Łódź first appears in records in the 14th century. It was grantedtown rights in 1423 by the Polish KingWładysław II Jagiełło and it remained a private town of theKuyavian bishops and clergy until the late 18th century. In theSecond Partition of Poland in 1793, Łódź was annexed toPrussia before becoming part of theNapoleonicDuchy of Warsaw; the city joinedCongress Poland, aRussian client state, at the 1815Congress of Vienna. TheSecond Industrial Revolution (from 1850) brought rapid growth in textile manufacturing and in population owing to the inflow of migrants, a sizable part of which were Jews and Germans. Ever since the industrialization of the area, the city had beenmultinational and struggled with social inequalities, as documented in the novelThe Promised Land byNobel Prize–winning authorWładysław Reymont. The contrasts greatly reflected on the architecture of the city, where luxurious mansions coexisted with red-brick factories and dilapidated tenement houses.[10]
The industrial development and demographic surge made Łódź one of the largest cities in Poland. During the interwar period, Łódź became an important center for the Polish artisticavant-garde. Founded in 1931,Muzeum Sztuki became the first museum in Europe dedicated to collecting and showcasing modern art.[11]Under the German occupation duringWorld War II, the city's population was persecuted and its largeJewish minority was forced into a walled zone known as theLitzmannstadt Ghetto, after the Nazi German renaming of the city, from where they were sent to Germanconcentration and extermination camps. The city became Poland's temporary seat of power in 1945.
There is no consensus on the origin of the city's name. ThePolish wordłódź means 'boat',[16][17] but popular theories link it with themedieval village of Łodzia and the now-canalised River Łódka on which the modern city was founded.[18] It may also be related tołoza 'willow tree' or theOld Polish personal name Włodzisław.[19]
In 1820, the government of the Congress Kingdom designated Łódź and its rural surroundings forcentrally planned industrial development.[30]Rajmund Rembieliński, head of theAdministrative Council and prefect ofMasovia, became the president of a commission that subdivided the works two major phases; the first (1821–23) comprised the creation of a new city centre with an octagonal square (contemporaryplac Wolności; Liberty Square) and arrangedhousing allotments ongreenfield land situated south of the old marketplace; the second stage (1824–28) involved the establishment ofcotton mill colonies and a linear street system along with an arterial north–south thoroughfare,Piotrkowska.[30] Many of the early dwellings were timber cottages built for housingweavers (domy tkaczy).[31]
During this time, a sizeable number ofGerman craftsmen settled in the city,[31] encouraged by exemptions from tax obligations.[32] Their settlement in Poland was encouraged by renowned philosopher and statesmanStanisław Staszic, who acted as the director of the Department of Trade, Crafts and Industry.[33]
In 1851, the Imperial authorities abolished acustoms barrier which was imposed on Congress Poland following the failedNovember Uprising (1830–1831).[34] The suppression of tariffs allowed the city to freely export its goods to Russia, where the demand for textiles was high.[34] Poland's firststeam-powered loom commenced operations at Ludwik Geyer'sWhite Factory in 1839.[35] During the first weeks of theJanuary Uprising (1863–1864), a unit of 300 Polish insurgents entered the city without resistance and seized weapons, and later on, there were also clashes between Polish insurgents and Russian troops in the city.[36] In 1864, the inhabitants of adjacent villages were permitted to settle in Łódźwithout restrictions.[37] The development of railways in the region was also instrumental in expanding the textile industry; in 1865 theŁódź–Koluszki line, a branch of theWarsaw–Vienna railway, was opened, thus providing a train connection to larger markets.[38] In 1867, the city was incorporated into thePiotrków Governorate, a local province.[39]
