Królowej Jadwigi Street is a street located in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Many of its buildings are either registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, or part of Bydgoszcz local history.

Location The street is located in the western part of Bydgoszcz downtown district. It runs along a south–north axis, connecting Focha Street in the south to Dworcowa Street in the north. It crosses the Brda river via the Queen Jadwiga bridge (). The street is about 750 m long.

History The area was part of a former suburb called Okole that covered artificial islands from Brda river forks nearby Bydgoszcz Canal. In the first half of the nineteenth century, this area remained almost undeveloped. The situation changed in the second half of the 19th century, when industrial plants and residential complexes, following the Industrial Revolution in Prussia, were established. Królowej Jadwigi Street was then laid out in 1860 together with the development of Bydgoszcz thanks, in particular, to the rapid grow of the railway traffic. The thoroughfare connected then the train station area to the Bydgoszcz Canal.

The street was first mentioned on maps of Bromberg from 1857 and 1876, under the name Victoria Straße,1857 Plan_von_Bromberg_u_Umgegend_B_III_755_mapa_kpbc, Plan des Stadt Bromberg 1876, Paul Berthold Jaekel in reference to Empress Victoria, wife of German Emperor Frederick III. At the time, it did not extend to Focha Street to the south, but stopped at Albert Straße (today Garbary Street). The southern branch to Focha street was only realized after the second World War. By and large, most of the buildings have been erected in 25 years, from 1878 to 1903.

During street's inception, a bridge (Victoria Bridge ), was built between 1861 and 1865. When the Vistula Oder waterway was renovated at the beginning of the 20th century, the old Viktoriabrücke was re-constructed in 1913. It changed name to Królowej Jadwigi Bridge () in 1920.

Naming Through history, the street bore the following names:

19th century to 1920, Victoria Straße; 1920 to 1939, Ulica Królowej Jadwigi; 1939–1945, Victoria Straße; Since 1945, Ulica Królowej Jadwigi.

Current street name refers to Queen Jadwiga of Poland (1373–4 - 1399), who reigned as the first female monarch of the Kingdom of Poland from 1384 until her death in 1399.

Main places and buildings

Tenement at 1, corner with Garbary Street

1890s

Eclecticism

Initially at Albertstraße 12, then Viktoria Straße 8, the tenement had been owned since 1878 by Gustav Modrakowski, a butcher, living at Feldstraße 7 (today's Jackowskiego street).

The corner building displays eclectic features on both facades. On the ground floor, bossage and round top windows topped by young female mascarons. On Królowej Jadwigi Street, the main portal is flanked by columns. The first floor boasts pedimented openings, with balustrade. On the corner, a bay window stretches through two levels, supported by ornamented brackets. On the right end of Królowej Jadwigi Street's facade, a slight avant-corps is underlined by two tall Corinthian order columns.

Tenement at 2, corner with Garbary Street

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage list, Nr.601372 Reg.A/824 (May 30, 1994)Załącznik do uchwały Nr XXXIV/601/13 Sejmiku Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego z dnia 20 maja 2013 r.

1900–1901, by Paul Böhm

Historicism

Paul Böhm, architect and designer of several buildings in Bydgoszcz (Słowackiego Street,3, Cieszkowskiego Street, 1&3, Józef Weyssenhoff Square, 5), also realized this corner edifice. He did not live there, preferring his house at Danzigerstraße 61 (Gdańska Street 107, building is gone).

The house features picturesque settings, with medieval references. Material is a mix of brick and plaster, with a particular notice to the facade on Królowej Jadwigi Street, where several architectural pieces are to be underlined. The corner is highlighted by a tall bay window adorned with gothic-shaped windows, oeil-de-boeuf and stuccoed motifs, topped by an octagonal tower capped by a crenellated conical roof. The frontage onto Jadwigi Street possesses another grand bay window with the same gothic-medieval allusions (e.g. the crow-stepped gable). In addition, the highest part displays in a medallion a figure of Tadeusz Kościuszko (by Piotr Triebler)); above the medallion, a statue of Queen Jadwiga stands in a niche, towering the whole street that bears her name.

Tenement at 3

1897-1898

Historicism

First owner of the building was the architect Paul Böhm, designer of buildings at N 2 and 4. Looking at the facade, one can imagine that Paul Böhm somehow influenced the features of the tenement. When completed in 1898, the edifice was mentioned as uninhabited. However, cartouches on the loggia still display Böhm initials (P.B.), emphasizing architect's influence on the design of this tenement.

The house represents the historicism architecture trend, its facade displaying a mixture of elements (Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque and Neo-classicism). Above the bossage of the ground floor, the grand bay window attracts attention: it features a loggia on the first floor and a turret with an onion dome and a finial on the top. A myriad of motifs adorned the frontage: pediments with medallions, head figures, columns. The left side of the facade boasts a neo-renaissance front gable. The building has been entirely renovated in 2019–2020.

Tenement at 4

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage list, Nr.601373 Reg.A/1096 (April 11, 1994)

1903–1905, by Paul Böhm

Historicism

The plot was referenced as Albertstraße 13 in the 1870s, but the current building has been erected at the start of the 20th century, when Paul Böhm, the architect, purchased the old house to have it reconstructed according to his design. Part of the municipality street works, the building has been entirely renovated in 2019–2020.

