To be in Lodz and not be on Piotrkowska is an abstract thing. Firstly – it is practically impossible to avoid Piotrkowska. The street is 4.5 km long and runs through the entire city center. Secondly – it makes absolutely no sense to avoid Piotrkowska Street. It doesn’t matter if you are in the club of the classical tourists or in the group that explores much more than the beaten path. Piotrkowska Street has something for everyone. I am undoubtedly in the off-beaten track team, so I will share with you what you can see on the representative street of Lodz beyond the classic unicorn, the pub of Polish comedian, or the Teddy Bear from Polish cartoons. 😉
This is the map for you! It’s should be easier. 😉
- The courtyard where you’ll see yourself on every wall // Piotrkowska 3
We start quite typically – from the Pasaz Rozy. Do you think I brought you here just to see the famous mirrors that are known throughout Poland?
Of course, we should take a look, but it’s not our primary goal. The Pasaz Rozy is interesting not only because of Joanna Rajkowska’s work. I recommend going deeper into this courtyard and discovering the unexpected. A mural decorated with barbed wire, a ruined house surrounded by a newly renovated sidewalk, and all kinds of street art paintings. We can find works by street artists from Łódź (but not limited to), as well as passionate football fans. For me, this courtyard is quite a good metaphor for Łódź.
2. The courtyard in front of which the gate “resists” // Piotrkowska 8
It’s not quite a courtyard, but more like a gate. The artists tried to make the old building pretty. They used the elements of the gate and created a colorful gallery. Besides that, at the front of the building, you can find the Polish word “OPÓR” which means RESISTANCE. Against what? The courtyard is in a bad condition, just like everything else here, so maybe the gate fights against it?
3. The courtyard with a dam, but no river // Piotrkowska 26
When you hear that a city is called Lodz (in Engish – boat), you assume that the place has something to do with water. That’s the case with Lodz. However, in this case you should use the word “had” rather than “has”. Lodz owes a lot to small rivers, but you won’t find any like the Vistula or Odra (the two largest rivers in Poland). But you will find a “dam” instead! It’s on Piotrkowska Street. And not a small one at all. What else besides the dam? An excellent mural created by famous Polish group TWOZYWO! Admittedly textual and in Polish, but it is still impressive!
Do you want to learn more about the history of Lodz and explore street art in Lodz at the same time? Meet up with me for a walk!
4. The antique-style courtyard // Piotrkowska 44
This courtyyard is not always easy to get into. Sometimes you have to wait a while and enter behind a nice resident. I assure you that it is worth it! Inside you will find two Michelangelo sculptures “David” and “Guliano de Medici” transferred to the wall. The mural was created by local artist Karolina Treler.
5. The courtyard as red as a bricks // Piotrkowska 82
This number on Piotrkowska Street is one of my favorites for several reasons. Firstly, it is a great example of how factory owners functioned in Lodz in the 19th century. Often, as here, they put their factory next to a house. Why, you may ask? To keep an eye on the business! If the factory was too quiet, it meant that something wrong was going on. It is also amazing that in the further part (actually an extension) of the backyard you will find trees that were part of the forest from which Lodz was built! But enough of the history 🙂 Today you’ll find a lot of uncontrolled street art – a mural by Gu-Tang Clan and Tope, tags, stencils, and stickers, as well as the English pub where you feel like in London!
PS You will also find a fairy in this backyard. Lodz is really a magical place.
6. A courtyard, which today is no longer a courtyard // Piotrkowska 150 and Roosevelta 3
At this point, I’ll break the rules a bit and show you two great murals that are not quite in courtyards. Although it used to be a courtyards here, but today it’s just an open space.
The first mural is built of symbols of Lodz such as the sculpture of Kosciuszko from Plac Wolnosci, the tram number 46, and even a boat. We can find here also the mural’s author during work. The second mural is more mysterious, created by the world’s famous artists – Aryz and the Ogeoms brothers.
7. The courtyard straight out of the movie // Piotrkowska 120
No one ever has a problem entering this courtyard. Here you will find an installation made of colorful umbrellas, ivy like from the book Secret Garden, a non-muggle café straight out of Harry Potter, and two murals! The paintings have had their years, but they are still impressive. On the first one you will see Charlie Chaplin. This mural was created by Michael Picado. The second mural is linked to the Krzemiscy brothers, who opened the first permanent cinema in the 1899 in Lodz. This mural was painted by Michael Picado and Juliano Ramirez.
Are you interested in murals in Lodz? Come with me for a walk and learn more about their history.
There is no Charlie Chaplin anymore. Instead you can find here a new mural – related to Łódź and the polish movie “Ziemia Obiecana”.
8. The courtyard that was peeped // Piotrkowska 114
This mural is not in the backyard, but it is connected to the one! It was created on the initiative of the owner of the building, who wanted to show life from the old days on it. What’s more, on the wall are references to the owner’s family history – the Raj Cinema was his grandfather’s former workplace, and the lady in the window selling tickets is the owner’s grandmother. However, for me, the most interesting thing is the interiors of the windows! The artists, when they created the mural, recreated in them exactly what was going on in the windows in the courtyard behind the gate. Even the windows in the mural are the same as the ones inside. I recommend looking inside and seeing it for yourself.
9. The courtyard that disappears and stays in the same time // Piotrkowska 138/140
The famous OFF on Piotrkowska Street, which in its current form may not exist for too long. The developer is slowly making changes here and modernizing the space. The gate has already disappeared. The “DOKI” restaurant has been moved deeper into OFF space. What will be the next steps? We’ll see. The comforting news is that we can still find plenty of street art here in smaller and larger forms. My favourite art here is mural at the OFF parking created by Robert Proch and Etam Cru “Enjoy The Silence”.
10. The courtyard, where you find something good to eat, and also art to look // Piotrkowska 217
This backyard is the so-called second “OFF”. You’ll find great eateries here. From the original ones, I recommend Kuroneko – a Japanese home restaurant run by a Japanese lady. Besides food, there are entertainment venues, such as a roller skating rink or a venue called Przestrzen, where you can listen to alternative music. Of course, there is plenty of art too! You’ll find a lot of murals, for example, one that says good morning to you or one with a rat. 🙂
That’s where we end. These are not all the original courtyards on Piotrkowska Street. There are more!
I invite you to snoop around Piotrkowska Street, peek inside the gates, and discover what has not yet been discovered. 🙂
Have fun in Lodz!
Karolajn
Part of Streets 
1 Comment