Manufaktura While his workers may have been squashed into tenements, make no mistake that their boss lived the high life. Poznański had the sort of egocentric, hyper-wealthy lifestyle associated with modern day oligarchs, and his palaces and mansions found around town are testimony to this. His HQ on Ogrodowa 15 was the benchmark of flash, and stacked with priceless treasures and frequently the home of high society functions. Designed by Adolf Seligson the L-shaped structure originally held a 770m2 winter garden topped with a glass roof, as well as landscaped gardens out back. As most other industrialists of the age, Poznański had his residence built right next to his factory, allowing him the opportunity to watch his workforce marching to work each morning. The man died in 1900, wealthy beyond imagination, and the ownership of the company passed to his sons. Poznański is buried in an enormous mausoleum in the Jewish Cemetery (p.36, some say the largest Jewish tomb in the world), a fitting testament to the true king of bling. Manufaktura continued to flourish, with many of its wares being shipped far and wide to new markets in America and the Far East, though the inter-war period marked the start of a decline as Łódź left the Russian empire and became part of Poland, losing most of its eastern markets in the process. Production continued throughout most of World War II though, after which it was nationalised, and renamed Poltex. The emphasis on quality was replaced by an emphasis on quantity, with most of the goods produced here - primarily cotton - being shipped off to the Soviet Union. The death of the Warsaw Pact trading block COMECON left it without any real market, factories closed and production fell. The last textile worker left the plant – by then a rundown, halfderelict wreck - in 1997.
THE PRESENT
French developer Apsys bought the site in 2000. Work began on transforming the crumbling mills into a multifaceted cultural extravaganza in 2003. The opening of the site on May 17, 2006 was therefore the culmination of more than five years of planning and construction. The results are stunning. The original 19th century brick buildings remain the focal point of the complex, having been entirely renovated: some brick by brick, with only the chimney stacks which once dominated the horizon missing. Director David Lynch was so impressed he shot part of his film, ‘Inland Empire’, on the premises. In all, more than 90,000m2 of red brick buildings have been restored and completely refitted. An equal amount of new buildings – mainly the shopping centre - have gone up alongside, while commie leftovers from the Poltex factory days have been demolished. The restoration of the old factories quite simply has to be seen to be believed. Enter through the Poznański gate, where workers used to file through every day on
their way to the mills, and you’ll arrive at the project’s ground zero: the Rynek (main square). In summer, this place really comes into its element, with a phalanx of beer gardens, an artificial beach and open-air concerts by international names. The natural reaction to Manufaktura is to be staggered; covering an area of 54 football pitches the complex spans, in total, over 90,000m2, and makes use of 45,000 square metres of restored original brickwork, fifty kilometres of electric cables and over a kilometre of metal framework. And what was already impressive on opening day has grown more impressive still. Added over the years has been the award winning Museum of the Factory, Art Museum - ms² which leads the line as one of Poland’s top galleries, and the Experymentarium, easily the finest museum of its genre in the country. Better still, the city has a hotel worthy of its status as one of Poland’s key metropolises. That’s the andel’s and can be found on the Ogrodowa side of the development.
SIGHTSEEING EXPERYMENTARIUM
Whoa, here’s a museum that makes science fun, and in a way that rather than ordering you to ‘keep away from the glass’, actively encourages visitors to ‘push’, ‘touch’ and ‘enter.’ The experiments visitors get to play around with are the brainchild of Polish scientists and students, and revolve around ideas of light, sound, anatomy, nature and new discoveries. The space takes up 800m2 of the Manufaktura complex, and also features a wing designated for temporary exhibits from Polish and European institutions. Patrons include Łódź University and the Łódź Technical University. Your visit should take approximately 60 minutes, during which time you’ll wander a large open space filled with exhibitions. Currently the main exhibits are the Experymentarium Exhibition, which includes mad light experiments, a ‘cosmic tunnel’, an area devoted to developing your senses of smell, hearing and touch without using your vision; and a new interactive “Augmented Reality Sandbox”, which allows you to build 3-D topographical maps by shifting some sand in your hands. Always ones to keep on-the-ball, their latest VR gaming zone and Lazer maze are absolutely state of the art fun for the whole family.QI‑8, ul. Drewnowska 58, tel. (+48) 42 633 52 62, www.experymentarium.pl. Open 10:0022:00; Sat 10:00-22:30; Sun 10:00-21:00. Admission 18/15 zł. U 43