Architecture style pertains to rural English houses (cottages), which was fashionable in the early 1900s. This style can be noticed in other Bydgoszcz's buildings, such as Blumwe's kinderheim at Nakielska street 47 or Fritz Weidner tenement and Thomas Frankowski Tenement on Gdańska Street. For this house, one can underline the loggia on the ground floor, the wattle and daub bay window which top merges with the multiple front gables, as well as the wooden loggia on the second floor or the several dormers on the roof.

Tenement at 5

1890

Eclecticism

First landlord in 1891 was August Götting, a carpenter, living at Albertstraße 11 (now Garbary Street).

The facade presents typical eclectic features, with pedimented windows capped by corbel tables and dentils on the top. The entrance portal, flanked with pilasters, exhibits a medallion figure in the tympanum pediment. The tenement house is planned to be renovated in 2017

Mirus Tenement at 6

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage list, Reg.A/1663 (July 17, 2014)

1876

Eclecticism

The building is one of the oldest in the street, dating back to the mid-1870s. It has been commissioned by Christian Mirus, who ran a transport company Haus Mirus. After the first World War (1933), another firm, Hortensje, had its seat there.

The tenement displays a beautiful and balanced eclectic facade, restored in 2016–2017. The ground floor is stressed by the large arched portal of the entrance. Higher levels are highlighted by the slight middle avant-corps that bears a balcony on the second floor, adorned with a series of motifs, pilasters, balustrade and topped by an arched pediment which tympanum displays putti holding a coat of arms. A thin frieze runs at the top of the frontage, echoing the line of rosettes on top of the ground floor.

August Götting Tenement at 7

1887

Eclecticism

August Götting, a carpenter, living at Albertstraße 11 (now Garbary Street), ordered the construction of this house in the late 1880s, even though he owned the plot since 1885. He moved there, at the time Viktoriastraße 10, in 1900.

The facade, refurbished in 2016, features Neo-classicic elements.

Tenement at 8

1889

Eclecticism

Initially at Viktoriastraße 5, first known owner was K.R.B. Moritz, running Haus Moritz, a transport firm (), since 1878. In the late 1880s, he had the old house rebuilt to the current state. He lived there till the eve of the 20th century.

The renovation performed in 2016–2017, draws attention to the main elements of the facade: the bulging bay window on the left-hand side with its metal roof, the ornamented window crossheads and the neo-renaissance front gable, flanked by urns with a side railing.

Leopold Hartmann Tenement at 9

1876

Eclecticism

This tenement is pretty old, by street standards, since its first landlord Leopold Hartmann, a painter, is registered on an 1872 document. He had the house re-built up to the current form in 1876. During the 1910s, it was the seat of the Industrial Bank ().

The frontage displays eclectic traits, with strong neo-classic accents. Noticeable elements are the oeil-de-boeuf above the entrance, the delicately adorned cartouches on window sills and the pediments crowning the openings of the first floor.

August Appelt Tenement at 10

Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage list, Reg.A/1649 (November 20, 2013)

1890-1892

Eclecticism

August Appelt, who ran a roofing company, had his dwelling and business place here, since the construction of the tenement in 1892. He lived there till the outbreak of WWII. This house is also the place where local author and poet Jerzy Sulima-Kamiński had been living (1928–2002). A plaque in memoriam has been unveiled in 2013, while his name has been given to the bridge crossing the Brda river in the old town, between Theatre square and Grodzka Street.

The neo-classic elevation draws attention to its portal: the two pilasters carry a crosshead bearing a bearded mascaron, topped by a pediment which tympanum is adorned with a winged figure and floral motifs.

Hermann Rosenberg Tenement at 12

1873

Eclecticism

This old tenement, from the early 1870s, had been commissioned by Hermann Rosenberg, running a transport firm at Holzhofstraße 14 (now Naruszewicza street). He lived there till the eve of the first World War.

The neo-classic frontage, though worn out by time, still displays some architectural details: cartouches with festoons on the first floor and ornaments on the top, or adorned window crossheads.

Tenement at 13

1895-1896

Eclecticism

August Götting, landlord at Nr.5 and 7, had also owned this tenement since 1897. In 1925, Bydgoszcz sculptors Piotr Triebler and Teodor Gajewski opened here their first studio.

The eclectic frontage is particularly rich with architectural details. Each slight avant-corps on building sides is crowned by a triangular pediment with an adorned tympanum (bearing a coat of arms). Each opening is ornamented (pediment, mascaron, balustrade, vegetal motifs). The portal displays pilasters, bossage and a triangular tympanum. By its style and material, the house echoes the tenement at Pomorska Street 26, built at the same period.

Academic House of Culture of the Higher School of Economics at 14

In the late 19th century, the building -now gone- standing at then Viktoriastraße 3, was used as a storage area for Hermann ßietschmann, owner of a wood factory for roofing. After the first World War, another firm, Hartwig, was set up here. In the late 20th century, the buildings housed a cultural display area, owned by the Higher School of Economics () and used by municipal and private associations. It used to host in particular, the Museum of Photography of Bydgoszcz and several art galleries (e.g. Galeria nad Brdą, Galeria Debiut , Katedra Przemysłów Kreatywnych)

In February 2021, demolition of the old edifices began to give way to a real estate project called Urzecze.