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<\/a><\/p>\nThe history of \u0141\u00f3d\u017a, summed up in one sentence, would tell of how a small farmer settlement grew into the hub of industrial activity in Poland and how, over the past two decades, the city reinvented itself as a new-age model of forward-thinking economic development. But the colorful history of \u0141\u00f3d\u017a deserves a more tuneful telling.<\/p>\n
The site of \u0141\u00f3d\u017a has been inhabited, more or less, for several thousand years but the first written record dates back to 1332 when the village of \u0141odzia was given to the bishops of W\u0142oc\u0142awek. Positioned in the middle of Poland near the crossing of the Odra and Vistula Rivers, the settlement was established on the important Masovia-Silesia trade route, although agricultural activities were main source livelihood for the local provincial community. The town\u2019s municipal privilege was granted by King Wladyslaw Jagiello in 1423 and for the following centuries, this small settlement of around 800 inhabitants lived off of the surrounding farmlands. At the cusp of the 19th century, with the second partition of Poland, the city came under the control of Prussia and it was named Lodsch, but it was soon reunited with its motherland to become part of the Russian-controlled Congress Poland in 1815.<\/p>\n
Despite being destined for slow decay, the aging industrial sites and structures where spotted by city officials and a slew of forward-thinking foreign and local investors as vital part of designing \u0141\u00f3d\u017a\u2019s post-communist identity and urban regeneration. Combining monumental and cultural preservation with urban renewal and artistic flair, a number of abandoned factories have been given a new lease of life as cultural centres and mix-used commerce and leisure parks.<\/p>\n
Examples of this large-scale urban revival can be seen across the city. The four-storey White Factory of Saxony industrialist Ludwik Geyer, a brick-and-stone cotton spinning and weaving mill erected in 1830, received a much-need facelift in the 1950s and became the headquarters of the Central Museum of Textiles in 1960. The museum hosts the International Tapestry Triennale and features a comprehensive selection of industrial textiles and tapestries from across the globe as well as organizing. New life was also breathed into the brick-built spinning mill and neo-Renaissance residential palace of \u201cCotton King\u201d Karol Scheibler, as it houses Poland\u2019s only Cinematography Museum since 1986. The posh premises survived the wartime period, serving as the Gestapo Chief\u2019s main residence, and the varied architectural styles where left intact, which now serve as a lavish backdrop to the myriad of permanent and temporary exhibits highlighting Poland\u2019s colourful cinematic past. In the vicinity lies Edward Herbst\u2019s neo-Renaissance-style mansion, also known as the Priest\u2019s Mill Residence, and the adjoining greenhouse, Ballroom and maintenance building. In 1976, the \u0141\u00f3d\u017a Museum of Art acquired this stylish space and after extended restoration work it was opened to the public in 1990. The conservatory works and the display arrangements in the Herbst Mansion won Poland\u2019s first Europa Nostra medal, awarded for outstanding preservation of cultural heritage by the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage.<\/p>\n
With nearly 800,000 inhabitants, \u0141\u00f3d\u017a is Poland\u2019s second-largest urban agglomerate and one of its chief investment areas. Its central location (some 120 kilometers southwest of Warsaw), long-standing industrial traditions, well-developed technical infrastructure and the availability of trained personnel are just a few of the attractive qualities that wooed international investors to the city. In 1997, the Decree of the Council of Ministers established the \u0141\u00f3d\u017a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which offers a variety of high-value properties in the province, significant tax reliefs and all-around assistance in the investment process. Within ten years of its existence, the \u0141\u00f3d\u017a SEZ has attracted dozens of global brands and multi-national enterprises which invested over 1 billion Euros and have created 10 000 new jobs.<\/p>\n
Do nast<\/strong>\u0119pnego razu… <\/strong>(Till next time…)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have you been to \u0141\u00f3d\u017a in Poland? The once-hardy industrial heartland of Poland has quickly grown out of its rust-filled roots to become one of the most rapidly evolving areas of the country. Rocking to the rhythm of high-speed development, the city is alive with a vast choice of cultural landmarks and activities, creative spirit…<\/p>\n