The infrastructure and edifices of Łódź were built at the expense of industrialists andbusiness magnates, chieflyKarl Wilhelm Scheibler andIzrael Poznański, who sponsored schools, hospitals, orphanages, andplaces of worship.[40] From 1872 to 1892, Poznański established a majortextile manufactory composed of twelve factories, power plants, workertenements, a private fire station, and a largeeclectic palace.[41] By the end of the century, Scheibler'sKsięży Młyn became one of Europe's largest industrial complexes, employing 5,000 workers within a single facility.[42] The years 1870–1890 saw the most intense industrialisation,[43] which was marked by social inequalities and dire working conditions.[44] Łódź soon became a notable centre of thesocialist movement and the so-calledŁódź rebellion(pl) in May 1892 was quelled by a military intervention.[44]
The turn of the 20th century coincided with cultural and technological progress; in 1899, the first stationarycinema in Poland (Gabinet Iluzji) was opened in Łódź.[45] In the same year,Józef Piłsudski, the futureMarshal of Poland, settled in the city and began printing theRobotnik (The Worker; p. 1894–1939), anunderground newspaper published by thePolish Socialist Party.[46] During theJune Days (1905), approximately 100,000 unemployed labourers went on a mass strike, barricaded the streets and clashed with troops.[47] Officially, 151 demonstrators were killed and thousands were wounded.[48] In 1912, theArchcathedral of St. Stanislaus Kostka was completed and its tower at 104 metres (341 ft) is one of the tallest in Poland.[49][50]
Despite the impending crisis precedingWorld War I, Łódź grew exponentially and was one of the world's most densely populated industrial cities, with a population density of 13,200 inhabitants per square kilometre (34,000/sq mi) by 1914.[51] In the aftermath of theBattle of Łódź (1914), the city came underImperial German occupation on 6 December.[52] WithPolish independence restored in November 1918, the local population disarmed theGerman army.[53] Subsequently, the textile industry of Łódź stalled and its population briefly decreased as ethnic Germans left the city.[54]
Because of rapid and, consequently, chaotic development in the previous century, Łódź did not possess the adequate infrastructure and living standards for its inhabitants.[58] Pollution was acute, sanitary conditions were poor and the authorities did not invest in asewage treatment system until the 1920s.[59][60] From 1918 to 1939, many cultural, educational and scientific institutions were created, including elementary schools, museums, art galleries andpublic libraries which prior to the First World War did not exist.[61] Łódź also began developing anentertainment scene, with 34 movie theatres opened by 1939.[61] On 13 September 1925, the city's first airport,Lublinek, commenced operations.[62] In 1930, the firstradio transmission from a newly founded broadcasting station took place.[63]
The ideological orientation of Łódź was stronglyleft-wing and the city was a notable centre of socialist,communist andbundist activity in Polish politics during the interbellum.[64]
During theinvasion of Poland in September 1939, the Polish forces of GeneralJuliusz Rómmel'sArmy Łódź defended the city against the German assault by forming a line of resistance betweenSieradz andPiotrków Trybunalski.[65] The attack was conducted by the8th Army ofJohannes Blaskowitz, who encircled the city with theX Army Corps.[66] After fierce resistance, a Polish delegation surrendered to the Germans on 8 September, and the firstWehrmacht troops entered in the early hours of 9 September.[67] The GermanEinsatzgruppe III paramilitary death squad entered the city on 12 September.[68]Arthur Greiser incorporated Łódź into a new administrative subdivision of Nazi Germany calledReichsgau Wartheland on 9 November 1939,[69] and on 11 April 1940 the city was renamed toLitzmannstadt after German general andNSDAP memberKarl Litzmann.[70]
The German authorities established theŁódź Ghetto (Ghetto Litzmannstadt) in the city and populated it with more than 200,000 Jews from the region, who were systematically sent toGerman extermination camps.[76] It was the second-largest ghetto inoccupied Europe,[77] and the last major ghetto to be liquidated, in August 1944.[78] ThePolish resistance movement (Żegota) operated in the city and aided the Jewish people throughout its existence.[79] However, only 877 Jews were still alive by 1945.[80] Of the 223,000 Jews in Łódź before the invasion, 10,000 survivedthe Holocaust in other places.[81] The Germans also created camps fornon-Jews, including theRomani people deported from abroad, who were ultimatelymurdered atChełmno,[82] as well as a penalforced labour camp,[83] four transit camps for Polesexpelled from the city and region, and aracial research camp.[84]
