Millennium Park in Kraków

Millennium Park (Park Tysiąclecia) is a city park of 10.99 ha in District XV Mistrzejowice. It lies on the Tysiąclecia estate, between Gen. Bora-Komorowskiego Avenue to the south and the blocks of the Tysiąclecia and Oświecenia estates. It was created at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s together with the urban complex of Mistrzejowice.

A park in a valley

The layout makes use of a natural ravine oriented from north to south, in which, because of the lie of the land, no housing estate could be built. The difference in level reaches almost 31 metres: from about 231 m above sea level in the southern part to 262 m above sea level on the sledging hill in the north-western part. The greatest differences in the terrain are overcome by thirteen flights of outdoor steps and ramps for disabled people.

The park is mostly wooded, in places so densely that the trees form miniature forests. There are also flower beds and seasonal flowers. The central and northern parts serve mainly for recreation, and the southern one, by the busy avenue, is less frequented because of noise.

After the revitalisation of 2019-2020

The revitalisation covered the paths, lighting, benches, deckchairs and chess tables. The fountain, the open-air stage and the playgrounds, lower and upper, were renovated, and a viewpoint, a skatepark, a sensory path, a beach volleyball court and an outdoor gym were built. There are two sledging hills in the park.

The planting was extensive: 48 trees, over four and a half thousand deciduous shrubs, 1,652 rose bushes, thousands of perennials and seasonal plants, and bulbs over 3,711 square metres. Earlier, at the beginning of the 21st century, a wooden amphitheatre stood here, which burned down, and a steel open-air stage took its place.

The boulder monument

In the southern part of the park stands a monument in the form of a boulder, commemorating the victims of the crash of a Cessna 172 aircraft, which on 28 June 2009 crashed in the park after the end of the Lesser Poland Air Show. Two people were killed.

Practical information

• Location: Mistrzejowice, along Gen. Tadeusz Bora-Komorowski Avenue, where there are bus stops and cycle paths.
• Entry is free, and the main pedestrian and cycle routes between the estates run through the park.
• In winter the sledging hills are in use. About a kilometre and a half further on is the Polish Aviation Museum.