Kuźniczki Park in Gdańsk

Kuźniczki Park is a small, historic park in Wrzeszcz, one of Gdańsk's most popular residential districts. It covers just 0.6 hectares, yet it carries the story of a former manor estate and today serves as a quiet green corner beside the city bustle.

Where is Kuźniczki Park?

The park lies in the Kuźniczki neighbourhood of Wrzeszcz, on the banks of the Strzyża stream. The stream emerges here from beneath the railway embankment, having begun its course in the woods of Upper Wrzeszcz. It is one of the spots where the Strzyża shows itself above ground before disappearing again into the urban fabric. From central Wrzeszcz it is only a few minutes on foot, which makes the park an easy pause during a walk around the district.

Where does the name come from, and what was the estate like?

Kuźniczki is a remnant of a former manor estate. From the 18th century until the end of the Second World War the place was known by its German name, Kleinhammer, meaning "little hammer", a nod to the water-powered workshops once found along such streams. The surroundings of Wrzeszcz were long a place of country residences and suburban estates belonging to the people of Gdańsk, and Kuźniczki was one of them.

The grounds were once much larger. In the 19th century a railway line was driven through the area, and further parcels of land passed to the neighbouring brewery, Danziger Aktien-Bierbrauerei. Remains of its buildings were later incorporated into modern apartment blocks north of the park. What survives of the old estate is the park itself, a pond and a manor building raised in the mid-18th century.

Why visit?

• Calm in the middle of the city. A spot for a short stroll, a bench in the shade and a break from the noise of Wrzeszcz.
• Water and greenery. The pond and the Strzyża alongside give the park an atmosphere hard to find among dense buildings.
• Literary Gdańsk. In the interwar years the park was a popular meeting place for young people. It appears in the prose of Günter Grass, the Nobel laureate tied to Wrzeszcz, and so features on literary walks following his novels.
• District history. The park helps you picture Wrzeszcz as it was before the railway and industry reshaped it.

Renewal driven by residents

For years the park shrank and, poorly kept, lost its charm. In recent years local residents, many of whom remember it from childhood, successfully campaigned to have it cleaned up. The works extended to the surroundings, and the park was refreshed alongside the renovation of nearby Wajdeloty Street.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kuźniczki Park big? No, it covers about 0.6 hectares, so it is closer to a small green square than a sprawling park. A quarter of an hour is enough to see it all.

Where exactly is it? In Wrzeszcz, in the Kuźniczki neighbourhood, on the Strzyża stream, close to the railway line and Wajdeloty Street.

Is it a heritage site? Yes, it is a historic park, tied to the story of Gdańsk's former suburban estates.

What else is nearby? Wrzeszcz is known for its Art Nouveau tenement houses, the Wajdeloty promenade and places linked with Günter Grass, so the park fits neatly into a walk around the district.

Who is it for? Residents looking for a moment of calm, lovers of Gdańsk history and anyone following Grass's literary trail.