John Paul II Square, Wrocław
| plac Jana Pawła II | |
Interactive map of John Paul II Square | |
| Location | Wrocław, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland |
|---|---|
The John Paul II Square (Polish: plac Jana Pawła II [plat͡s ˈjana ˈpavwa druˈɡʲɛɡɔ]) is a square and important transit point in Wrocław, Poland. The square is situated in the Szczepin district.
Name
The square was originally known in German as An-der-Königsbrücke-Platz ('square by the Royal Bridge'), before the name was eventually shortened to Königsplatz ('Royal Square').[1]
After the siege of Breslau, due to the city's incorporation into Poland, the name was changed to plac 1 Maja ('May 1 Square'), named after the International Workers' Day. In 2006, the name was changed to plac Jana Pawła II ('John Paul II Square'), after John Paul II, who died the preceding year.[1]
History
The square was created on the site of the Nikolaitor ('Nicholas Gate', Polish: Brama Mikołajska), which was demolished in 1820. In 1900, a statue of Otto von Bismarck was erected on the northern side of the square. On the opposite side, a fountain named Bismarckbrunnen ('Bismarck Fountain') with sculptures by Ernst Seger was built. After the war, the fountain was renamed 'Allegory of Struggle and Victory' (Polish: Alegoria Walki i Zwycięstwa).[2]
In 1945, the majority of the buildings in the square were demolished due to damage sustained during the siege of Breslau. The only surviving structure is a tenement house dating back to 1841, which was later rebuilt in 1879 as a neo-Renaissance palace. Today, it serves as the seat of Wrocław Academy of Music.[3]
In 2023, the Infinity office building was opened at the John Paul II Square.[4][5]
References
- ^ a b "Co warto zobaczyć we Wrocławiu. Niesamowita historia placu Jana Pawła II i ulicy Legnickiej [STARE ZDJĘCIA]". Wroclaw.pl (in Polish). 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Wrocław dawniej i dziś: pl. Jana Pawła II". www.tuwroclaw.com (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Co warto zobaczyć we Wrocławiu. Niesamowita historia placu Jana Pawła II i ulicy Legnickiej [STARE ZDJĘCIA]". Wroclaw.pl (in Polish). 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Eiffage PolandThe Infinity office building rises above the ground - Eiffage Poland". Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Biurowiec Infinity przy ulicy Legnickiej we Wrocławiu ma pozwolenie na użytkowanie (zdjęcia wnętrza)". Wroclaw.pl (in Polish). 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-03-09.