Jakub Wujek Square in Szczecin

Jakub Wujek Square is a spacious, round square in Pogodno in Szczecin, surrounded by villas of the early 20th century. Today it serves the residents of the estate as a place of rest, and two playgrounds have been laid out on it.

The Neu Westend estate

The square was laid out in the 1890s as the central point of the Neu Westend estate, which was designed and built by the joint-stock company Westend Stettin led by Johannes Quistorp. In his honour the square was named Johannes Platz. The estate then lay just outside the town limits, which gave the investor lower taxes and local charges, and the main road towards Tanowo, today's Wojska Polskiego Avenue, led to the centre. Five streets meet on the square in an asymmetrical arrangement, and each of them was originally named after one of the members of the Quistorp family. The names were changed after 1910, when the area was incorporated into the town.

Villas by the square

The villas around the square began to be built in the first years of the 20th century and most have survived to this day. They have an imposing form in Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque and Modernist styles. The villa at Bałuckiego 1, of 1902, is a house designed by Ernst Krause, who lived in it with his brother. The villa at Solskiego 3, of 1903, with decorative half-timbering, resembles a small castle. The villa at Jakub Wujek Square 6, of 1906, was built for the merchant Ernst Falkenthal to a design by the Berlin firm Solf und Wichards.

Modernisation of the square

In 2009-2010 the square was thoroughly renovated: the surfaces were replaced, lamps of archaising appearance were installed, the paths were rebuilt, and benches, information boards and two ramps for prams and wheelchairs were added.

Practical information

• The square lies in the Pogodno estate in Szczecin, by Bałuckiego and Solskiego streets.
• The villas by the square are mostly used by institutions and residents, so they are viewed from the outside.
• Two playgrounds make it a convenient stop on a walk with children.