Penny Bridge (Most Groszowy) in Opole

A green, openwork footbridge over the Młynówka is one of the best-known sights in Opole. Locals call it the Green Bridge or the Lovers' Bridge, but its official name – Most Groszowy, the Penny Bridge – recalls the days when crossing it cost a toll of one grosz. The bridge links Mozarta Street in the centre with Piastowska Street on Pasieka Island and is a natural stop on a walk around the old town.

History: from toll to padlocks

A footbridge stood here from at least 1894, and the present two-span bridge was built in 1903, when Opole was the German town of Oppeln. It went up as the town's beautification committee opened the castle park on Pasieka to residents and laid out streets and plots for villas there; Mozarta Street, leading to the bridge, was then nicknamed "Promenade Street". The metal parts were hand-forged, and the coat of arms of Opole crowns the highest point of the structure. In German it is the Pfennigbrücke, after the pfennigs charged for crossing.

Since 2010 the bridge has been lit up at night. The latest major renovation began in mid-August 2021: first several tonnes of padlocks were removed from the railings, then the structure was cleaned of rust, given an anti-corrosion coating and painted green. In spring 2022 the bridge closed for about a month so the underside could be painted. According to the city, the crossing now looks as it did on opening day.

What to see

• The Art Nouveau structure with wrought ornaments and the town arms at the top of the arch.
• Lovers' padlocks – for years couples have hung padlocks engraved with names and initials on the railings, meant to guarantee eternal love; hence the bridge's nickname.
• The Młynówka – not a canal but the former main bed of the Oder. The river changed course during the great flood of 1600, and the name Mühlgraben (mill race) appeared in 1784, after the mills on both banks. Between 1860 and 1913 there was a transhipment port here.

Tripto tip

The bridge is open 24/7 and free, for pedestrians and cyclists. A quarter of an hour is enough for the bridge itself, but it works best as part of a longer walk: Market Square – Opole Venice – Penny Bridge – Piast Tower on Pasieka. The best photos come at dusk, when the bridge is already lit and the water still reflects the last of the daylight. There is no car park right by the bridge – leave the car in the paid parking zone in the centre and walk.

Nearby

• Opole Venice – townhouses rising straight out of the Młynówka, lit up in the evening,
• Piast Tower – the only surviving part of the Piast castle, with a viewing terrace,
• Millennium Amphitheatre and the Museum of Polish Song on Pasieka,
• Market Square with the town hall and the Franciscan church.