Freedom Square, Bydgoszcz

Freedom Square

Polish: Plac Wolności
Bird eye view of Freedom Square Bydgoszcz
Location of Freedom Square on a 1939 map
Former name(s)	Weltzien Platz (till 1920 & 1939-1945) - Plac Wolnosci (1920-1939) & after 1945
Location	Bydgoszcz, Poland

Freedom Square in Bydgoszcz ((Polish) Plac Wolności) is located in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in downtown area, between Gdańska Street and the park Casimir the Great.

Freedom Square stands as an elegant place of Downtown district (Polish: ) of Bydgoszcz, ornamented by Art Nouveau buildings, a historical church, a memorial and a green park. This is a location for recreational activities as well as military and official ceremonies.

The square is centrally located: on its western edge runs the Gdańska Street, heart of downtown Bydgoszcz. On its south border is the Casimir the Great Park, and to the east starts north the Gimnazjalna street.

The land square was formerly part of the garden of 17th century monastery , along with the area of today's park Casimir the Great. In 1835, the ((German) Verschönerungs – Verein zu Bromberg) founded on the east side of Gdańska Street a tree nursery towere grown to brighten up the eastern side of Gdanska Street. In 1854, a first and small square called the Place fodder (German: Kannonenplatz) existed. In 1859, the square was extended to the south and planted with trees and greenery, the entire project being financed by Major General Helmut Carl Christian von Weltzien. In 1860, the square was named in his honor (German: Weltzienplatz). Nursery trees in the square still functioned for several years, however, their importance was gradually reduced to the benefit of surfaces on which were erected buildings, High School N°1 and a church.