Śródmieście Residential District - built in 1975–1982, one of many modernist housing estates from the times of the Polish People's Republic
Following liberation by Soviet forces on 19 January 1945, and the end of theWorld War II, Łódź informally and temporarily took over the functions of Poland's capital, and most of the government and country administration resided in the city prior to the reconstruction ofWarsaw.[85]
Łódź also experienced an influx of refugees fromKresy. Many migrated into the suburbs and occupied the empty properties.[85] Under thePolish People's Republic, the city's industry and private companies were subject tonationalisation.[85] On 24 May 1945, theUniversity of Łódź was inaugurated.[86] On 8 March 1948, theNational Film School was opened, later becoming Poland's primary academy of drama and cinema.[87]
The spatial andurban planning after World War II was conducted in accordance with theAthens Charter, where the population from the old core was relocated into newresidential areas.[88] However, as a result, the inner-city and historical areas fell in significance and degenerated into aslum.[88] A number of extensivepanel block housing estates were constructed, includingRetkinia, Teofilów, Widzew, Radogoszcz, and Chojny. These block housing estates were constructed between 1960 and 1990, covering an area of almost 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) and accommodating a large part of the populace.[89]
In the second decade of the 21st century, a program for the revitalization of streets and restrictions on car traffic in the city center of Łódź was implemented. Since 2014, several dozenwoonerfs (streets prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists) have been created in the city.[92]
After 1989 thetextile industry in Łódź collapsed and the city suffered from social and economic decline. The city'sindustrial heritage and examples ofPolish Art Nouveau became an early tourist attraction. In the 2000s the city's main street, the Piotrkowska Street, was revitalized, providing space for shops and restaurants. By 2011 the city hosted around 60 festivals per year.[93]
The local government's efforts to transform the former industrial city into a thriving urban environment and tourist destination formed the basis for the city's failed bid to organise the 2022 International EXPO exhibition on the subject of urban renewal.[94]
Łódź covers an area of approximately 293 square kilometres (113 sq mi) and is located in the centre of Poland.[95] The city lies in thelowlands of theCentral European Plain, not exceeding 300 metres in elevation.[95] Topographically, the Łódź region is generally characterised by a flat landscape, with only several highlands which do not exceed 50 metres above the terrain level.[96] The soil is predominantly sandy (62%) followed byclay (24%),silt (8%), and organogenic formations (6%) from regional wetlands.[97] Theforest cover (equivalent to 4.2% of the whole country) is considerably low compared to other cities, regions, and provinces of Poland.[98]
Juliusz Heinzl Palace (left) serves as the seat of city authorities and the local council.
The city's governance is executed byUrząd Miasta Łodzi, a local council ortown hall, currently based atJuliusz Heinzl Palace.[111] The power is divided between thePresident of Łódź (Prezydent Łodzi), a title held by themayor, and theRada Miejska assembly comprising 37 elected deputies.[112] The term in office for deputies is 5 years.[112] Łódź also acts as acity with powiat rights, exercising the powers and duties of a localpowiat county.[113]
Łódź is the capital ofŁódź Voivodeship, one of Poland's 16 provinces, and hosts thevoivodeship sejmik – a regional assembly.[114][page needed] The city is also the seat of thevoivode, the province's governor who is the representative of thePolish Council of Ministers in the voivodeship, is the head of the combined government administration, acts as supervisory authority over local government units and as a higher-level authority within the meaning of the provisions on administrative proceedings.[114][page needed]
Łódź was previously divided into 5 major boroughs (dzielnica) – Bałuty, Górna, Polesie, Śródmieście, and Widzew. In January 1993, the system of boroughs was abolished and the city became a single entity with no real subdivisions. In April 2000, a system of 36[b] neighbourhoods or dependent units (osiedle) was imposed by the City Council for administrative purposes only; these units have no local governing or regulatory authority.
