Central Park in Świdnica

Fountains, a rose garden, a pond with footbridges and a stone smith from Germanic mythology: Central Park in Świdnica is the town's best-known green space. It covers more than 9 ha and lies just south of the Old Town, so it fits easily into a walk around the market square. After a costly revitalisation it was handed back to residents on 9 June 2019, and in the evening more than 300 lamps light up its paths.

History: from village and fortress to park

The exact date the park was founded is unknown. Where its paths now run there was once the village of Schreibendorf, first mentioned in 1298; part of it was demolished in 1753 to make way for the Świdnica fortress. When Świdnica ceased to be a fortress in 1866, the fortifications on the park site were blown up. In 1911 the town's first reinforced-concrete bridge, with a 26 m span, was built over the Witoszówka stream, and a large industrial and trade exhibition with more than 20 pavilions and 200 exhibitors was held on the site.

In the 1970s the park was remodelled: the old cascades were removed and an artificial pond, fountains and a boat landing were added. The reopening in 1977 was combined with the opening of the Świdnica Days.

Revitalisation and controversy

The latest makeover began in 2017 and took two years. Watercourses were cleaned, fountains built, the playground, paths and footbridges rebuilt, new planting added, and the steps and the rose garden restored. The cost was meant to be around PLN 11 million but ended up close to PLN 19 million. The park later became an example in the debate about "concretisation" of Polish towns, and after residents complained its night lighting was reduced.

What to see

• The statue of Wieland the Smith by Dorothea von Philipsborn, unveiled in September 1922. It originally bore the inscription "Denkt an Oberschlesien" ("Remember Upper Silesia") and was a response to the partition of Upper Silesia; it was moved to the park in the 1990s and restored in 2018.
• The pond with fountains and footbridges over the water.
• The rose garden – residents already admired a rose garden here before the war.
• The 1911 bridge, with the coats of arms of the German Empire and Świdnica on its abutment.

Tripto tips

The park is open and free, and 30–45 minutes is enough for a stroll. It is most pleasant in summer, when the fountains are running, and in the evening, when the lights come on. It combines best with the market square and the UNESCO-listed Church of Peace.