Mill Island in Bydgoszcz

About

Mill Island (Polish: Wyspa Młyńska) is a historic area in the Old Town of Bydgoszcz, Poland. It covers approximately 6.5 ha and today is a place with cultural and recreational facilities, surrounded by the Brda river and its branch. The island received the 2012 certificate for Best Tourist Attraction from the Polish Tourist Organisation.

The island is situated between the Brda river and its leat branch, west of the Old Market, in Bydgoszcz Old Town. Only one road runs through the island, Mennica Street, whose name derives from Polish mennica 'mint': a royal mint demolished in the 19th century operated there from 1594 to 1688. Mennica street connects the Old Market to the mills on the island, and extends to Foch Street, running along the causeway connecting Mill Island with water locks.

Mill Island is one of the most beautiful scenic spots in Bydgoszcz, thanks to its picturesque features: long waterfronts, locks and dams, canal waterfall, greenery and buildings frontages on waterfront (nicknamed "Venice of Bydgoszcz"). Its location in the Old Town district is a symbol of the close symbiosis between Bydgoszcz city and the river-and-canals network, the Bydgoszcz Floodway ( (in Polish) "Bydgoszcz Węzeł Wodny" connecting Vistula and Oder rivers. Nowadays, the island is a recreation and culture place, thanks to the presence of numerous museums and the proximity of city Opera ("Opera Nova").

- The "Międzywodzie ( between waters ) kanal", a historic watercourse, renovated in 2007;

- The "Grain channel", west of Rother's Mills, pierced in the 18th century. The leat river flows around the island and joins the Brda river through two weirs, "Jaz Farny" and "Jaz Ulgowy", and a fish ladder.

Today, the island is connected to the rest of the city with pedestrian bridges and one bridge for vehicles. A meadow stands in the middle of the island, with an amphitheatre facing the river and a playground for children. In the east, the "Międzywodzie kanal" makes delimitation with the so-called "Mint Island", home to several facilities of the District Museum:

- The "White Granary", with its Gothic cross-vaulted cellar from the 15th century holds archaeological collections;

- A house from the late 18th or early 19th century housed the "European Money Centre", with exhibitions relating to Bydgoszcz's mint and money in Europe;

- The "Red Granary" holds a Gallery of Modern Art with a former miller's house as its reception and information center;

- Leon Wyczolkowski's house in the central part of the island exhibits the achievements of the artist. A dike separates the north-western part of the Mill Island from the Brda: in this area is set a waterfront mooring for yachts, along with a marina and a hotel, at the opposite of Rother's Mills.

The island is connected to the Opera with a pedestrian bridge: its landing has an observation deck and an amphitheater, used to for outdoor performances. On Mill Island, a pedestal carrying an earthly globe identifies the 18° East Meridian, which crosses the neighboring Old Market. Near the waterfront is a 700 m 2 sandy area filled with sea sand coming from Miedzyzdroje.

Every year in June, takes place there Bydgoszcz's Water Festival, aiming at popularizing E70 waterway and inland waterways tourism.

Historically, the island comprised three earth lands:

- The Northern island, dismantled with the construction of Bydgoszcz Canal in 1772–1774;

- The Western island, now the central part of current Mill Island;

- The Eastern (mint) island, where was established in 1594 one of the most important mint house in the early modern era of Poland, coins from Bydgoszcz Mint being known all over Europe. The "Eastern island" and western part of "Międzywodzie kanal" have been buried during the 1960s and recreated in the form of a cascade in 2007.

Old Polish Period (until the mid-18th century)

For several centuries, the Mill Island was part of royal domain, hence its old Polish name "Royal Island" ( Wyspa Królewska ), or sometimes "Okole". Actual name Mill Island comes from several mills that were built on the island since the 14th century, which gained a peak of activityin the 19th century.

In the Middle Ages, first mills appeared on the eastern part of the island. At the end of the 14th century, for economical and military defense purposes, water network in the western Old Town was improved, so as to take advantage of Brda river first weir, Jaz Farny (literally "Parish weir"), has been created, along with a lock and a navigable channel which is today the actual riverbed of the Brda. Around 1400, opposite Bydgoszcz Cathedral has been built the mill of the church ( młyn kościelny ). At the time, royal mills belonging to Bydgoszcz starosta, were standing at the junction of the "Międzywodzie kanal" and the leat channel. In 1541, several large five-wheel driven mills and a sawmill were working on the island. In addition to corn and malt mills, there were also fulling mills for wool cleansing and leather tanning.

The western Island, less built, was occupied by gardens.