Stary Port Street in Bydgoszcz

Stary Port Street

Bydgoszcz
Polish: Ulica Stary Port w Bydgoszczy
View of the street from Brda river
Location of Stary Port Street in Bydgoszcz
Former name(s)	Kasernenstrasse, Hermann Franke, Wyzwolenia, Julian Marchlewski
Part of	Bydgoszcz downtown district
Namesake	Old Harbour
Owner	City of Bydgoszcz
Length	500 m (1,600 ft)
Location	Bydgoszcz

Stary port Street ("Old harbour street") is located in Bydgoszcz Old Town, along the northern bank of Brda river. It bears several buildings registered on the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage List.

Street stretches along the Brda river from the intersection with Bernardyńska street to Theatre square. On its way, the following streets intersect it from the north:

The renovated walkway following the Brda rivre has been given in 2009 the name of Boulevard Zbigniew Urban ((in Polish) "Bulwar Zbigniewa Urbanyiego").

The street was founded with as the trail along the old road leading to the old harbour. The road already existed in the Old Polish period (before the 16th century). The river banks were used for storing stored goods and timber rafting. Earliest written mention of the street can be found on a detailed plan drawn by the Prussian geometer Gretha in 1774, where is noticed a row of granaries along its path. In the late 18th century, was built at the place of today's Main Post Office a complex of barracks for the Prussian garrison: hence the name "Kasernenstrasse". On a city map from 1809 appears a complex of buildings in the northern part of the street, with some gardens and farm fields towards Grodztwo.

In the middle of the 19th century, newly built granaries and few other buildings were standing in the street. More buildings appeared in the end of this century:

In addition, a wide wharf was used for loading and unloading goods from barges plying on the waterways between Vistula and Oder.

The street frontage did not evolve much through the beginning of 20th century and World War II.

In 1976-1978 and 1986-1987, Brda river waterfront has been renovated and upgraded, setting up a walkway and recreation areas.

In 1989, in front of N°9, has been unveiled a sculpture, "The three Graces ((in Polish) Trzy Gracje ). This work, realized by Jerzy Buczkowski, displays a bronze casting of three women, the Graces, who, according to Greek mythology were goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity, and fertility. The "Three Graces" are considered one of the most successful examples of modern sculpture in Bydgoszcz. The setting emphasizes the area as the most representative renovated section of the Brda riverbanks in Bydgoszcz.