Top 15 Attractions in Łódź, Poland You Can’t Miss

As Poland’s third largest city, Łódź was established on the foundation of the textile industry during the 19th century. The urban landscape continues to reflect this historical era: Massive brick spinning mills have evolved into trendy cultural centers, shopping malls, and public monuments, while the entrepreneurs who accrued wealth from the factories constructed lavish villas that now serve as museums.

Łódź is renowned well beyond Poland for its National Film School, where esteemed filmmakers Andrzej Wajda and Roman Polanski honed their skills. Although largely unscathed during the Second World War, Łódź was home to the second largest ghetto in Poland. Today, the Radegast train station stands as a monument to history, serving as the departure point for thousands of individuals on their final journey to Auschwitz and the nearby Chelmno extermination camp.

Let us delve into the most notable attractions in Łódź:

1. Manufaktura

A prime example of the city center’s revitalization over the past quarter of a century, Manufaktura serves as a shopping and leisure complex that incorporates former textile factories.

Inaugurated in 2006, it represents the largest urban regeneration initiative in Poland since the restoration of Warsaw’s Old Town post-war.

What distinguishes this site from an ordinary shopping mall is the impressive industrial brick architecture created by entrepreneur Izrael Poznański in the 1870s.

The extensive grounds cover 27 hectares and host over 300 establishments, ranging from international retailers to cafés, restaurants, and bakeries.

The Museum of the Factory sheds light on the daily lives of workers, the textile production methods employed in this facility, and explores the life of Izrael Poznański.

2. Ulica Piotrkowska

Stretching just under five kilometers, Ulica Piotrkowska is the principal thoroughfare of Łódź and ranks among the longest pedestrian streets globally.

It serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the city, boasting numerous top-tier dining establishments, shops, nightlife venues, and significant sights.

Many industrialists from Łódź owned townhouses along this street, and since the 1990s, the Art Nouveau and Historicist buildings have been meticulously restored to their original grandeur.

Located midway along at number 72 is the Grand Hotel, where notable figures such as Tito, Himmler, and Roman Polanski have stayed.

At number 78, you will arrive at the childhood residence of Polish-American classical pianist Arthur Rubinstein, who is honored by a monument depicting him in a familiar posture at a grand piano.

3. Radegast Train Station

Located in the Bałuty district, Radegast Train Station served as the departure point for the Auschwitz and Chelmno extermination camps.

Approximately 200,000 Jews from the Łódź Ghetto, as well as individuals from Poland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and the former Sudetenland, passed through this station.

The site was transformed into a memorial in 2005, featuring three windowless cattle wagons alongside the restored station building.

Large gravestones bear the names of destinations such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, with hand imprints set into their concrete surfaces.

A branch of the Łódź Museum of Independence located within the station illustrates life in the Łódź Ghetto. One poignant exhibit showcases the contents of a suitcase found in an attic on Ulica Organizacji WiN in the Ghetto, belonging to a family likely murdered at Chelmno camp.

4. Central Museum of Textiles

Textile production in Łódź initially functioned as a cottage industry until establishments like the White Factory emerged in the 1830s.

Situated at the southern end of Piotrkowska Street, this lakeside four-wing complex, established by entrepreneur Ludwig Geyer, reflects authentic Neoclassical architecture.

Converted into a museum shortly after World War II, visitors can admire the architecture of the site, including its boiler house, tall chimney, and water towers, while viewing the factory’s original steam-powered looms.

An extensive collection of textile-making machinery, including spinners from other factories, is also on display, alongside an exhibition dedicated to fashion trends up to the 20th century.

The museum organizes the International Triennial of Tapestry, the largest global exhibition for contemporary fiber art, attracting thousands of visitors every three years.

5. Edward Herbst’s Villa

This elegant residence was built in 1876 for Matylda, the daughter of Karl Scheibler, a pivotal figure in Łódź’s textile industry.

Upon her father’s death, her spouse Edward Herbst inherited one of Poland’s largest industrial conglomerates.

Their two-story Neo-Renaissance mansion, set in expansive gardens and equipped with a ballroom, stables, and orangery, reveals the opulent lifestyle of Poland’s 19th-century industrialists.

The mansion was acquired by Łódź’s Museum of Art in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that detailed plans of the interiors surfaced, enabling a comprehensive restoration.

6. Księży Młyn (Priest’s Mill)

Adjacent to the Herbst Villa, you can explore a fully preserved industrial complex from the late 19th century.

Originally, mills belonging to the parish priest operated here since the 15th century, with the site designated for industrial spinning factories in 1823.

After a fire halted production in 1870, Karl Scheibler acquired Priest’s Mill, transforming it into a self-contained community.

The complex housed the largest spinning mill in Łódź, measuring over 200 meters in length, and retains an extensive housing estate for workers, as well as a factory shop, school, fire station, palatial residences for the owner’s family, and a park with a pond.

The brick architecture and level of preservation are remarkable, with ongoing efforts for UNESCO World Heritage recognition.

7. Jewish Cemetery

Historically, this 44-hectare cemetery on Ulica Bracka was among the world’s largest Jewish burial grounds.

Established in 1892, it offers a glimpse into the early decades of the 20th century.

On one hand, opulent monuments honor industrialists like Izrael Poznański, whose grave features potentially the largest mausoleum for a Jewish individual worldwide and is uniquely adorned with a mosaic.

Conversely, the cemetery serves as a somber reminder of the Holocaust; in the southern section, mass graves commemorate the 45,000 individuals who perished in the Łódź Ghetto.

