Adam Mickiewicz Alley in Bydgoszcz

• 1906-1920, Bülowstraße, after Bernhard von Bülow;
• 1920-1939, Aleje Adama Mickiewicza after Adam Mickiewicz;
• 1939-1945, Felix-Dahn-Straße, after Felix Dahn;
• Since 1945, Aleje Adama Mickiewicza

• 1906-1920, Bülowplatz, after Bernhard von Bülow;
• 1920-1933, Plac Zacisze ("Tranquility Square")
• 1933-1939, Plac Józefa Weyssenhoffa, after Józef Weyssenhoff, Polish writer and literary critic, who lived at No.1 from 1924 to 1928;[1]
• 1939-1945, Johann Fichte Platz, after Johann Gottlieb Fichte;
• Since 1945, Plac Józefa Weyssenhoffa.

Adam Mickiewicz Alley has been laid out in 1903, in the conditions of an urban development of the eastern area of Gdańska Street called "Hempelscher Felde":[2] this plot was bought in the 1890s by the municipality to develop its urban plans based on a garden city concept developed by Hermann Stübben.[3]

The highlight of the whole project was the Bülow street, then one of the most beautiful and widest thoroughfare of the city. It comprised a dual carriageway starting from Dantziger strasse, running eastward. The perspective was particularly taken care of, emphasized by a row of trees, with stretched garlands of vines.[4] At the same time, the Ossolińscy street, continuation of the axis from Weyssenhoff square, was defined in its main features.

The northern frontage of Adam Mickiewicz Alley has been conceived from 1903 to 1907 as an homogeneous complex of Berlin Art Nouveau tenements, similar to what has been erected at the same time in Dworcowa Street (No.45, 47, 49). In 1910, an addition to the frontage, consisting of villas and houses has been erected. The perspective of the street to the east has been closed by the building of the Institute of Agriculture (Ger. Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut für Landwirtschaft), then the first high school scientific department in Bromberg.[2]

In 1949, the Polish Theatre has been completed, standing at the intersection with 20 January 1920 Street. In 1960, the Archer Statue has been moved from Theatre square to Jan Kochanowski Park. Most of the facade decorations and reliefs have been deteriorated by lack of treatment during the post-war years.[5]

The street has undergone a gradual revitalization after 1990. Between 2002 and 2009, all street facades have been was renovated, and, when possible, restored with their original decorations.

Bülowplatz, ca 1911

The square was founded in 1903 in the same conditions as Adam Mickiewicz Alley. It is a triangular square from which radiate:[6]

• Adam Mickiewicz Alley in a north-westerwards,
• Ossolińscy street (Ger. Hohenzzolernstrasse) to the south-east.

In the middle was planted flowerbeds, shrubs and trees. In 1926, coniferous and deciduous trees were put.[7] Between 1905 and 1911, a frontage of five-story apartment buildings have been built, following Art Nouveau and Historicism styles.

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601377-Reg.A/1086 (November 20, 1995)[11]

1903-1904, by Rudolf Kern[12]

Art Nouveau

The tenement has been designed by the architect Rudolf Kern, a student of Józef Święcicki, for his own use, private and business: he has lived there until 1922.

• 
  View from Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  Detail of the peak
• 
  The ornamented gate

1948-1949, by Alfons Licznerski

Modern architecture

Hieronim Konieczka Polish Theatre in Bydgoszcz is the largest and best known theatre of the city. It is set at No.2. Current director is Paweł Wodziński.

• 
  View from Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  Main entry
• 
  View from Jan Kochanowski Park

1904-1905,[12] by Erich Lindenburger

Art Nouveau

The building was originally commissioned by a merchant, Georg Woodtke.[13]

Characteristic features are the adorned portal and decorative gable; the façade has pilaster strips which accentuates vertical divisions. Bay windows are divided with loggias. This building is the seat of the Honorary consulate of Czech Republic.

• 
  View of the frontage from Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  Detail of the tinned roofed bay window
• 
  Grandiose front gate
• 
  Front gate top

1906-1908[12]

Art Nouveau

This building displays highly decorated balconies and bay windows. The roof boasts eyelid dormers.

