Mill Island () 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.
Location 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.
Characteristics 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 ( "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").
Island intersected two canals: 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 m2 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.
History 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.
In 1594, on the eastern island has been established the Bydgoszcz Mint, propriety of King Sigismund III Vasa. His favourite, Stanisław Cikowski, opened there a private mint, which turned into a royal mint in the early 17th century.
Prussian period (1772–1920) The most significant transformation of the island dates back to the construction of the Bydgoszcz Canal. In 1774, in the area of the mint house, was built the largest watermill called "Hercules" (nicknamed "Henryk" from 1828). The last remaining building in Mennica Street (at no. 4) was a tannery, established in 1760 south of the sawmill, and in 1789 were built half-timbered granaries called the White Granary. In addition to industrial and warehouse buildings, residential buildings appeared, like the Miller's House (at Mennica St. no. 8) in 1772 or the Administration mills building (no. 6) in the end of the 18th century). To ease the management of cereals between military warehouses on left bank of Brda river and the island, was built in 1789 the "Warehouse bridge" (now at the level of the pedestrian bridge to Opera Nova).
Between 1815 and 1825, Prussians authorities under the leadership of attorney Koplin, started the reconstruction of the island. They piled the dike linking the island to Focha Street, built a complex of mills, barns (including the predecessor of the Red Granary) and residential buildings, in particular using the foundations of the former mint house. On the northern edge of the island were built "Rudolf and Wilhelm Mills" (now Bydgoszcz hydroelectric power station "Kujawska"), a brick coach-house and storage facilities. In 1816 was built a wooden bridge, the Mill Bridge, connecting to the Old Market Square (now Ku Młynom Street).
In 1825, all facilities on Mill Island were taken over by a consortium, comprising, among others, the Schickler brothers from Berlin. These brothers owned also in Bydgoszcz, raised on the grounds of the former castle, a sugar refinery (now the local seat of PZU insurance company at Grodzka St.25). The Schicklers' set up in 1826 Bydgoszcz Mills Company "Hercules", producing not only the local market but also exporting to Germany, Great Britain, and even Brazil. "Hercules" facilities processed cereals imported by water from the whole Polish Kingdom. The mills were also equipped with a waterwheels-driven sawmill.
In 1842, the consortium took over Prussian owned facilities: in 1846 Royal Mills pioneered the first steam engine in Bydgoszcz. In 1848 and 1849, the old mills were demolished, and in its place were built a large mill complex, now known as the Rother's Mills: they were the largest mills in Bydgoszcz in the second half of the 19th century and were supported by smaller ones throughout Bydgoszcz, like "Kentzer Mills", now hotel "Słoneczny Młyn".
In 1859, "Henryk" watermill was demolished, giving place to a steam mill "Camphausa" (the current Red Barn). In 1899, a residential villa was built on the island for members of the board mills (at Minneca no. 7), now Leon Wyczolkowski's house. At the turn of the 20th century, the transition from water power mills to steam and electricity industrial buildings on the island was almost complete.
In addition, the period from 1870 to 1914 was the time of creation of "Bydgoszcz Venice", an architectural ensemble of tenements built along the leat canal of the river from the east, south and west. Those picturesque buildings down to the foot of the river became a tourist attraction and inspiration for artists.
Interwar period (1920–1930) During interwar years, slight changes were brought to the island settlements.
In 1936, a marina for the Military Sports Club was created: demolished in 2011, it has been reconstructed in a new form a year later. In 1934, the "Warehouse bridge" connecting military warehouses to the city was demolished, due to the bend expansion of the Brda river.
Post-war period (since 1945) After World War II, all milling facilities on the island became property of the "Grain and Mills State Enterprises". Marina was expanded to the benefit of WKS "Zawisza" Sports Club and water police station in the area of the White Granary. In 1964, the Mill Bridge was rebuilt in the current form. At the end of the 1960s, two water ways were filled in, the "Międzywodzie kanal" and the Grain Channel (partly) allowing the island to be merged into one.
In 1978 on the island has been placed a MiG-15, as a monument, which stood here a few months. In the 1980s, an artillery canon has been also placed here.
First revitalization plans for Mill Island in the 1970s were aimed to transform mill installations into museums. In the 1990s mills were sold to private investors, and the remaining facilities were transferred to the ownership of "Leon Wyczółkowski" District Museum in Bydgoszcz.
Revitalization of Mill Island came to completion only after 2004, once received specific funds European Union and European Economic Area. Comprehensive work has been done from 2006 to 2010, with the erection in 2012 of a new water marina in place of the existing WKS "Zawisza" one.
In 2022, Rother's Mills ensemble has been transformed into an exhibition area. Furthermore, since June 2, 2022, the city of Bydgoszcz has been putting Józef Makowski's sculptures into display on the northern waterfront of the island. These stone fishes statues used to stand in the 1950s, in a pool to replace the downtown monumental fountain "The Deluge" (), melted down by German forces in 1942.
Buildings Mill Island has been listed between 1985 and 1995 on the Polish Register of Historical Monuments under no. A/878, June 15, 1985 (mill buildings) and no. A/773/1-9, June 6, 1992. Elements noticed in the heritage article: historical character of the spatial arrangement, old trees, a monumental complex of mills and grain storehouses along with free-standing buildings surrounded by greenery.
Most listed buildings are located on the former coinage island. From the original 17th-century mint building there still can be seen foundations and basement vaults.
Historical granaries White Granary