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Capital City: Warsaw
Population:38,482,919
Language: Polish
Currency: Zloty (PLN)
The City of Łódź
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Łódź (Lodz) means a
short name and short history. It means the unusual beginning of the
metropolis, co-existence of different cultures, religions and
nationalities. It also means a specific local tolerance and a desire to
build people’s own and unique city. Lodz was perceived and assessed in
many different ways. Some wanted to make it the Promised Land. Others
saw it as the evil city. There were also those who claimed it was the
city of hope.
The rapid development of Lodz in the second half of the 19th century
brought about the rise of enormous industrialist fortunes. The profits
obtained from prosperous textile mills opened up practically unlimited
possibilities for their owners. The city residences became expressions
of the riches and power of the local tycoons. They were usually situated
next to the owner's factory.
The residence of the Scheibler family at Wodny Rynek (Water Market)
serving as an example here there would be dozens of smaller or larger
architectural projects laid out in the similar manner, sometimes with
the workers' estates adjacent to them. At times, several residences
would be raised, not only occupied by an entrepreneur and his family,
but also used for representation and reception. The palaces erected by
the Poznański family seem to be the most characteristic in this respect.
Next to the town houses, the typical urban residences with frontages on
the street, there were also the villas, as e.g. the residence of Księży
Młyn, surrounded by a beautiful garden, now a museum, the picturesque
little palaces of the Richters in Ks. Ignacego Skorupki st., or Fryderyk
W. Schweikert's residence in Piotrkowska st., modeled upon the country
gentleman's mansion. The residential architecture of Lodz in the times
of its prime was based upon the fashions then abiding is Europe. The
variations of exuberant historicism predominated there - the
Neo-Baroque, Neo-Renaissance, and Neo-Rococo, often permeating one
another and forming an extraordinary abundant stylistic attire.
Of course the modern Lodz is a consequence of over 170 year-long and
unique history of the city - the metropolis whose evolution from a small
settlement took just under fifty years. In the 21st cent., Lodz desires
to become the national centre of development. It is the city with
several university schools and a large cultural and administrative
centre. More and more foreign capital arrives in it in order to animate
its industry, which has been tormented by recession. Its central
location on the crossing of the main European motorways, small distance
to the capital city, cheap land and lower price of lease, together with
the availability of professional labor force provide real opportunities
for turning Lodz into the social and economic centre of Poland. Also its
aesthetic values, which are unique in the worldscale, predestine it to
the role of the city of grand tourism. Undoubtedly, it may again become
the Promised Land, whose mirages would attract all Europeans.
Today's Lodz with the population of one million is a city in which all
roads lead to Piotrkowska Street - a seven kilometer promenade and
commercial centre, the longest such street in Europe. In this street
there are public administration offices, most important institutions,
banks, churches, hotels, theatres, also half of the number of the Lodz
shops, most galleries and book-shops, the best restaurants, coffee bars
and pubs. "Putting all in Piotrkowska is Lodz-dwellers' perpetual goal",
however, it is certainly not possible to move the whole metropolis into
one street. Lodz is a truly European city, eager for international
Cupertino. Numerous contacts with cities all over the world can be seen
in the increasing number of partnership agreements. We are also an
active member of the organization of European major cities - Eurocities.
Against some circulating opinions about the prevailing grayness of Lodz,
it is a city of many a hue. For decades its colours would mellow and
fade, damped under the thickening cover of dust, awaiting restoration.
In the recent years Lodz has gradually begun to rediscover and expose
its forgotten visage. The original colours are returning to the facades
of palaces and tenements. Often after the removal of scaffolding we are
amazed to see the 'new' beauty of the old buildings.
Lodz of today is an important economic centre. Several important fair
events are organized here every year, e.g. "Intertelecom" -
International Fair of Telecommunications, "Interglass" - International
Glass and Ceramics Fair, "Na styku kultur" - International Tourism Sites
Fair. In Lodz there are seven state-owned and four private schools of
academic rank. There are 7 national, 11 private and 4 catholic colleges,
and over 40 research institutes and university scientific centers. There
are theatres and museums, an opera house and philharmonic hall, numerous
galleries.
Taking these great potentials into account it is hard to avoid an
impression that Lodz is situated in the very centre of Poland. The
public transport infrastructure which has been already well developed -
The Lodz- Lublinek airport, the biggest in Poland cargo railway station
- will be soon extended by an intersection of two transeuropean
motorways. Investors have an access to lands, buildings and industrial
infrastructure. Highly qualified specialists can be found here on the
spot.
Based on:
http://www.uml.lodz.pl/wersja_angielska/
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