Particularly haunting are the open graves, excavated by approximately 800 Jews compelled to remain and assist in the liquidation of the ghetto.

These individuals were slated for execution but were spared due to the Soviet advance in late 1944.

8. Izrael Poznański Palace

Situated prominently on Ulica Ogrodowa, the Eclecticist residence of industrialist Izrael Poznański is one of Łódź’s most significant monuments.

Poznański invested the wealth he amassed during the cotton boom at the end of the 19th century into this palace, characterized by its L-shaped layout.

No other bourgeois mansions in Łódź can rival this building regarding size and the lavishness of its decoration.

Currently, it houses the headquarters of Łódź’s City Museum.

Visitors can explore Poznański’s private study and roam through the Art Nouveau interiors, featuring richly carved wood paneling, parquet flooring, chandeliers, silk wallpaper, stained glass skylights, extensive stuccowork, ornamental carvings, and numerous pieces of original period furniture.

9. Off Piotrkowska

This development along Ulica Piotrkowska may be seen as a more contemporary alternative to Manufaktura.

Located within a brick industrial cotton mill that ceased operations in 1990, originally owned by Franciszek Ramisch and established between 1850 and 1909, Off Piotrkowska is distinct in its offering.

While Manufaktura may emphasize chain retailers, Off Piotrkowska features independent design outlets, artist studios, international dining establishments, exhibition spaces, stylish bars, and venues for live performances by alternative artists.

Moreover, the historical charm of the Ramisch Factory enriches the entire locale with a sense of timeless style.

Food trucks frequently congregate in the courtyard, hosting events such as the Domoffon music festival in August.

10. Muzeum Sztuki ms2

Łódź’s art museum consists of three locations throughout the city.

Short-term installations by contemporary artists are showcased in the gallery at Maurycy Poznański’s Palace (ms1), while Edward Herbst’s Villa functions as another branch.

However, the primary attraction is ms2, housed in a former spinning mill within the Manufaktura complex.

The permanent exhibition highlights the museum’s collection of 20th and 21st-century art, presented in specially curated displays of 200 works at a time, emphasizing themes related to modernity such as “capital,” “progress,” “emancipation,” and “propaganda.” Additionally, a vibrant schedule of temporary exhibitions, a well-appointed bookshop, and a café are available.

11. Botanical Garden

Situated within Źródliska Park in the western Polesie district, this 67-hectare botanical garden was initially planted in 1929 but was further developed post-war.

Open from April to October, the garden boasts 3,500 plant varieties arranged in nine sections.

Among its features is an 18-hectare arboretum, alongside beds of medicinal plants such as horsetail, evening primrose, and St John’s Wort.

The Alpinarium simulates mountainous terrain, nurturing coniferous plants and rhododendrons, while the two-hectare Japanese garden hosts species from the Far East.

The Palm House, established in 1956, remains one of the city’s beloved landmarks, presenting 4,500 Mediterranean, tropical, and cactus specimens.

Adjacent to these attractions are didactic trails displaying native deciduous trees, common weeds, various rock types, and a collection of sundials.

12. Muzeum Kanału “Dętka”

This museum invites visitors to explore an unusual piece of 20th-century engineering located beneath Plac Wolności (Freedom Square). The Dętka is a toroidal water reservoir, constructed in 1926 to service the city’s central sewer system.

It has a capacity of 300 cubic meters and extends over 140 meters in length, rising to nearly 190 cm in height.

In 2008, the Dętka was opened to the public for the first time and offers tours from Wednesday to Sunday.

The well-lit tunnels feature archival photographs of Łódź’s sewer system, vintage sluice gate mechanisms, and century-old tools.

13. Karl Scheibler’s Chapel

Similar to Izrael Poznański, entrepreneur Karl Scheibler was commemorated posthumously in 1881 with a striking mausoleum.

In Scheibler’s case, this mausoleum took the form of a complete chapel commissioned by his daughter Anna.

Designed in the Gothic Revival style, the structure features elements reminiscent of the churches of northern France and Scheibler’s native Germany.

Located in the Old Cemetery along Ulica Ogrodowa, the chapel resembles a miniature cathedral, complete with a cross-shaped layout, tympanum, rose window, and a central tower adorned with crockets.

While the monument has seen better days, it serves as a testament to a past era when textile factory owners held significant wealth and influence in Łódź.

14. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

This Orthodox Neo-Byzantine church serves as a reminder of Łódź’s status as part of the Russian Empire for over a century.

By the end of the 19th century, approximately 7,000 individuals, accounting for up to 2% of the city’s population, identified as Orthodox Christians.

As one of many philanthropic endeavors, the prominent magnates of Łódź collectively financed the construction of this church, which was consecrated in 1884. Designed on an octagonal plan, the vibrant cathedral features blue domes with patterned gold borders.

The interior is equally captivating, showcasing an iconostasis produced in St. Petersburg and funded by Izrael Poznański.

15. Łagiewnicki Forest

Located in the northeastern part of Łódź, this 1,200-hectare forest ranks among the largest natural reserves within the boundaries of a European city.

The forest features a rich tapestry of oak trees, alongside Scots pines, birches, and a variety of other species.

When residents of Łódź seek solace in nature, this forest serves as their destination, offering scenic bike and walking trails that are particularly popular among cross-country skiers in winter.

Alongside the road to Zgierz lies a Franciscan monastery, established during the early 18th century.

This site has historically attracted pilgrims, drawn by the grave of beatified monk Rafał Chyliński and an icon of Saint Anthony.

Hidden within the forest is the Arturówek holiday center, which features a lakeside beach, playgrounds, and various sports facilities.