• 
  View of the frontage from Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  Detail of portal and loggia
• 
  Detail of the gable with eyelid dormer

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601378, Reg.A/1081 (December 21, 1994)[11]

1906,[12] by Rudolf Kern

Art Nouveau

The tenement was first ordered by Adolf Berger, a merchant.[13]

Less adorned than its neighbours, this building displays anyhow the same Art Nouveau grandeur, with loggias and bay windows, as well as a curved top frontage and dormers on the gable.

• 
  View of the frontage from Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  The house and its flanking neighbours

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601379, Reg.A/1082 (January 10, 1995)[11]

1904-1905,[12] by Rudolf Kern

Art Nouveau

The tenement was commissioned by the brothers Rosentjal, Otto and Theodor, who also co-developed the project.[13]

No.7 looks like a mirrored shape of No.5, underlying the seal of the same Art Nouveau architect. Frontage adornament is much richer, with loggias, balconies and bay windows topped by helmet-style roof.

• 
  View of the frontage from Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  Detail of the roof
• 
  Gate at No.7

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601380-Reg.A/855 (August 28, 1985)[11]

1905-1906,[12] by Rudolf Kern

Art Nouveau

The house was built by Bydgoszcz architect Rudolf Kern so as to establish the first private music school in the city, the Conservatoire of Bydgoszcz (German: Bromberger Konservatorium der Musik).[10] The school was founded in 1904 on the initiative of Arnold Schattschneider and was originally located at Gdańska Street 24, (German: Dantzigerstrasse 158).[14] The space in the building was soon too scarce, and decision was made to build a new edifice at Adam Mickiewicz Alley, using the opportunity of the urban development of the "Hempelscher Feldethe" area. Construction lasted from December 1905 to October 1906 when an opening concert took place for the opening of the new school premises.[10]

The building displays Art Nouveau style, using rich decorative forms. The facade is balanced with vertical and horizontal lines as well as balconies having each their own designed railing. The main entrance had two doors: one leading to the staircase to the conservatoroire, the other going to private spaces for the landlord and the school headmaster.[10] Inside, the school housed classrooms, instruments, an extensive library and a concert hall with Neo-Baroque features.[10] In the concert hall was organized symphonic concerts, chamber music events, concerts of students and monthly subscription concerts. In smaller venues were classes for piano, violin, cello and choral singing. Teachers of the conservatoire came from Vienna, Dresden, Regensburg, Prague, Rome, Moscow and Warsaw, classes comprised Germans and Poles.[10] Wilhelm von Winterfeld, second director since 1914, had the school moved in the early 1930s to larger premises at Gdańska Street, 54[15] (from where it moved again to Gdańska Street 71 in 1939). The interiors of the building in Adam Mickiewicz Alley have been entirely rebuilt to turn classrooms and auditorium into flats.[2] In 2002-2004 a major renovation of the facade has been carried out, giving back to the frontage its original design that had been lost since the postwar period.[2]

• 
  Advert. for Bydgoszcz Music Conservatoire ca 1906
• 
  View ca 1915, as "Bromberger Konservatorium"
• 
  Frontage view from the street
• 
  Art Nouveau ornamentation above the portal
• 
  Stucco decor of the top level
• 
  Window's adornment

Panorama of facades, with No.5 (left), No.7 (center), No.9 (right)

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601456-Reg.A/1080/1-2 (December 20, 1994)[11]

1905-1906[12]

Art Nouveau

This corner house is characterised by its towering peak topped with a tin roof.

• 
  View ca 1914
• 
  General view of both frontages
• 
  Facade on Mickiewicz Alley
• 
  Facade on January 20, 1920 street

1903[12]

Art Nouveau

This corner house displays also a nice adorned portal.

• 
  General view of both frontages
• 
  Detailed view of facade decoration
• 
  Detail of the gate ornamentation

1903-1904,[12] by Ludwig Otto Wirpelius.[13]

Art Nouveau

One of the few villas built during the initial development of the street.

