Agata Bieleń-Ratajczyk

Legnica is located in the central part of Lower Silesia Province, on the Kaczawa river. At the end of the nineteenth century, it gained the name of “the Silesian city of gardens”, because of the extremely dynamic development of the city’s urban greenery. This development was made possible thanks to the activities of members of many societies established by the citizens. Among them, particular reputation was enjoyed by the Legnica Horticultural Association and the Society for the Beautification of Promenades that engaged in the development and maintenance of areas of greenery and the organization of horticultural exhibitions. Growth of Legnica’s popularity as the “city of gardens” was significantly affected by the founding of the local city park, the main part of which was formed in the 2nd half of the nineteenth century. The park was created in several stages, during which more and more areas designed to perform different functions – from recreation to exhibition – were included in the entire composition. It is worthwhile to mention that the formation of Legnica park was connected with the activities of many outstanding personages, who include for instance Eduard Petzold, the famous garden designer. Functional and spatial transformations that have taken place within the described concept reflect how the needs of Legnica’s inhabitants changed over the decades. They also demonstrate how important urban greenery was and still is today in the lives of Legnica’s inhabitants.

Eduard Petzold was a German landscape architect and creator of dozens of landscaped gardens in Silesia. The Park in Kliczków is today one of the few examples of his Silesian gardens which, after years of neglect, has regained its former shape. The eventful past of this park, ending happily in its recent restoration, prompts considerations on the history of other Silesian creations by Petzold. The field research confirmed that currently most of these are significantly neglected. Furthermore, in many of them the former composition has blurred and the historic plant substance is severely damaged. Their condition poses questions about perspectives for preventing further destruction of these valuable layouts.