Old towns & squares

Piotrkowska Street

Piotrkowska is the 4.2-kilometre spine of Łódź, laid out in 1821 as the main axis of a new industrial city — today it ranks among the longest commercial promenades in Europe. Along this single axis stand the townhouses of factory magnates, including Izrael Poznański's house at number 51. At the northern end waits Manufaktura — Poznański's former factory, now a retail and culture complex.

From a track to a promenade

The street takes its name from the track leading towards Piotrków; it was first recorded in 1823. Car traffic was removed in stages — the first section closed in 1992, and the rebuild of the northern part into a pedestrian zone lasted until 1997. A general renovation in 2012–2014 refreshed the surface and street furniture.

Stars and great citizens of Łódź

The idea for the Walk of Stars came from Jan Machulski in 1996, and the first brass star — for Andrzej Seweryn — was set into the pavement in 1998. Since 1999 the street has been growing the Gallery of Great Łódź Citizens, an open-air collection of sculptures honouring notable residents. In 2002 the Monument of Łódź Citizens at the Turn of the Millennia was unveiled, with 13,454 paving bricks bearing names.

The drawing room of factory-era Łódź

In the 19th century Piotrkowska was the drawing room of factory-owner Łódź — a city called the 'promised land'. Fortunes made in the textile industry paid for its stately townhouses and palaces, and their owners shaped the city's history. In 2015 the street was declared a Monument of History, one of Poland's most important heritage distinctions.

Practical notes

Start at Plac Wolności and walk the promenade south — the full stretch takes more than an hour at a leisurely pace, so plan coffee stops along the way. In the evening Piotrkowska turns into the biggest open-air club in Poland, with cafes and bars spilling their chairs onto the pavement. On foot you can also reach Manufaktura at the northern end.