Polish Soldier Square

Plac Żołnierza Polskiego (Polish Soldier Square) is one of the main squares of Szczecin, on the northern edge of the Old Town. It has the shape of an elongated rectangle, and the avenues of Pope John Paul II, Wyzwolenia and Niepodległości, Tkacka and Staromłyńska streets, the Castle Route and Matejki Street with Prussian Homage Square all meet at it.

The former parade ground

The square was laid out in 1725. Officially it was called Königs Platz, and the townspeople spoke of it as the White Parade Square (Weiße Parade Platz). It was surrounded by the grand buildings of the Szczecin of that time, and parades and city ceremonies took place here. Until 1945 it held a monument to Emperor William I on horseback by Karl Hilgers, unveiled on 1 November 1894. After the war the square was named Teatralny (Theatre) Square. In 1944 part of the square was bombed, and among the buildings destroyed was the tenement known as the Grey Castle. In 1959 a plaque was placed here commemorating 25 years of Polish scouting in Szczecin.

The square after renovation

In 2011-2012 the square was renovated. Modern lighting, sculptures made of metal cubes, shallow water channels and a sundial were installed. The Szczecin Meeting Point pavilion was also built, designed by Studio A4 as a single-storey cuboid of Corten steel and glass panels, with its main part underground. At first it housed a café, later a tourist information centre operated there, and since December 2016 it has housed a tourist information point run by Żegluga Szczecińska.

Practical information

• The square lies by the Royal Gate, a few hundred metres from the castle and the basilica.
• Nearby stand the Palace Under the Globe and the Church of St Peter and St Paul.
• Check the opening hours of the tourist information point with the operator, as they change with the season.