Szczecin

The Chrobry Embankment, formerly Haken’s Terrace, one of the most beautiful places in Europe. From here you can watch the vast panorama of the Odra River and the harbour. The viewing terraces are 500 m long and are located 19 m above the Odra river bank. The earliest written history of the area dates back to the sixteenth century. In 1873, a demolition of the eighteenth-century fortifications of Szczecin began. Thanks to the great commitment of Hermann Haken, High Mayor of Szczecin, in the years 1902-1905 a viewing terrace was formed on the site of Fort Leopold. Wide staircases run on both sides from the terrace to the banks of the river, where two pavilions were erected as the entrance to the restaurant, created contemporarily in the remains of the fortifications. At the bottom, there is a fountain decorated with figures of John of Kolno and Wyszak and two tall columns stylized as lighthouses. In the years 1906 to 1912 in the northern part of the terrace an architectural complex was built for the then regency of Szczecin, where now the authorities of the West-Pomeranian province have their headquarters. In addition, in the southern part of the Embankment a building complex of the Maritime Academy is located (from the years 1902-1905 and 1918-1921) and, housed in the same building, Contemporary Theatre and the Maritime Branch of the National Museum. Moreover, a large park is situated near the Chrobry Embankment.

Have you ever seen an iceberg in the city center? If not, you must see the new premises of Szczecin Philharmonic which majestically emerges from urban buildings and pervasive greenery. Its metal and glass facade supplemented with light illuminations catch the eye of each person who comes nearby. The building was designed by catalonian architects from Barozzi Veiga from Barcelona and immediately has become the icon of our city. Modern design combined with inspiration taken from historic building of Konzerthaus creates a coherent whole of past, present and future of Szczecin. It has received numerous awards, including the Mies van der Rohe Award in 2015, the Award of the President of the Republic of Poland for the Best Architectural Structure in Poland in the years 2013-2014 in the “LIFE IN ARCHITECTURE” contest, and the award of the “bryla. pl” website dealing with architecture. During the summer there are regular guided tours. There is also a cafe on the ground floor.

The City Tourist Route is a 7-km-long loop which connects 42 sites – the most interesting monuments and places worthseeing. The idea behind the route was to commemorate the 750th anniversary of granting town privileges to Szczecin. The route is marked by an easily found red dotted line painted on the pavement, and thus the common name of the trail is the “Red Route”. Numbers in circles act as supplementary signs corresponding to each site on the route. Near to each number an information board with a detailed description of the object is either suspended on the wall of the building or standing alone. A pocket guidebook published in various languages, including a map of the route, can be purchased at the tourist information centres, the local seat of Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society and in bookstores. The route begins and ends in front of the Szczecin Central Railway Station. The following sites are on the City Tourist Route (the numbers correspond to the numbering along the route): 1. The Central Railway Station 2. Post Office No.2 3. Snail Gate Barracks 4. Fragment Of City Walls 5. Gothic Church of St. John the Evangelist 6. Long Bridge 7. Old Town Hall 8. Late-Gothic Loitz House 9. Pomeranian Dukes' Castle 10. Ducal Stable and Manege 11. Maiden Tower or Seven Coats Tower 12. Castle Route 13. Maritime Academy 14. National Museum 15. Voivode's Office 16. Adam Mickiewicz Monument 17. PAZIM Complex 18. The Royal Gate 19. St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Church, Dialogue Centre "Upheavals", Szczecin Philharmonic, Voivodeship Headquarters of Police 20. Professors' Houses 21. St. Mary's Gymnasium 22. Birthplace of the Empress Catherine II of Russia 23. St. James Arch Cathedral 24. Flora Statue 25. Eagle Fountain 26. Palace under the Globe 27. Velthusen's Palace 28. Diets' Palace (Nationalmuseum) 29. Art Gallery of the National Museum and 13 Muses' Club 30. Commemorative Plaque 31. Former seat of the Pomeranian Landowners' Bank 32. Former seat of the Prussian Royal Post 33. St. John Baptist's Church 34. Children's Hospital 35. Gen. Władysław Anders Park 36. Church of the Holliest Heart of Jesus Christ 37. St. Adalbert's Garrison Church 38. Kornel Ujejski Monument 39. Harbour Gate 40. Red Town Hall (New Town Hall) 41. Fountain with the Anchor

