Łokietka street is a path in the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland. Its edifices display a mix of eclectic architectural facades and highlight the urbanization past of the city.
Location and naming
Łokietka street is located in downtown Bydgoszcz, in the Okole district. It runs along an approximately east–west axis, stemming from Królowej Jadwigi street and following the southern bank of the Brda river. Rather narrow for the area (one-way street), it is about 820 m long. Thanks to the avenue orientation, all the even street-numbered buildings have a direct access to the Brda river on their backyards.
Through history, the street bore the following names: Till 1870, "Kanal werder" (Canal peninsula); 1870–1920, "Prinzenstraße"; 1920–1939, "Ulica Łokietka"; 1939–1945, "Sickingen Straße"; since 1945, "Ulica Łokietka".
The current namesake of the street comes from Władysław I Łokietek, the oldest son of Casimir I of Kuyavia (Kazimierz I Kujawski) and King of Poland from 1320 to 1333.
History
During Prussian time (1772–1920), the Okole district where the street is laid was called Kanal werder (). The term referred to the fact that the triangular area was almost surrounded by water ways: to the south was the Bydgoszcz Canal and to the north the Brda river. The district (renamed Schleusenau) became even an artificial island when a new branch of the Bydgoszcz canal was completed in 1915, locking up the area.
First buildings appears on old maps in the late 1850s, but the first registered residents in address books are only listed in the early 1870s. The arrival of the railway and the waterway activities boosted the development of the area: by 1910, the street completed its expansion.
The district came unscathed from both WWII destruction and soviet-time estate projects. Since the 2010s, the municipal authorities have launched several renovation works in the street. Furthermore, private investors have recently build up properties: at 26/28, Riverside Residences; at 46, Łokietka 46. A few metres from the place stood -till the mid 19th century- a goat market () and a watering trough for horses. The latter is now exhibited in the open-air waterworks museum of the Las Gdański water supply station in the northern part of the city (Myślęcinek ).
Main edifices Tenement at 1, corner with 17 Królowej Jadwigi street
1850-1875
Eclecticism, Art Nouveau
This building may be the oldest one in the street, according to the Municipal Register of Historic Monuments. Earliest recorded landlord was Georg Affeldt, a rentier, in 1880. From 1900 to the outbreak of WWII, Franz Budzbon, also owner at 15 Królowej Jadwigi street, had his restaurant located there.
The corner tenement shows early elements of Art Nouveau style, in particular in the remaining motifs of both frontages: a cartouche above the corner entrance displays a man figure, all first level windows boast pediments and crossheads with vegetal motifs or flowered woman heads, in the spirit of Art Nouveau ornamentation. The 2019 overhaul of the building replaced back the statue above the entrance.
Tenement at 19 Królowej Jadwigi street, corner with Łokietla street
1875-1900
Neo-Renaissance
This building has been first owned by a rentier, Carl Kaminski in 1894. He still has his initials above the main entrance, held by putti. Carl Kamisnki was also the owner of the building at 21 Królowej Jadwigi street.
This tenement house displays a style inspired by Italian Renaissance. The facade shows bossage, with arched windows on the ground floor. The upper storeys received a rich decoration: stuccoed motifs, pilasters, mascarons, balustrade. The house is crowned with a fourth floor boasting an ornamental table corbel cornice. Two large bay windows break the symmetry of the ensemble, both towering entrances and both with wooden loggias on the second floor. This neo-Renaissance townhouse has been beautifully renovated in 2016.
Tenement at 2
1891-1892
Eclecticism
Carl Kaminski, the rentier who owned 2 tenements at 19 and 21 Królowej Jadwigi street, also possessed this building in 1891.
Thanks to a 2017 renovation, the facade architectural details have been highlighted: cartouches, windows pediments, bossaged ridges and corbel table.
Building at 3
1890
Hermann König, a conductor, is registered as the first landlord of the house in 1890. At the time, it was registered at 2 Prinzenstrasse.
Tenement at 4
Early 1870s
Eclecticism
Recorded at then 29 Prinzenstrasse, Albert Weise, owning a factory, was its first landlord. The tenement left the Weise family after WWI.
Renovated in 2016, the frontage composes an architectural continuity with the neighbouring facade at Nr 2. One can additionally notice the large wooden entrance door with a transom light.
Tenement at 5
1899-1900
Eclecticism
Hermann König had this building (at then 2a Prinzenstrasse) erected a decade after the abutting one he owned at Nr.3 (then 2 Prinzenstrasse).
The frontage displays eclectic, though faded, details. One can notice the Art Nouveau features of the main entrance gate.
Tenement at 6/8
1891
Eclecticism
This building was also commissioned by Carl Kaminski, multi owner in the area (Nr 2, 19 Królowej Jadwigi Street and 3 Posernerplatz-non existent). Kaminski was a dealer of coal and wood.
The renovated frontage (2016) boasts eclectic architectural features along its length.
Tenement at 7
1876
Eclecticism
The building was registered at 3 Prinzenstrasse, its first owner was Mr. Kanneberg.
Tenement at 9
1891-1892
Eclecticism
The first landlord of the edifice was August Böhnert, a master blacksmith.
The exterior, in need of refurbishing, exhibits anyhow bossage elements, decorated windows brackets and pediments as well as other plastered details (corbel table).
