Photo Mariusz Guć, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Old townBydgoszcz, Kuyavia-Pomerania

Bydgoszcz Old Town with children: what to see, map and route

Old Town and Mill Island in Bydgoszcz. In the Turi app, the same map shows your position, guides you from point to point and lets you tick off the places you’ve visited.

18points to see

12on the recommended route

approx. 3 h 30 minvisiting with children

Open this map in Turi Directions ↗

Before you go Map Worth seeing All points

Before you go

approx. 3 h 30 minat an easy pace, with breaks

4toilets on the map

free entrymuseums and towers have separate tickets

The walk starts on the Old Market Square and ends at the Archer in Kochanowski Park, about a 15-minute walk from the start. If you are already in the centre, Turi will guide you from the nearest point. The route is flat and easy for pushchairs. Walking around the city is free. Tickets are needed, among others, for the Museum of Soap and the History of Dirt, the Leon Wyczółkowski House and the exhibitions in the granaries. Master Twardowski appears on the Old Market Square at 13:13 and 21:13. There are toilets on Mill Island, by Wolności Square and by the philharmonic, among other places.

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Bydgoszcz Old Town in the Turi app

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Map of the place

The same map as in the app. Tap a point to see its photo and description; in Turi you’ll see yourselves on it too.

1recommended, in route orderother pointsWCtoilets, food, tickets

Map: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Descriptions and photos: Turi and Wikimedia Commons. Something not right? Report it in the app at that point.

Worth seeing

Bydgoszcz is a city on the water: the Brda flows right through its centre, and on Mill Island you can rest on a meadow a few steps from the market square. The walk starts on the Old Market Square, where Master Twardowski appears in a window twice a day. You will see the houses of Bydgoszcz Venice, the old mills, the white circles of Opera Nova, an acrobat above the river and the famous granaries. Then Gdańska Street takes you to the Deluge Fountain and the Archer, the symbol of the city.

Photo Mariusz Guć, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons1

Attraction

Old Market Square

The Old Market Square is the main square of Bydgoszcz, a rectangle of about 100 by 125 metres. It was laid out in 1346, when King Casimir the Great ordered a town to be founded here. The Brda river flows a hundred metres to the north, and the cathedral stands just next door. Look for the fountain with children playing with a goose: it was funded by the owner of the Golden Eagle pharmacy.

Photo Pit1233, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons2

Attraction

Master Twardowski

Look at the window of the house at number 15. Every day at 13:13 and 21:13 Master Twardowski, the sorcerer of Polish legends, appears in it in clouds of smoke and to the sound of music. If you are too early, set your watch and come back after the walk.

Photo Pit1233, CC0, Wikimedia Commons3

Building / monument

Museum of Soap and the History of Dirt

In this private museum you will find out how people kept clean in the past and how soap is made. In the workshops everyone makes their own bar, in a colour and scent of their choice. In 2013 National Geographic Traveler magazine nominated the museum for the Seven New Wonders of Poland.

Photo Hans-Jürgen Neubert, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons4

Attraction

Bydgoszcz Venice

Bydgoszcz Venice is a row of town houses that stand directly on the water of the Młynówka stream. They were built from the 19th century onwards along Długa, Przyrzecze and Poznańska streets. The best view of them is from here, from the bank of Mill Island.

Photo Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons5

Building / monument

Rother's Mills

The large brick building in the middle of the island is a former grain mill. In 1846 the first steam engine in the town was started up here, and in 1886 electricity was brought in. Today it holds exhibitions, meeting rooms and cultural events.

Photo nieznany autor, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons6

Building / monument

Opera Nova

The three white circles in the bend of the Brda are Opera Nova. The opera company has worked in Bydgoszcz since 1956 and is one of ten opera stages in Poland. The completed building was handed over on 21 October 2006, on the opera's fiftieth birthday.

Photo Pit1233, CC0, Wikimedia Commons7

Attraction

Mill Island

Mill Island lies between the Brda and its side channel, the Młynówka, and covers about 6.5 hectares. In the middle there is a meadow for relaxing and a playground, with riverside promenades all around. The name of the Mint building recalls that coins were struck here from 1594 to 1688. In 2012 the island received a Best Tourist Product certificate.

Photo Dawid Galus, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons8

Building / monument

Cathedral of St Martin and St Nicholas

The Gothic cathedral was built in the 15th century right on the Brda. It is modest outside, but the inside surprises with its colours: the walls and vaults are covered with paintings from 1922 to 1925. In the main altar hangs the painting of Our Lady of Beautiful Love from 1467.

Photo Krzysztof Mizera, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons9

Attraction

Man Crossing the River

An acrobat balances on a rope above the Brda. The sculpture by Jerzy Kędziora was unveiled on 1 May 2004, the day Poland joined the European Union. The figure is 2.2 metres tall and weighs 50 kilograms, and the pole he holds is 6 metres long.

Photo Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons10

Building / monument

Granaries on the Brda

The three granaries on Grodzka Street are one of the symbols of Bydgoszcz. They stored grain and food that were shipped from here by river to Gdańsk. There used to be five of them on the Brda, but two burned down in a fire. Those that survived now house a museum.

Photo Darpaw, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons11

Attraction

Deluge Fountain

The fountain in Casimir the Great Park shows the biblical flood: people and animals that found no shelter in the ark. It was made by the Berlin sculptor Ferdinand Lepcke and stood here from 1904 to 1943. A citizens' committee had it recreated, and on 26 June 2014 the fountain returned to its place.

