Fryderyk Chopin urban park

The urban park, today named after the prominent Polish composer and pianist Fryderyk Chopin, was founded in the second half of the nineteenth century under the name of ‘Gaj Luizy’ [Luiza’s Grove]. It owes its original name to a princess of Prussia, known for her exceptional beauty, who spent a night in Drawsko while on journey. The official opening of the park took place in 1875. Although a lot of time has passed since its opening, the park still has its original spatial arrangement and the ancient trees which date back to the end of the nineteenth century or the beginning of the twentieth century. The tree species growing in the park include: birch, beech, oak and spruce. The park alleys are guarded by horse chestnut, lime, ash and hornbeam trees. In the park there are also some charming clearings. The largest clearing in the park features a natural monument – a massive, 32 m tall,  pedunculate oak tree whose trunk has a perimeter of 535 cm. In the vicinity of the oak there is a megalith constructed in 2001 – a half-circle made of glacial erratics to commemorate the turn of the millennia.  Underneath one of the rocks a time capsule with various every-day objects (banknotes, newspaper, photographs etc.) was buried.  Another clearing at the park features a  large bed composed of flowers and shrubs, and surrounded by benches. The place is an ideal meeting point and place of rest after a long walk. There are also some sports facilities in the Chopin park, e.g. a tennis court, Orlik sports field, open-air gym and a multipurpose sports field.  In the central point of the park there is an amphitheatre and a large area intended for open-air events.