Narutowicz Square and Fabryczna street in Bełchatów
The history of Bełchatów dates back to the 14th century. Established as a settlement, the place developed steadily and received city rights in the first part of the 18th century. In the 19th century Bełchatów became a centre of the textile industry. However, the turning point came with the discovery of lignite deposits followed by the establishment of a centre of mining and power industry. The Bełchatów Lignite Mine began its operations in 1980 and the following year the Bełchatów Power Station opened its first unit.
These investments attracted a few thousand young and educated people from different parts of Poland, representing different cultures and traditions. On the other hand, the people of Bełchatów today feel ever stronger ties with the history of their city and attach great weight to the pre-servation of any remains of its past. It is therefore little wonder that the city revitalization projects have attracted great public interest and prompted heated debate. This aroused civic awareness became the first success of these initiatives.
The main square in the city centre (known as plac Narutowicza since 1925) was once used as a market place, as well as serving for cultural and recreational purposes. Prior to the Second World War the square was distinguished by a number of houses which belonged to the local Jewish community. Unfortunately, the wartime destruction and the subsequent redevelopment decisions – such as building a road cutting through the heart of the square – completely effaced the once-unique character of the place.
The remodelling of plac Narutowicza and the adjacent streets has resulted in the development of a new traffic-free and tree-lined public space with its largest part designed for recreational purposes. The square has a large fountain area with numerous illuminated water columns, which has already become the top favourite place for children (who can also use a nearby playground). Also illuminated are parts of the paving with modern seats and wooden platforms for benches. The area in front of the Urban Community Centre building has been redeveloped to better suit cultural, sports and promotional events. All these improvements are to be crowned with a new cultural centre building designed to house a theatre room with 500 seats. In fact, the area has already become the venue for numerous cultural initiatives, such as Festiwal Filmów Niepoważnych “Nakręceni” – an indie cinema festival covering feature film, documentary, TV report and animated film.
The new elegant centre attracts investments, and house owners now vie with each other to make their place more appealing. The city supports them, offering exemption from property tax. The area covered by the revitalization programme has already received 11 new houses with flats and business establishments, and 19 old buildings have been renovated thoroughly by their owners. The project was nominated for the main award in the 4th contest Poland Even More Beautiful. Seven Miracles of EU Funds in the Revitalization category.
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