Female employees at a textile factory in Łódź, 1950s
According toStatistics Poland (GUS), Łódź was inhabited by 672,185 people and had apopulation density of 2,292 persons per square kilometre (5,940/sq mi), as of December 2020.[update][116] Approximately 55.7 per cent of inhabitants are of working age (18–64 years), which is a considerable decrease from 64.1 per cent in 2010.[117] An estimated 29.1 per cent is of post-working age compared to 21.8 per cent ten years earlier.[118] In 2020, 54.39 per cent (365,500) of all residents were women.[118] Łódź has one of the highestfeminisation rates among Poland's major cities, a legacy of the city's industrial past, when the textile factories attracted large numbers of female employees.[119]
At its peak in 1988 the population was around 854,000;[125] however, this has since declined due to lowfertility rates,outward migration and a lower life expectancy than in other parts of Poland.[126] Łódź was the country's second largest city until 2007, when it lost its position toKraków.[119] A major contributing factor was the abrupt transition fromsocialist tomarket-based economy after 1989 and the resulting economic crisis,[127] but the economic growth which followed has not reversed the trend.[128]Depopulation and ageing are major impediments for the future development of the city, putting strain on social infrastructure and medical services.[119] As a result of the continuing demographic crisis and rapid population loss, Łódź was overtaken byWrocław and dropped to become the country's fourth-largest city in 2022.[129]
Historically, Łódź was multi-ethnic and its diverse population comprised migrants from other regions ofEurope. In 1839, approximately 78 per cent (6,648) of the total population wasGerman. In 1913, Łódź had a population of 506,100 people, of whom 251,700 (49.7%) werePoles, 171,900 (34%) wereJews, 75,000 (14.8%) were Germans, and 6,300 (1.3%) wereRussians.[130] According to the1931 Polish census, the total population of 604,000 included 375,000 (59%) Poles, 192,000 (32%) Jews and 54,000 (9%) Germans. By 1939, the Jewish minority had grown to well over 200,000.[131]
The majority of believers in Łódź adhere toRoman Catholicism, the largestreligious denomination in Poland.[132] The first Catholicbishopric was established in December 1920 and has been elevated to theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Łódź in 1992 byPope John Paul II.[133] The primary church for Catholic worship is theBasilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, which is often reserved for special occasions or during religious holidays.[133] Constructed in 1912 in theGothic Revival style, it is the tallest building in the city and one of Poland's tallest churches since the completion of the tower in 1927.[134] TheFeast of Corpus Christi is widely celebrated and annual marches take place on Piotrkowska Street, in front of the cathedral. Despite this,church attendance in Łódź is one of the lowest in Poland; mass attendance was estimated at 26% in 2013 and fell to 17% by 2023.[132] Statistics also show that the city and its environs have one of the highest concentration ofatheists in Poland.[135]
Łódź is the seat of aMariavite Church diocese, initially created in 1910.[138] The Marivites are followers ofOld Catholicism and a considerable minority; there are only three Mariavitedioceses across the country.[139]
Important places of worship
Holy Spirit Church
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Before 1990, the economy of Łódź was heavily reliant on thetextile industry, which had developed in the city in the nineteenth century owing to the abundance of rivers used to power the industry's fulling mills, bleaching plants and other machinery.[140] Because of the growth in this industry, the city has sometimes been called the "PolishManchester"[141] and the "lingerie capital of Poland".[142] As a result, Łódź grew from a population of 13,000 in 1840 to over 500,000 in 1913. By the time right before World War I Łódź had become one of the most densely populated industrial cities in the world, with 13,280 inhabitants per km2, and also one of the most polluted. The textile industry declined dramatically in 1990 and 1991, and no major textile company survives in Łódź. However, countless small companies still provide a significant output of textiles, mostly for export. Łódź is no longer a significant industrial centre, but it has become a major hub for the business services sector in Poland owing to the availability of highly skilled workers and active cooperation between local universities and the business sector.[143]
Manufaktura – a textile factory that became a shopping centre
The city benefits from its central location in Poland. A number of firms have located their logistics centres in the vicinity. Two motorways,A1 spanning from the north to the south of Poland, andA2 going from the east to the west, intersect northeast of the city. As of 2012,[update] the A2 is complete to Warsaw and the northern section of A1 is largely completed. With these connections, the advantages of the city's central location should increase even further. Work has also begun on upgrading the railway connection with Warsaw, which reduced the 2-hour travel time to make the 137 km (85 mi) journey 1.5 hours in 2009. As of 2018,[update] travel time from Łódź to Warsaw is around 1.2 hours with the modernPesa Dart trains.[144]
