Decius Park
Explorer of Kraków's Parks · no. 30
Park type: water. In this park you can collect a stamp in the "Explorer of Kraków's Parks" campaign run by Kraków's Municipal Greenery Authority (ZZM).
History
Decjusz Park is regarded as the oldest park in the city. It was laid out around 1535, together with the villa, as a place of rest for Justus Ludwik Decjusz, secretary to King Sigismund the Old. It was designed by Italian architects, among them Jan Cini and Zenobiusz Zanotti. In the 16th century it was an early Renaissance Italian garden, later a Baroque one, and in the 19th century it was transformed into an English landscape park. During the First World War the Austrian army occupied the estate and most of the trees were cut down. In 1995 the city handed the villa over to the Villa Decius Association.
Did you know?
Since 1995 the former band shell has housed a gallery of sculpture and painting by Bronisław Chromy, and since 2000 his monument to the Piwnica pod Baranami cabaret has stood beside it.