• 
  General view of the villa
• 
  Detail of a facade window

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage List, No.6601381-Reg. A/1067 (May 18, 1994)[11]

1903-1904,[12] by Rudolf Kern.[13]

Art Nouveau

One of the few villas built during the initial development of the street, both commissioned by Julius Berger, a merchant.[13] During the interwar period, the villa at No.15 housed a clinic run by Dr. Staemmler.[16]

• 
  Villa at No.15 in 1912
• 
  General view of villas
• 
  Facade of Villa at No.15
• 
  Detail of the gate of villa at No.15

1906[12]

German Historicism

This villa was one of the buildings Bydgoszcz's architect Józef Święcicki realized for himself (see also Józef Święcicki tenement in Bydgoszcz).[13]

• 
  General view of the villa
• 
  Detail of the gate of Villa Józef Święcicki

1906[12]

The carve has been realized in the trunk of a dead tree in 2006, by Zbyszko Piwoński.[17] The artist has realized other similar sculptures at Gdańska Street 30 - (Woman with pigeons, 2006 Polish: Kobieta w gołębiach) and in Słowackiego Street - (We'll be playing soon, 2010 - Polish: Zaraz zagramy).[17]

• 
  The awaking of the elves
• 
  The awaking of the elves

Panorama with villas at No.11 (left), No.13/15 (center), Villa Józef Święcicki (right)

1905-1908[12]

Art Nouveau

This corner house displays typical tin roof above each of its bay windows.

• 
  General view of both frontages

1905-1907[12]

Art Nouveau

This corner house starts the series of frontages characteristic of Józef Weyssenhoff Square.

• 
  General view of both frontages

1905-1906, by Rudolf Kern

Art Nouveau

This is the house Józef Weyssenhoff lived in from 1924 to 1928; a plaque has been placed on the facade in memoriam. Both facades display bay windows with loggias or balconies. A richly decorated frieze runs at the bottom of the gable boasting dormers.

• 
  General view of frontages
• 
  Detail of stuccoed motifs
• 
  Adorned door
• 
  Plaque on memoriam of J. Weyssenhoff

1927, by Bogdan Raczkowski[18]

Modern Architecture

House on the border of the Sielanka district, displaying a mix of functionalist style (left side) and eclectic shapes (right side) with a loggia and Mansard roof.

• 
  General view of frontages
• 
  Functionalist facade
• 
  Detail of portal decoration

1905-1910, by Erich Lindenburger

Art Nouveau

• 
  Main elevation
• 
  Main elevation
• 
  Portal detail

1933[11]

Modern Architecture

Functionalist edifice, abutted to No.2.

• 
  View of No.4 (forefront), with No.2 in the background.

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.743201-Reg.A/1573 (October 29, 2010)[11]

1908-1909, by Paul Böhm

Art Nouveau

The facade display 3 levels of balconies. The building has been recently refurbished.

• 
  General view
• 
  Detail of the house's gable
• 
  Main entry gate
• 
  Detail of balconies facade at No.5

1934-1935, by Dzielinski Konstanty[19]

Modern Architecture

Functionalist house, similar to buildings down Ossoliński Alley.

• 
  View from Ossoliński Alley.

1909-1910

Art Nouveau

The facade is characterised by a balanced, even symmetry around the large arcade running above the entry gate. This round motif is recurrent through the whole frontage, from the ground level arcades up to the curved pediment.

• 
  Main elevation
• 
  Detail of the curved pediment
• 
  Main gate portal
• 
  Adornement of the portal

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.725836-Reg.A/1522 (March 20, 2009)[11]

1910-1911, by Georg Baesler

Art Nouveau

• 
  General view 2016
• 
  Detail of the entry gate
• 
  Motifs details

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601254-Reg.A/676/1-8 (May 20, 1992)[11]

Józef Weyssenhoff Square No.11

1903-1906, by H. Delius

Eclecticism

The architectural ensemble of the Institutes of Agriculture in Bydgoszcz occupies an area of 7.5 hectares, between J. Weyssenhoff Square, Ossolińsky Alley, Powstańców Wielkopolskich Alley and Karol Szymanowski Street. The western area is laid out with buildings, the eastern one is a 5 ha zone of field vegetation, with livestock, greenhouses and a barn.[20]

• 
  Institutes of Agriculture ca 1908
• 
  General view from Plac J. Weyssenhoff
• 
  Main avant-corps with tin roof, the observatory on top
• 
  Main gate
• 
  Transom light and its decorated cartouche

Panoramic view of Former building of the Institute of Agriculture