Recent years have seen many foreign companies opening and establishing their offices in Łódź. The Indian IT companyInfosys has one of its centres in the city. In January 2009Dell announced that it will shift production from its plant inLimerick, Ireland to its plant in Łódź.[145] The city's investor friendly policies have attracted 980foreign investors by January 2009.[145]Foreign investment was one of the factors which decreased theunemployment rate in Łódź to 6.5 per cent in December 2008, from 20 per cent four years earlier.[145]
Łódź is situated near the geographical centre of Poland, only a short distance away from the motorway junction inStryków where the two main north–south (A1) and east–west (A2) Polish transport corridors meet, which positions the city on two of the ten major trans-European routes: fromGdańsk toŽilina andBrno and fromBerlin toMoscow viaWarsaw.[146] It is also part of theNew Silk Road,[147] a regular cargo rail connection with the Chinese city ofChengdu operating since 2013.[148] Łódź is served by thenational motorway network, an international airport, and long-distance and regional railways. It is at the centre of aregional andcommuter rail network operating from the city's various train stations. Bus and tram services are operated by a municipal public transport company. There are 193 km (120 mi) of bicycle routes throughout the city (as in January 2019).[149]
The city has an international airport:Łódź Władysław Reymont Airport located 6 kilometres (4 miles) from the city centre. Flights connect the city with destinations in Europe including Turkey.[150] In 2014 the airport handled 253,772 passengers.[151] It is the 8th largest airport in Poland.[152][circular reference]
Trams in ŁódźPiotrkowska Centrum tram station, also known as "The Unicorn Stable"
The Municipal Transport Company – Łódź (Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne – Łódź), owned by the Łódź City Government, is responsible for operating 58 bus routes and 19 tram lines.[153][154] The tram network is one of the longest in the country and was the first electrified cable tramway inCongress Poland, beginning its operation on 23 December 1898. The regional tramway network also connects Łódź with the adjacent cities ofPabianice (since 2023) andKonstantynów Łódzki (since 2024), which are within the Łódź Agglomeration. The rolling stock largely comprises older but modernised wagons byKonstal and newer Polish-manufactured types such asPesa Swing andModerus Gamma. Among the popular models for buses are Mercedes Conecto LF andSolaris Urbino 18.
Łódź has a number of long distance and local railway stations. There are two main stations in the city, but with no direct rail connection between them—a legacy of 19th-century railway network planning. Originally constructed in 1866, the centrally locatedŁódź Fabryczna was aterminus station for a branch line of theWarsaw–Vienna railway,[155] whereasŁódź Kaliska was built more than thirty years later on the central section of theWarsaw-Kalisz railway. For this reason most intercity train traffic goes to this day through Łódź Kaliska station, despite its relative distance from the city centre, and Łódź Fabryczna serves mainly as a terminal station for trains toWarsaw. The situation will be remedied in 2026 after the construction of a tunnel connecting the two,[156] which is likely to make Łódź Poland's main railway hub.[157] The tunnel will additionally serveŁódź Commuter Railway, providing arapid transit system for the city, dubbed the Łódź Metro by the media and local authorities.[158] Three new stations are being constructed on the underground line, one serving the needs of theManufaktura complex, another one serving Koziny neighbourhood and the third one located in the area ofPiotrkowska Street.[158]
In December 2016, a few years after the demolition of the old building ofŁódź Fabryczna station, anew underground station was opened.[157] It is considered to be the largest and most modern of all train stations in Poland and is designed to handle increased traffic after the construction of the tunnel.[159] It also serves as a multimodal transport hub, featuring an underground intercity bus station, and is integrated with a new transport interchange serving taxis and local trams and buses.[160] The construction of the new Łódź Fabryczna station was part of a broader project ofurban renewal known asNowe Centrum Łodzi (New Centre of Łódź).[161]
The third-largest train station in Łódź isŁódź Widzew. There are also many other stations and train stops in the city, many of which were upgraded as part of theŁódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna commuter rail project. The rail service, founded as part of a major regional rail upgrade and owned byŁódź Voivodeship, operates on routes toKutno,Sieradz,Skierniewice,Łowicz, and on selected days toWarsaw, with plans for further expansion after the construction of the tunnel.[162]
Łódź is a thriving center of academic life. Łódź hosts three majorstate-owned universities, six higher education establishments operating for more than a half of the century, and a number of smaller schools of higher education. The tertiary institutions with the most students in Łódź include:
In the 2018 general ranking of state-owned tertiary education institutions in Poland, the University of Łódź came 20th (6th place among universities) and Lodz University of Technology 12th (6th place among technical universities). The Medical University of Łódź was ranked 5th among Polish medical universities. Leading courses taught in Łódź include administration (3rd place), law (4th) and biology (4th).
