Plac Grunwaldzki, Wrocław
Plac Grunwaldzki (Grunwald Square, named for the Battle of Grunwald) is a large square and important transit point in Wrocław, Poland. The nearby Wrocław University of Technology and dormitories also make it one of the centers of student life in Wrocław.
History
During the Siege and Battle of Breslau in 1945, the entire residential district along the Kaiserstraße (now Plac Grunwaldzki) was razed to construct a military airfield intended for use in resupplying the fortress ("Festung Breslau"). Most buildings alongside the street were demolished on purpose by the Germans, and Russian airstrikes killed thousands of civilians working at the airstrip. Only one plane took off from it, in which Karl Hanke escaped from the besieged city.
Redevelopment
In March 2006, Plac Grunwaldzki was closed and undergoing total reconstruction. It was due to be opened again for traffic in December 2006, but the renovation works were to continue until August 2007. In January 2008, only the bus and tram stop in the center of Plac Grunwaldzki and the underground passage to it not yet completed. Because of this, Plac Grunwaldzki became a center of citywide traffic congestion in rush hours. As of May 2008, most of the work has been completed and traffic is normal.