Radom

Radom, a city of 200,000, has largely bypassed my attention, other than changing trains at the main railway station. It is Poland's 13th most populous city; other Polish cities of similar size (Gdynia, Rzeszów, Toruń for example) I've been to many times, but in my 27 years in Poland, I've visited Radom only once, for  a conference in about 2006.

Although the city has mediaeval roots (unlike, say, Białystok), and a long tradition of manufacturing industry, Radom lacks self-confidence, self-promotion and a sense of its own importance to Poland. When its textile industry collapsed at the end of the communist era, Łódź reinvented itself; Western consultants drew up a plan and the city made it work. Today's Łódź (120 km west of Radom) has attracted waves of foreign direct investment in new factories and shared-services centres as well as being a hub for the creative sector. And Lublin, 100 km east of Radom is establishing itself as a centre for life sciences. But Radom – once famous for typewriters, sewing machines, leather shoes and Kalashnikovs – lags developmentally behind all other Polish cities. As of the end of last month, the Radom sub-region's unemployment rate, 12.3%, is the highest in Poland, and the city of Radom's, at 9.4% is more than double that of Łódź (4.4%) or Lublin (4.0%).

When the current provincial borders were drawn up in 1999, the city authorities fought hard to ensure that it wouldn't end up in Świętokrzyskie province (capital city Kielce, pop. 190,000). And so, Radom became a part of Mazovia, Poland's wealthiest province, thus massively reducing the potential inflow of EU funds.  

Below: how I imagined downtown Radom is how it actually is. On the skyline – the towers of Radom cathedral. A misty day in late December. Important not to get the wrong impressions at first sight. Postwar tenements three or four stories high. 

Most of the city centre architecture dates back to the second half of the 19th century; the opening of the Iwanogorod (Dęblin) to Dąbrowa Górnicza in 1885 was a massive boost to Radom's industrialisation, bringing coal from the Tsarist parts of the Silesian coalfields. 

Below: view along ulica Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego. In the mist, the garrison church. Properly restored, and hopefully a portent of things to come. There is potential here to kick-start that transformation that Łódź is experiencing – public and private money building a new city based on what was best in the old.

Left: spotted on a fruit-and-veg vendor's wooden hut, a heartbreaking notice, hand-written by a lonely 65-year-old woman looking for someone to take her in for Christmas Eve. 

Architecturally, Radom is clearly a post-Tsarist city. There's little of the Art Nouveau flourishes that enliven Polish cities that industrialised within former Austro-Hungary or Prussia/Germany. Many buildings have potential for transformation, as Łódź proves. Below: many public buildings in need of a lick of paint. 

Below: and now – a surprise: the Bernardine monastery complex, dating back to the 15th century. Although the facade is spoiled by the entirely faux addition to the roofline on the left (the beige bit with the semi-circle over it and a two-dimensional 'tower' stuck on top. Makes the church look like the factory outlet in Piaseczno or a Chinese town meant to look European.

Below: inside the Bernardine church, a nativity scene (one of the largest I have seen). Just look at that flock!

Below: Radom's 'fara' or parish church, founded in the 14th century. Radom has a lot more historical heritage than I had expected

Below: a 25-minute walk from Radom Główny station to the city's old rynek (market). The town hall is on the right-hand edge; the Jacek Malczewski museum is across the square on the left.

I feel Radom has huge potential. Poland's significant rearmament programme will benefit Radom as the city's factories are already ramping up production of infantry small-arms, such as the modern Grot ('arrowhead') assault rifle, supplied to the Polish army, to Ukraine – and to US special forces. [Cue Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding.]

Radom deserves the attention of foreign investors interested in Poland as a location for manufacturing or shared-services. I shall return to soak up the city's klimat in summer.

This time last year:
New bridge over the Czarna

This time two years ago:
The Long Review of 2022 - Pt. III

This time three years ago:
The Person Who Contemplates Not.

This time six years ago:
2018 – a year in journeys

This time 12 years ago:
Wise words about motoring

This time 13 years ago:
Hurry up and wait with WizzAir at Luton