There is also a number of private-owned institutions of higher learning in Łódź. The largest of these are the University of Social Sciences (Społeczna Akademia Nauk) and the University of Humanities and Economics in Łódź (Akademia Humanistyczno-Ekonomiczna w Łodzi). In the 2018 ranking of private universities in Poland the former was ranked 9th, and the latter 23rd.
TheLeon Schiller National Higher School of Film, Television and Theatre in Łódź (Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. Leona Schillera w Łodzi) is the most notable academy for future actors, directors, photographers, camera operators and TV staff in Poland. It was founded on 8 March 1948 and was initially planned to be moved to Warsaw as soon as the city was rebuilt following theWarsaw Uprising. However, in the end the school remained in Łódź and became one of the best-known institutions of higher education in the city.
At the end of the Second World War Łódź was the only large Polish city besides Kraków which war had not destroyed. The creation of theNational Film School gave Łódź a role of greater importance from a cultural viewpoint, which before the war had belonged exclusively to Warsaw and Kraków. Early students of the School include the directorsAndrzej Munk,Roman Polanski,Andrzej Wajda,Kazimierz Karabasz (one of the founders of the so-called Black Series of Polish Documentary) andJanusz Morgenstern, who at the end of the 1950s became famous as one of the founders of thePolish Film School of Cinematography.[163]
The most notable and recognizable landmark of the city isPiotrkowska Street, which remains the high-street and main tourist attraction in the city, runs north to south for a little over five kilometres (3.1 miles). This makes it one of the longest commercial streets in the world. Most of the building façades, many of which date back to the 19th century, have been renovated.[164] It is the site of most restaurants, bars and cafes in Łódź's city centre. Important monuments of architecture along Piotrkowska Street are the Old Town Hall, the Descent Of The Holy Spirit Church, theŁódź Catholic Cathedral and theSt. Matthew's Lutheran Church. Other important churches in the city center include theAlexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral and theKarol Scheibler's Chapel, Lutheran part of Ogrodowa Street Cemetery.
Many neglected tenement houses and factories throughout the entire city centre have been renovated in recent years as part of the ongoing revitalization project run by the local authorities.[165] The best example of urban regeneration in Łódź is theManufaktura complex, occupying a large area of a former cotton factory dating back to the nineteenth century.[166] The site, which was the heart ofIzrael Poznański's industrial empire, hosts a shopping mall, numerous restaurants, 4-star hotel, multiplex cinema, factory museum, bowling and fitness facilities and a science exhibition centre.[167] Opened in 2006, it quickly became a centre of cultural entertainment and shopping,[167] as well as a recognizable city landmark attracting both domestic and foreign tourists.[166] Another example is the former factory ofKarl Scheibler onKsięży Młyn, which was turned into a mixed-use complex of offices and housing.
Dawid Sendrowicz's tenement house presents historical architecture, which is characterized by neo-Gothic, neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance elements.
Łódź also provides plenty of green spaces for recreation. Woodland areas cover 9.61% of the city, with parks taking up an additional 2.37% of the area of Łódź (as of 2014).[update][168]Las Łagiewnicki ('Łagiewnicki Forest') is recognized as the largest forested area within the administrative borders of any city in Europe.[169] It has an area of 1,245 ha[168] and is cut across by a number of hiking trails that traverse the hilly landscape on the western edge ofŁódź Hills Landscape Park.[170] A "natural complex which has remained nearly intact as oak-hornbeam and oak woodland,"[169] the forest is also rich in history, and its attractions include aFranciscan friary dating back to the early 18th century and two 17th-century wooden chapels.[171]
Out of a total of 44 parks in Łódź (as of 2014),[update] 11 have historical status, the oldest of them dating back to the middle of the 19th century.[172] The largest of these, Józef Piłsudski Park (188.21 hectares (0.7267 sq mi)),[168] is located near theŁódź Zoo and the city's botanical garden, and together with them it comprises an extensive green complex known asZdrowie serving the recreational needs of the city. Another notable park located in Łódź is theJózef Poniatowski Park.