House at 10
1875-1900
First owner of the house, at then 27 Prinzenstrasse, was Mr. Bielert. From 1901 to the outbreak of WWII, the place was owned by the Evangelical Church Community (, ).
The original railing still displays an old advertising for Waldemar Klein's tailor shop ().
Krause's tenement at 11
1879
Eclecticism
The Krause family has owned the tenement from its inception till the Second world war.
The building has been renovated in 2024 by the city services. It consists of two storeys, an attic and a partial basement. Despite its small dimensions, the front of the building is richly decorated with, among others, bossage bands, adorned window sills, pediments and cornices.
Tenement at 12
1911-1912
Late Art Nouveau
The first landlord of this tenement was Auguste Lemke, a locomotive driver.
The facade onto the street lost most of its features: one can make out pilasters on both side of the frontage as well as a frieze with vegetal motifs running above the left upper windows.
Tenement at 15
1912-1913
Late Art Nouveau
Catharina Bucholz, a widow, was registered as owner of this tenement at then 5 Prinzenstrasse. Catharina Bucholz was related to Ludwig Buchholz, an entrepreneur who established a successful tannery in Garbary Street in 1845.
The edifice presents the longest facade of all the original buildings in the street. The facade still exhibits many plastered details: floral decoration above the entrance and festoons under the windows. The right and left wings have balconies and loggias with balustrades.
Tenement at 16
1896-1897
Eclecticism
A widow, Ernestine Brodowski was the first owner of this tenement.
The building has been refurbished in 2017/2018 and presents an eclectic style.
Building at 18
Late 1860s
The edifice was registered at then 24 Prinzenstrasse, with Philipp Eberle, a butcher, as its landlord. From 1880 to 1905, the building had been owned by the Buchholz family.
Tenement at 19A, corner with Jackowskiego street
Mid-1930s
Modernism
The tenement has been renovated in 2020.
Tenement at 21, corner with 29 Maksymiliana Jackowskiego street
1897
Eclecticism
Its first landlord was Ludwig Shick, listed as a worker in 1897.
The building has been recently refurbished and exhibits on both of its frontages platered lintels, some arched pediments, a decorated entrance portal on Łokietka street and a corbel table running on top of the facades.
Tenement at 23/25, corner with 16 Długosza street
1897
Eclecticism
A rentier, Carl Juncker, was the first landlord of this large tenement. He lived at then 18 Schleinitz strasse, today's 20 Chrobrego street.
The building has been refurbished in June 2025.
Tenements at 26/28
2024
Modern architecture
On this plot, K&M INVESTMENT POLAND built a residence with access to the river, Riverside Residences.
Tenement at 27, corner with 13 Długosza street
1896
Eclecticism
The tenement, then at 8c Prinzentrasse, was first commissioned by Ignaß Borzychowski, a painter. The latter also possessed the neighbouring building at today's 29, once built in 1899. At the time, the ground floor housed a restaurant managed by Johann Ringert.
The edifice has been refurbished in 2018. It now exhibits remarkable decorative details (e.g. plastered motifs in pediments, on top corbels and lintels).
Tenement at 29, corner with 12 Siemiradzkiego street
1897-1898
Eclecticism
Ignaß Borzychowski, the painter owning the tenement at then 8c, was also the commissioner of this building at then 8d Prinzen strasse.
The restoration carried out in 2007 allows to identify a perfect symmetry in the footprint of the buildings at 27 and 29. The latter, though, does not display architectural features as fine as its neighbour.
Tenement at 31, corner with 11 Siemiradzkiego street
1897-1899
Eclecticism
A glazier, Carl Baumgart was the first owner of this corner building.
The tenement is being refurbished (in June 2025). The facades of the wings stretching along both streets are decorated with, among others, pediments, cornices, panels while the ground floor is highlighted with bossage. Both individual entrances on the streets display adorned portals.
Tenement at 36
1875-1900
Eclecticism
The first proprietor of this building at then 19 Prinzenstrasse, was Mr. Tulke. He was registered as a lithographer in 1876. In 1920, the place housed a cigar factory, Bydgoska Fabryka Cygar - Tow. Akcyjne, the first of its kind in Bydgoszcz. In 1922, in the first year of full production, the factory produced 75,000 to 100,000 cigars per week. Following the establishment of the Polish Tobacco Monopoly in 1922, the company collapsed in 1924.
The building ground floor has been renovated in 2017.
Tenement at 42
1910
Late Art Nouveau, early modernism
Albert Teste was the landlord of this tenement, as well as the abutting one at Nr 40 (non-existent). Teste ran a restaurant at then 18 Prinzenstrasse (Nr 40).
The refurbished facade exhibits plastered friezes and festoons. Between the two bay windows, the window framing are highlighted with vertical pilasters, typical of modern architecture.
Residence at 46
2022
Modern architecture
A residence, Łokietka 46, has been constructed in 2022 by the developer Pubr.
House at 52
Early 1870s
This old building was initially registered at 13 Prinzenstrasse: its first owner was Friedrich August Kromrei, a rentier. He was living at then 13 Cichorienstrasse, today's 9 Kordeckiego Street.
See also
Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz Canal Brda river Ludwig Buchholz's Tannery Maksymiliana Jackowskiego Street
References
Bibliography
External links
Riverside residences Bird'eye views of the street