User:Artemis Andromeda/sandbox/szczecin

The Polish Soldier Square, until 1845 known as the King Square,

History

10 października 1793 przy ówczesnym Białym Placu Parad został odsłonięty pomnik Fryderyka II Wielkiego, który po odrestaurowaniu w październiku 2015 ustawiono na dziedzińcu Muzeum Narodowego w Szczecinie przy ulicy Staromłyńskiej. W międzyczasie pod koniec XVIII i na początku XIX wieku wzdłuż południowej pierzei placu powstało wiele reprezentacyjnych budowli miejskich, a od 1806 roku plac otrzymał nazwę Placu Królewskiego (Königsplatz) . M. in. pod numerem 13 mieścił się rozebrany po 1950 roku budynek Teatru Miejskiego, przed którym 17 października 1848 roku odsłonięto nieistniejący dzisiaj pomnik Fryderyka Wilhelma III, wykonany przez niemieckiego rzeźbiarza Friedricha Drake. Do 1945 r. do placu od strony zachodniej przylegał skwer, na którym znajdował się pomnik dłuta rzeźbiarza Karla Hilgersa [3], odsłonięty 1 listopada 1894 roku i przedstawiający cesarza niemieckiego Wilhelma I na koniu.

The formation of the square begun in 1725, and followed for around twenty years, during which, sections of the moat were filled in with the rubble from the former city walls. At first, its eastern portion was the location for the military training exercise. At the square begun being organised numerous parades and events, and it begun being known as the White Parade Square (German: Weisser Paradeplatz; Polish: Biały Plac Parad).

The square was constructed in 1725. Around it were placed numerous prestigious buildings, including richly-ornamented tenements, such as Palace under the Heads, Pomeranian Estates Parliamentary Building, and the Grey Castle. There were hosted numerous parades and events. It was officially known as the King Square (German: Königsplatz; Polish: Plac Królewski), and also commonly referred to as the White Parade Square (German: Weisser Paradeplatz).

On 10 October 1793, at the square was unvailed the monument of Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1740 to 1786.

10 października 1793 przy ówczesnym Białym Placu Parad został odsłonięty pomnik Fryderyka II Wielkiego, który po odrestaurowaniu w październiku 2015 ustawiono na dziedzińcu Muzeum Narodowego w Szczecinie przy ulicy Staromłyńskiej.

On the 1 November 1894, at the square was unvailed the monument dedicated to William I, emperor of Germany from 1871 to 1888. It was designed by sculptor Karl Hilgers. It consisted of the bronze statue of the emperor on a horse, placed on a stone pedestal, with bronse sculptures of the soldiers around it.

The square was bombed in 1944 during the World War II, during which nearby Grey Castle tenement was destroyed. During the conflict the statues of the soldiers were taken down to be melted for materials. After the end of the war, on 31 July 1945, the monument was torn down by the Polish inhabitants of the city. The statue was then taken to Denmark and melted. It was used to manufacture the replica of the Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski Monument in Warsaw, that was destoryed during the war.

In its place, on 26 April 1950, was unvailed the Monument of Graduate to the Soviet Army. It consisted of a 17-metre-tall obelisk made from reinforced concrete covered in sandstone tiles, a sculpture of a soldrier and worker holding hands, and a concrete sculpture of a Soviet five-side star on the top. Unvailed in the 5th anniversary of the city being captured by the Red Army in World War II, the monument was dedicated to the Soviet soldiers that fought in the conflict. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, and decommunization of Poland, the monument attracted many controversies and calls for its deconstructio, being seen as the symbol of Soviwt control of the country. The Soviet star was taken down in 1992, and the entire monument was deconstructed in November 2017.

In 1959, at the square was placed a plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Polish scouting and guiding organization structures in the city.