TheJewish Cemetery at Bracka Street, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, was established in 1892. After theinvasion of Poland byNazi Germany in 1939, this cemetery became a part of Łódź'seastern territory known as the enclosed Łódź ghetto (Ghetto Field). Between 1940 and 1944, approximately 43,000 burials took place within the grounds of this rounded-up cemetery.[173] In 1956, a monument by Muszko in memory of the victims of theŁódź Ghetto was erected at the cemetery. It features a smooth obelisk, amenorah, and a broken oak tree with leaves stemming from the tree (symbolizing death, especially death at a young age). As of 2014,[update] the cemetery has an area of 39.6 hectares (98 acres). It contains approximately 180,000 graves, approximately 65,000 labelled tombstones, ohels and mausoleums. Many of these monuments have significant architectural value; 100 of these have been declared historical monuments and have been in various stages of restoration. The mausoleum ofIzrael and Eleanora Poznański is perhaps the largest Jewish tombstone in the world and the only one decorated with mosaics.[174][175]
The EC1 complex in a formerpower plant, which includes the Centre for Science and Technology, the Museum of Comics and Interactive Narration, as well as theNational Centre for Film Culture opened in 2023, the largest institution devoted to cinematography in Poland.[176]
Łódź has one of the best museums of modern art in Poland.Muzeum Sztuki has three branches, two of which (ms1 and ms2) display collections of 20th and 21st-century art. The newest addition to the museum, ms2 was opened in 2008 in the Manufaktura complex.[177] The unique collection of the Museum is presented in an unconventional way. Instead of a chronological lecture on the development of art, works of art representing various periods and movements are arranged into a story touching themes and motifs important for the contemporary public. The third branch ofMuzeum Sztuki, located in one of the city's many industrial palaces, also has more traditional art on display, presenting works by European and Polish masters such asStanisław Wyspiański andHenryk Rodakowski.[178]
Herbst Palace, designed byHilary Majewski, an art gallery within a historical mansion, which holds paintings from all over Europe
Among the 14 registered museums to be found in Łódź,[179] there is the independent Book Art Museum, awarded the American Printing History Association's Institutional Award for 2015 for its outstanding contribution to the study, recording, preservation, and dissemination of printing history in Poland over the last 35 years.[180] Other notable museums include theCentral Museum of Textiles with its open-air display of wooden architecture, the Cinematography Museum, located in Scheibler Palace, and the Museum of Independence Traditions, occupying the building of a historical Tsarist prison from the late 19th century.[177] A more unusual establishment, theDętka museum offers tourists a chance to visit the municipal sewer designed in the early years of the 20th century by the British engineerWilliam Heerlein Lindley.
Among the traditional dishes of Łódź and theŁódź Voivodeship arezalewajka – asour cereal and potato soup, often served with mushrooms,kielbasa sausage and bread – andcabbage soup (kapuśniak) served with potato dumplings and porkcracklings.[183] These were once the staples of the working-class population employed in textile factories. Popular breads and baked goods include theangielka baguette roll andżulik bun withraisins.[183]Aspic in various forms (galareta,zimne nóżki ordrygle) was once a well-established comfort and party food in the city. Łódź and the surrounding region is also known for having a strong preference formushroom soup overbarszcz (borscht) for the PolishWigiliaChristmas Eve supper.[184]
Major food venues are primarily located at Piotrkowska Street, for example theOFF Piotrkowska, a mixed-use development complex situated in a heritage-listed red brick factory.Food trucks are a common sight around the city centre and several neighbourhoods.
Undercommunism it was common forclubs to participate in many different sports for all ages and sexes. Many of these traditional clubs still survive. Originally they were owned directly by a public body, but have become independently operated by clubs or private companies. However, they get public support through the cheap rent of land and other subsidies from the city. Some of their sections have gone professional and separated from the clubs as private companies. For example, Budowlani S.A is a private company that owns the only professional rugby team in Łódź, while Klub Sportowy Budowlani remains a community amateur club.
Łódź was planned to host the Horticultural Expo in 2024. However, multiple Expo events were delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, aHorticultural Expo in Doha, Qatar from 2021/22 to 23/24 among them.[189] As a result, the Horticultural Expo in Łódź has been rescheduled to 2029 to maintain a required time interval between them.[190]
^List of the 36 units or neighbourhoods: Bałuty-Centrum, Bałuty-Doły, Bałuty Zachodnie, Julianów-Marysin-Rogi, Łagiewniki, Radogoszcz, Teofilów-Wielkopolska, Osiedle Wzniesień Łódzkich, Chojny, Chojny-Dąbrowa, Górniak, Nad Nerem, Piastów-Kurak, Rokicie, Ruda, Wiskitno, Osiedle im. Józefa Montwiłła-Mireckiego, Karolew-Retkinia Wschód, Koziny, Lublinek-Pienista, Retkinia Zachód-Smulsko, Stare Polesie, Zdrowie-Mania, Złotno, Śródmieście-Wschód, Osiedle Katedralna, Andrzejów, Dolina Łódki, Mileszki, Nowosolna, Olechów-Janów, Stary Widzew, Stoki, Widzew-Wschód, Zarzew, and Osiedle nr 33.
