W-wa Jeziorki: Szczecin dawn

I get into Szczecin Główny station at ten past six in the morning; the sun would not rise for another hour and 40 minutes. Indeed, the sun rises over Szczecin half an hour later than it does so over Warsaw. I have plenty of time to investigate the city as daylight approaches. There's no better way to get to know a place, on foot, in the hours before dawn.

Below: from the steps of the Archcathedral Basilica of St James the Apostole, the sun rising over the right-bank district of the city, and the Szczecin combined heat-and-power station across the River Oder.

Below: looking back at the 17th century Baroque Archcathedral Basilica. Note the houses at its feet – they look like billboards, but no – they are indeed three-dimensional residences, each one with a garage facing out into the passage between the houses and the church.

To my surprise, and this is my sixth or seventh visit to Szczecin, I discover it has an actual old town. It is, however. Not particularly spectacular as old towns go, having suffered much war damage. The building in the middle is the old town hall.

And from the other side – and that's it as far as the old town goes. Round the corner is the castle, but this is surrounded by steel fencing, as the building is undergoing a remont. There's plenty of work going on – new cycle-paths and other facilities designed to make the city more suitable to the 21st century while drawing out the best of its history.

Below: entrance gate to the Western Pomerania Voivodship Marshal's Office. I love arches plastered white, the cobblestones, the lanterns and wrought ironwork; an atavistic Mitteleuropäische vibe – Moravia? Bohemia? Silesia? Pomerania?

Below: inside the courtyard of the Marshal's office. It's not yet eight, but all the lights are on, workers are in for an early start. Not something I'd willingly do! Note the stocks and the lack of graffiti. Making any connections?

Left: fragment of the Oberpostdirektion Stettin (Stettin Higher Postal Directorate), a massive neo-gothic building completed in 1905, a mere 40 years before becoming the seat of the administration of the Dyrekcja Okręgu Poczty Polskiej. The rails disappearing into the gate intrigue me; these could not have belonged to a main-line railway, as they emerge at right angles to Aleja Niepodlegóści (formerly Paradeplatz). Maybe a post-tram? A bit of digging on the German tram internet suggests that yes, something like that did exist (see here).

Below: back at the station, looking out over ulica Krzysztofa Kolumba, and the brick-built industrial district between the main railway line and the River Oder. Now being modernised, with new tram tracks being laid down, the old klimat remains.

Like Wrocław a decade ago, Szczecin is still one large building site once all the works are complete, it will be a great city to live and work in – and visit.

Night should soon fall; before long, I shall be on my way to Świnoujście – more from there anon.

This time last year:

Win-win-win-win-win
(in praise of charity shops)

This time two years ago:
Comfort, discomfort and winter cold

This time three years ago:
Frustration as completion of Chynów station draws near

This time four years ago:
London in verticals

This time seven years ago:
Castro's death divides the world