Anyone entering Szczecin by bridges over the Oder River can see the towering red-brick gothic Cathedral and an elegant, pale silhouette of a Renaissance castle with green towers, which used to be the seat of the dukes of the Griffins dynasty who ruled the Duchy of Pomerania. The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle has five wings and two courtyards. Acting as a cultural institution it organizes an array of cultural events: concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, conferences and meetings to popularize science, as well as to spread knowledge about the history of West Pomerania. The largest wing houses an Opera. In the wing that housed a mint in the olden days one can find today Cultural and Tourist Information Centre. There is a panoramic terrace on the rooftop of the northern wing from where splendid views can be appreciated. The wing’s basement houses a Vault with sarcophaguses of six princes. The Duke Boguslaw X hall, which used to be a princely chapel, is now a concert hall with a polychromatic ceiling decorated in Renaissance style. A 17th century astronomical clock is the Castle’s special tourist attraction. Also a room dedicated to Eilhard Lubinus and the Witches’ Cell are definitely worth a visit.

It's one of branches of the National Museum in Szczecin, where we present the newest history of Szczecin and West Pomerania region, with particular attention given to social protests and breaking events in the years 1970–1971, 1980–1981, 1988–1989, that lead Poland to regain independence in 1989. The building that houses our museum is partially hidden under the Solidarity Square. The exhibition is interactive, apart from subject-related pieces, in its underground rooms you may see films, pictures and recordings of the events’ witnesses and participants. Location of the museum has not been chosen by an accident - it was here when on 17 December 1970 first shots were fired at the protesters. In July 2016, the Dialogue Centre Upheavals was ranked the Best Public Space in Europe. Four months later, on November 18, the same building was named World Building of the Year during the Festival of Architecture in Berlin.

St. James’ church in Szczecin was founded in 1187 be a wealthy townsman Jakob Beringer from Bamberg and it was constructed outside the city fortifications, on a hill, just like the Benedictine monastery church of St. Archangel Michael in Bamberg. The building was rebuilt several times. In the 13th century, the building had the form of a three-nave Gothic basilica, without buttresses, but later the naves were raised. In 1534, the temple passed into the hands of Protestants. Inside the cathedral there is a chancel with an altar table and decorative brass reliefs. There is also a triptych with reliefs from the 14th century and an elaborate crucifix from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. The cathedral has 19 chapels, including the Chapel of Our Lady of Częstochowa with a neo-Gothic interior and the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa; the Baptism Chapel with a triptych from the 16th century; and the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament with a beautiful altar from the end of the 14th century. The organs in the cathedral are truly impressive. The first mention of the instrument comes from 1679; unfortunately, they did not survive the turbulent history of the place. In 2008, new, large organs were built. An interesting fact about the instrument is the fact that the main part of the organ, weighing about 30 tons, is suspended above the nave without any support. The counterweight is the construction located at the end of the choir. The instrument is 10 m high, has 66 voices and consists of 4743 pipes, from 11 mm to 10 m high. In 2008 the cathedral’s tower was rebuilt and its original appearance was restored. There is a viewing platform on the tower, available for tourists all year round. After the renovations, the tower is 110.18 m tall and is the second tallest building in Szczecin. The building is currently the second tallest temple in Poland, right after the basilica in Licheń. The temple is part of the European Route of Brick Gothic.

First and original Pasztecik that has been making Paszteciki (Pastry's) since 1969. It is still made by the same recipe since then up to today and it is still one of favorite fast food for Szczecinian's