Bednarski Park

Entrances from ul. Parkowa and ul. Zamojskiego , Podgórze more than a year ago

Bednarski Park, April 2023

Bednarski Park

Opened with great fanfare at the end of the 19th century, the park's founder Wojciech Bednarski was reportedly carried around like a winning quarterback for his accomplishment, while newspapers as far away as St. Petersburg applauded the park's establishment. Rightfully so, as over a century later it’s arguably the city's most beautiful park, thanks to its unique perch over Podgórze at 240m above sea level, picturesque cliffs, multitude of large trees (over a hundred species) and lush, untamed spaces to explore. Officially the park occupies 9.2ha, but another 13.5ha of afforested area creates a continuous green space stretching all the way along the top of the Krzemionki cliffs from Rynek Podgórski (in the east) to the Mateczny Roundabout (in the west).

Does this hilltop bench have your name on it?

Although much of this park’s charm was in its wildness, the city recently completed major restoration works that were hard-fought by locals. Protests were successful in reducing the scope, cost and devastation of the works, and the final results - unveiled on April 27, 2023 - are worth appreciating. In addition to new benches, lamps and renovated stairways, the park now features a fantastic modern playground, a gazebo overlooking Podgórze, and original late-19th elements like the Gardener’s House and a rotunda have been restored. Although an outdoor gym egregiously alters one of the park's wildest areas and there are certainly more paved paths than necessary, the woods beyond the TV Tower (technically outside the park) remain completely untamed, so head southwest away from Rynek Podgórski if you just want to disappear into nature. In turns open and inviting, shadowy and chimerical, this captivating natural landscape provides local residents endless opportunities for exploration, and even some fine views of the city below.