Photo Pit1233, CC0, Wikimedia Commons12

Attraction

The Archer

The girl drawing a bow is one of the best-known symbols of Bydgoszcz. The bronze statue was made, probably in 1908, by the Berlin artist Ferdinand Lepcke, the same sculptor who created the Deluge Fountain. It stands in Jan Kochanowski Park, opposite the Polish Theatre. Four copies of it can be found in towns in Germany.

All points (23)

Grouped as in the map legend. A star marks recommended points.

Attraction 9

Old Market Square ★The Old Market Square is the main square of Bydgoszcz, a rectangle of about 100 by 125 metres. It was laid out in 1346, when King Casimir the Great ordered a town to be founded here. The Brda river flows a hundred metres to the north, and the cathedral stands just next door. Look for the fountain with children playing with a goose: it was funded by the owner of the Golden Eagle pharmacy.

Master Twardowski ★Look at the window of the house at number 15. Every day at 13:13 and 21:13 Master Twardowski, the sorcerer of Polish legends, appears in it in clouds of smoke and to the sound of music. If you are too early, set your watch and come back after the walk.

Bydgoszcz Venice ★Bydgoszcz Venice is a row of town houses that stand directly on the water of the Młynówka stream. They were built from the 19th century onwards along Długa, Przyrzecze and Poznańska streets. The best view of them is from here, from the bank of Mill Island.

Mill Island ★Mill Island lies between the Brda and its side channel, the Młynówka, and covers about 6.5 hectares. In the middle there is a meadow for relaxing and a playground, with riverside promenades all around. The name of the Mint building recalls that coins were struck here from 1594 to 1688. In 2012 the island received a Best Tourist Product certificate.

Man Crossing the River ★An acrobat balances on a rope above the Brda. The sculpture by Jerzy Kędziora was unveiled on 1 May 2004, the day Poland joined the European Union. The figure is 2.2 metres tall and weighs 50 kilograms, and the pole he holds is 6 metres long.

Deluge Fountain ★The fountain in Casimir the Great Park shows the biblical flood: people and animals that found no shelter in the ark. It was made by the Berlin sculptor Ferdinand Lepcke and stood here from 1904 to 1943. A citizens' committee had it recreated, and on 26 June 2014 the fountain returned to its place.

The Archer ★The girl drawing a bow is one of the best-known symbols of Bydgoszcz. The bronze statue was made, probably in 1908, by the Berlin artist Ferdinand Lepcke, the same sculptor who created the Deluge Fountain. It stands in Jan Kochanowski Park, opposite the Polish Theatre. Four copies of it can be found in towns in Germany.

Tram on Długa StreetDługa Street is 650 metres long and is the longest street of the old town. Electric trams ran along it from 1896, and today a historic tram car standing on the pedestrian street recalls those days. Look down as well: since 2007 plaques with the signatures of well-known people have been set into the paving, forming the Bydgoszcz Walk of Autographs.

Marian Rejewski BenchOn the bench sits Marian Rejewski, a native of Bydgoszcz and the cryptologist who broke the German Enigma cipher. The bronze statue was unveiled by his daughter on 14 September 2005. It is the work of the sculptor Michał Kubiak.

Building / monument 9

Museum of Soap and the History of Dirt ★In this private museum you will find out how people kept clean in the past and how soap is made. In the workshops everyone makes their own bar, in a colour and scent of their choice. In 2013 National Geographic Traveler magazine nominated the museum for the Seven New Wonders of Poland.

Rother's Mills ★The large brick building in the middle of the island is a former grain mill. In 1846 the first steam engine in the town was started up here, and in 1886 electricity was brought in. Today it holds exhibitions, meeting rooms and cultural events.

Opera Nova ★The three white circles in the bend of the Brda are Opera Nova. The opera company has worked in Bydgoszcz since 1956 and is one of ten opera stages in Poland. The completed building was handed over on 21 October 2006, on the opera's fiftieth birthday.

Cathedral of St Martin and St Nicholas ★The Gothic cathedral was built in the 15th century right on the Brda. It is modest outside, but the inside surprises with its colours: the walls and vaults are covered with paintings from 1922 to 1925. In the main altar hangs the painting of Our Lady of Beautiful Love from 1467.

Granaries on the Brda ★The three granaries on Grodzka Street are one of the symbols of Bydgoszcz. They stored grain and food that were shipped from here by river to Gdańsk. There used to be five of them on the Brda, but two burned down in a fire. Those that survived now house a museum.

Leon Wyczółkowski HouseThis house on the island holds an exhibition devoted to Leon Wyczółkowski, one of the best-known Polish painters. It presents the artist's work. It is a branch of the District Museum, which bears his name.

Church of the Poor ClaresThe beginnings of this church are linked to the Poor Clare sisters, who came to Bydgoszcz in 1615. The tower with its Baroque cupola was added in the 17th century. Since 1946, when the town celebrated its 600th anniversary, the Bydgoszcz bugle call has been played from this tower.

Church of St Peter and St PaulThe brick church on Wolności Square was built between 1872 and 1878 to a design by the architect Friedrich Adler. Until 1945 it was a Protestant church. The organ was made by the well-known firm of Wilhelm Sauer from Frankfurt an der Oder.

Pomeranian PhilharmonicThe Pomeranian Philharmonic is named after Ignacy Jan Paderewski, pianist, composer and prime minister of Poland. Around the building stand statues of people of music, among them Fryderyk Chopin and Paderewski himself. In front of the building there is a multimedia fountain.

Toilets / tickets / parking 5

Old Market Square, by the fountainThe walk starts on the Old Market Square, by the fountain with children and a goose. The route leads to Mill Island, returns to the granaries on the Brda river and follows Gdańska Street north as far as the Archer statue. Halfway along, the island is a good place for a break.

Public toilet

Nearest places in Turi

Photo 1bumer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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