![]() Francuska Street at the level of Obrońców Street | |
Part of | Saska Kępa |
---|---|
Length | 750 m (2,460 ft) |
Location | Warsaw |
Coordinates | 52°14′5.2″N 21°3′13.7″E / 52.234778°N 21.053806°E |
Francuska Street is a street in Warsaw's Saska Kępa neighborhood, beginning at Przymierza Square and ending at George Washington Roundabout. Along the street, there are residential houses (including historic buildings from the interwar period), and the trees growing alongside it give it the character of an avenue.
The oldest surviving houses were built in the 1930s. In September 1939, battles took place on Francuska Street. The street retained its commercial character even after the end of World War II, which became even more apparent after 1989. Since 2006, it has been the venue for the main events of the Saska Kępa Festival, and since 2012, also for the French Festival.[1] Its name is dedicated to France, the formal ally of the Second Polish Republic.[2]
Francuska Street is part of the transportation route consisting of Wersalska Street–Paryska Street–Przymierza Square–Francuska Street–Washington Roundabout. It begins at the intersection with Zwycięzców Street at Przymierza Square and ends at Washington Roundabout. Along the way, it intersects with Obrońców, Walecznych, Berezyńska, and Lipska streets. Francuska Street is two-way and single-lane throughout its entire length, with dedicated turning lanes at Zwycięzców, Obrońców, Berezyńska, and Lipska streets. There are no bike lanes along the street, but it is served by public bus routes.
The name of Francuska Street was established by a resolution of the Warsaw City Council on 27 September 1926.[3]
The construction of the street began in the 1930s, facilitated by an agreement reached on 14 October 1931 between local landowners and city authorities.[4] The development of the street was also boosted by the activities of the Water Company of the Wawer District, which led to the establishment of a network of canals. By 1935, buses of line S were already operating along the street, terminating at Washington Roundabout. In 1938, the street had an asphalt road surface and sidewalks[5] (the asphalt was laid in 1937, making Francuska the third street in Saska Kępa to be asphalted).[6] Greenery strips were planted along the street between 1937 and 1938.[7]
Initially, plans were made to build a church along Francuska Street, but ultimately another location was chosen.[8] However, more houses gradually appeared, quickly distinguishing the street from the rest of the district. As Bronisław Kopczyński wrote:
Saska Kępa, and it wasn't that long ago, in 1933 it had only a dozen or so houses and villas on Miedzeszyńska Street, then the main artery, and a few on Francuska. Fields, meadows, and orchards stretched out on both sides, with a manor house here and there.[9]
The rapid pace of construction and delayed implementation of regulatory plans resulted in heterogeneous development. This effect elicited conflicting opinions. For example, Adam Wolmar wrote in 1935 about Francuska Street:
Palace next to palace, villa next to villa, all almost as beautiful as a dream, harmonized with the background, with the surroundings of classical geometric proportions, singing with bright planes and victorious beautiful simplicity. Indeed, Żoliborz has not a single street maintained in such noble style.[10]
On the other hand, Marek Leykam criticized the appearance of the street:
Built with a broken line of fronts, carelessly laid out by casual 'omentrów' before the city began to lay out streets. One house stands next to another, each different in its ugliness. A four-story tenement with a nice gable wall next to a modernly drawn villa, touching a tenement house blushing with its roof. Loose construction amidst dense, anarchy of all possible forms.[11]
During the defense of Warsaw in September 1939, a crucial barricade was located at the corner of Francuska and Zwycięzców streets.[12] Polish soldiers from the 21st Infantry Regiment "Children of Warsaw", the 21st Vistula Uhlan Regiment, and the 336th Infantry Regiment fought here against the German 44th Infantry Regiment from East Prussia, whose arrival was preceded by Luftwaffe bombings. Seven defenders were awarded the Silver Crosses of the Virtuti Militari as early as 27 September 1939.[13]
In 1942, in one of the apartments on Francuska Street, Anna Jachnina wrote the lyrics of the song Siekiera, motyka.[14]
After the end of the German occupation, the Capital Reconstruction Bureau decided to maintain the street's existing character, i.e., its role as both a transportation route and a commercial area.[15] During the socialist realism period, plans were made to build a monumental colonnade surrounding the southern semicircle of Washington Roundabout with an interruption at the entrance to Francuska Street. However, the project was not realized, and residential buildings were erected instead.[16] After years of transformation, the street became even more distinctly characterized by its commercial and service functions.[17]
Since 2006, Francuska Street has been the main venue for events during the Saska Kępa Festival.[18] In 2010, it underwent a major renovation. The surface, sidewalks, parking spaces, and bus stops were all replaced, and separate lanes for turning into subordinate streets were designated. On 22 December 2010, pre-Christmas illuminations were inaugurated.[19] In 2011, plaques commemorating the barricade from the September 1939 battles were unveiled.[20]