Ośrodka Kultury w Bydgoszczy. pp. 17–43.

53.1229°N 18.0042°E / 53.1229; 18.0042