^"Główny Urząd Statystyczny" [Central Statistical Office] (in Polish). To search: Select "Miejscowości (SIMC)" tab, select "fragment (min. 3 znaki)" (minimum 3 characters), enter town name in the field below, click "WYSZUKAJ" (Search).
^Atlas historyczny Polski. Województwo sieradzkie i województwo łęczyckie w drugiej połowie XVI wieku. Część I. Mapy, plany (in Polish). Warszawa: Instytut HistoriiPolskiej Akademii Nauk. 1998. p. 3.
^"Miesięczna suma opadu".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved20 January 2022.
^"Liczba dni z opadem >= 0,1 mm".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved20 January 2022.
^"Średnia grubość pokrywy śnieżnej".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved20 January 2022.
^"Średnia suma usłonecznienia (h)".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved20 January 2022.
^Saładaj, Sławomir."Mariawici".um.pabianice.pl (in Polish). Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej. Archived fromthe original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved15 August 2024.
^Business Services Sector in Poland 2019(PDF) (Report). Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL). 2019. pp. 28, 55.Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved11 January 2020.
^Kozlowski, Remigiusz; Palczewska, Anna; Jablonski, Jakub (2016). "The Scope and Capabilities of ITS – The Case of Łódź". In Mikulski, Jerzy (ed.).Challenge of Transport Telematics. Springer. pp. 305–16.ISBN978-3-319-49645-0. (p. 308)
^abKaczmarek, Sylwia; Marcinczak, Szymon (2013). "The Blessing in Disguise: Urban Regeneration in Poland in a Neo-Liberal Milieu". In Leary, Michael E.; McCarthy, John (eds.).The Routledge Companion to Urban Regeneration. Routledge. pp. 98–106.ISBN978-0-415-53904-3. (p. 103).
^abStrumiłło, Krystyna (2016). "Adaptive Reuse of Buildings as an Important Factor of Sustainable Development". In Charytonowicz, Jerzy (ed.).Advances in Human Factors and Sustainable Infrastructure. Springer. pp. 51–59.ISBN978-3-319-41940-4. (p. 56).
^Krakowiak, p. 88. Krakowiak also lists 13 more institutions that operate as museums but are not registered with the National Institute for Museums and Public Collections (p. 95), bringing the total number of museums in Łódź to 27.
^"Expo 2021 Doha".Bureau International des Expositions.Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved15 November 2020.The Government of the State of Qatar has formally requested BIE approval to change the opening dates of Expo 2021 Doha to 2 October 2023 – 28 March 2024. The request follows in depth discussions [...] on the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Executive Committee of the BIE unanimously agreed to propose the postponement of Horticultural Expo 2021 Doha, with the BIE General Assembly to vote on the recommendation during its next meeting on 1 December 2020.
^"Miasta Partnerskie" (in Polish). Biuletyn informacji publicznej Łódź.Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved8 January 2024.
^臺南市政府 (13 February 2025)."台南市與波蘭羅茲市締盟 古城姐妹市共拓產業新局". 臺南市政府新聞及國際關係處國際關係科.Archived from the original on 17 June 2025. Retrieved17 June 2025.
^Dorota Adamska, City Council Office (2 March 2022),"Podsumowanie LVI nadzwyczajnej sesji Rady Miejskiej w Łodzi" [Summary of the 56. extraordinary session of the Łódź City Council],Urząd Miasta Łodzi, uml.lodz.pl (in Polish),archived from the original on 2 March 2022, retrieved2 March 2022
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The list includes the 107 urban municipalities governed by acity mayor (prezydent miasta) instead of a town mayor (burmistrz) ·Cities with powiat rights are initalics · Voivodeship cities are inbold
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