Our journey takes us into one of the largest cities in the Neumark, to Gorzów Wielkopolski (the former Landsberg on the Warta).
We reach the city in about 45 minutes from the german-polish border at Kiez-Küstrin/Kostrzyn nad Odrą.
We always hold ourselves to the well-signposted 132nd Street. We cross Kostrzyn (Küstrin), Dąbroszyn and Witnica,
the occasion itself worth a visit, as well as numerous smaller villages.
Cathedral St. Maria
Already at entrance to Gorzów Wielkopolski, we note that this is a great city, shortly after reaching the city limits, we pass under the large highway bridge
of the highway S3.
Along the train line (right) and parallel to the tram we drive towards the center (also well marked "Centrum").
We recommend to park the car in one of the (paid) parking places to avoid unpleasant surprises on other parking areas with sometimes confusing times markings.
Pauksch fountain
We orient ourselves St.Marien am Dom, which overlooks the city and because its impressive brick tower hardly to be overlooked.
The tour begins at the main entrance of the cathedral. The cathedral itself has been since the 13th century built.
Particular attention should be paid to the entrance portal and the large door there, with many nails cartridge.
These were during the First World War spent from those Landsberger citizens who gave a war donation and
not had to go to war personally. The cathedral contains several altars, in the Middle Ages it should have been 17.
Look too at the beautiful stained-glass windows.
We circle once to discover the cathedral and on the back we see another landmark of the city, called Pauksch fountain,
named after the donator, the industrialist and Landsberg responsible citizen Hermann Pauksch. The figures shows the economic
sectors, through which the city came to prosperity: engineering, fisheries, shipping on the Warta and symbolizes the
diligence of the Landsberg citizens.
Witches fountain
After seeing the Pauksch fountain we cross on his left side the Sikorski Street.
Already after a few meters, we are at another fountain, the so-called Witches fountain.
The fountain is a replica of the original, unfortunately lost.
According to a polish description should be here was a meeting place of women who were suspected of witchcraft.
A few meters away are to visit the remains of the old town wall.
If you walk along the wall back to the Sikorski-street, we come to a large stone (opposite the Municipal Building), which shows
the old crest of the town, which was formerly on the bridge over the Warta.
Mediterranean flair on the
Warta river
We go now on the other side of the cathedral in the direction Warta river.
Already after a few meters along of modern buildings we see the elevated railway line (which remembers in its design to the Berlin's elevated railway on the ring road) and go to the Warta river.
Here we are welcomed at a Mediterranean-looking sight, palm trees in pots, we would expect on the french Riviera but neither in the Neumark.
However, this is surpassed by the majestic view of the Great Bridge Warta exceeded, which is freshly renovated in bright colors shining and the view of the Warta .
On the Warta river
An with EU-aid new and beautifully designed shore area is ideal for a walk, cafes and restaurants (in the summer one even on a barge lying at anchor) invites you to linger.
Above all watched a great monument to the Polish military in the form of an eagle. But modern art is not too short. On the upper promenade,
you can see temporary exhibitions of young visual artists. A little unfortunate is, that the resources of the river has not yet touristically used and there is no
possibility for a boat ride or something similar there (but we are convinced, with increasing tourist flows - of course, thanks to our travel recommandations here at neumark.pl ;-)
it will certainly change soon).
Water nymphs in the park
After the tour to the Warta river we are going now back in the direction of the city and Sikorski street.
This we cross now on the front of the cathedral and found in a few meters the green heart of the city in
the form of the park Wiosny Ludowe (Park of the Spring of Nations).
Here you will find a pond, several water courses, where you can watch (and feed) the ducks, playgrounds, a rose garden.
Numerous works of art and monuments can be seen here too.
It is striking, with which intensity Gorzów Wielkopolski citizens attempts,
to make history tangible by the construction of monuments and the erection and conservation of historical objects,
such as an old tram or water pumps.
So we meet at a walk through the city monuments for the different people of modern times, like a motocross champion,
or the Gypsy poet Bronislawa Wajs-Papusza, but also fairy-tale figures and legends such as the "Sfinster".
Symphatic: Not only VIPs and politicians get a memorial in Gorzow Wielkopolski: an original of the town,
the vagabond Kazimierz Wnuk, who was entertaining the citizens of the town with a lot of sprees, got a monument after his dead
too.
Unfortunately the history often begin until 1945 and the german past of the town is a little bit hidden.
But perhaps it will be later monuments too here for the germans Victor Klemperer or Gottfried Benn and other important
german sons and daughters of the city.
Gorzów Wielkopolski is not only a city for walking. Too the new character of the city should not be unmentioned.
Shopping centers, bars, a large fitness and recreation center with swimming pool show that a modern city grows here.
Modern shopping in
the "Galeria Askania"
Newly built shopping centers (such as the "Park 111" or the "Galeria Askania") are not different from their counterparts in
western countries (if we not speak about the often lower prices here ;-). Even the food offers are worth to recommend: A very nice cafe on the second floor
of the "Park 111" in the Sikorski street 111 (overlooking the park) and the food-lounge in the "Galeria Askania" should here be named exemplary
(we recommend the local cuisine restaurant "Karczma" there, even if it is a little bit difficult to order: you get a number which is called in polish,
if the meal is ready to take, what for non-Polish-speaking persons is complicated, the best is to ask for a understandable "keyword"
or let them read the number in polish, if you get the number).
F. Wassmuth, Berlin, 2009
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