Attraction

Vistula Boulevards in Krakow: river paths and flood walls

Embankments on both banks of the Vistula, built from 1907 to protect Krakow and Podgórze from floods. Today they form parkland by the river, with paths, a landing for cruise boats and views of Wawel.

Built from 1907 to protect the city from floods, the Vistula Boulevards in Krakow (Bulwary Wiślane) now form parkland on both banks of the river. Walkers, runners, cyclists and rollerbladers use them every day, and the boulevards are a public area that anyone can enter. From the boulevards there are views of Wawel, Skałka and the Manggha Japanese Art Museum.

Address: Bulwar Inflancki, Krakow.
Tickets: none; the boulevards are open at all times.
Getting there: nearby stops include św. Wawrzyńca, Plac Wolnica and Centrum Kongresowe ICE.

What to see on the Vistula Boulevards

On the Krakow side, Czerwieński Boulevard runs from Dębnik Bridge to Grunwald Bridge. Inflancki Boulevard continues from Grunwald Bridge to Józef Piłsudski Bridge. On the Podgórze side, Poleski Boulevard runs from Dębnik Bridge to Grunwald Bridge, and Wołyński Boulevard runs from Grunwald Bridge to the mouth of the Wilga. In 1991 the boulevards were divided into shorter sections and given new names.

The National Heritage Institute (Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa, NID) calls the boulevards an outstanding example of engineering, in harmony with the city's urban layout and architecture. The outer walls stand on a concrete footing and are faced with dressed stone from the dolomite quarries of Chrzanów. The top course, called the cordon slab, is made of grey Silesian granite. Rusticated pilasters (flat columns set into the wall) divide the walls, and below the cordon slab small pillars frame vaulted concrete niches.

The monument to the Wawel Dragon (Smok Wawelski), the monument to Dżok the dog on Czerwieński Boulevard and a playground on Inflancki Boulevard are among the most recognisable sights. So is the Father Bernatek Footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists, which is known for its love padlocks. Near Kotlarski Bridge there is a city beach, PrzyStań na plaży.

On a walk along the river you may see ducks and swans. The path passes under the bridges and reaches the landing for cruise boats and the stops of the water tram. The boulevards have paths for running, cycling and rollerblading, and there is a gym by Podgórska Street. A walking and cycling route that is part of the European EuroVelo cycle network also follows the boulevards.

History of the Vistula Boulevards and the 1903 flood

The first flood of the Vistula was recorded under the date 1253, and particularly large floods came in 1813 and 1903. On 11 June 1901 the Austrian parliament passed the government's waterways bill, which created a state fund for building canals. On 12 July 1903, while construction plans were being prepared and funds collected, the Vistula flooded deep into the Old Town. The water reached Planty Park at the ends of Wolska, Smoleńsk and Zwierzyniecka streets.

The flood submerged 1,240 buildings. Water also flooded 15 factories and 45 industrial and commercial premises. After the flood, the City Council sent the authorities in Vienna a categorical demand to regulate the Vistula.

The boulevards were built from 1907 on both banks, to plans by Roman Ingarden, a hydraulic engineer and the designer of Krakow's waterworks. The engineers Adam Bielański and Artur Born worked with him on the studies and designs. The architect Jan Peroś designed the appearance of the boulevards. Where the upper and lower walls joined, they formed loading quays on both sides of the river; the quays on the Krakow side were 20 m wide.

The boulevards were meant to protect Krakow and Podgórze from floods; until 1915 Krakow and Podgórze were two separate towns. The boulevards were also meant to be part of a planned waterway. War and the break-up of the Habsburg monarchy stopped work on the canal.

The outbreak of the First World War stopped construction. Work continued between the wars, and the Second World War stopped it again. Regulation of the Vistula through the city was completed in 1955. In 1961 the Dąbie Barrage came into service and raised the water level in central Krakow by about 3 metres compared with its historical level.

Adaptation of the boulevards as a promenade began during the Second World War, but they became a promenade much later. Together with the flood banks, they still protect Krakow from floods, as the floods of 1970, 1994, 1997 and 2010 showed. The boulevards are protected by an entry in the register of monuments.

Access and stops near the Vistula Boulevards

The Vistula Boulevards are a public area, and no ticket is needed. The boulevards run on the left bank from the mouth of the Rudawa to Miedziana Street. On the right bank they run from Czechosłowacka Street to the car park near Zabłocie Street.

The stops near the boulevards are św. Wawrzyńca, Plac Bohaterów Getta, Plac Wolnica, Jubilat, Marii Konopnickiej, Centrum Kongresowe ICE and Zabłocie. Krakow has obtained all the permits for the revitalisation of the boulevards. The boulevards are being renewed in stages under the Wisła Łączy project. Before your visit, check the current conditions on the website of the Municipal Greenery Authority (ZZM).

The Dragon's Den, Manggha and Wawel near the river

The stretch of the boulevards shown on our map is about 50 m in a straight line from the Dragon's Den. The Manggha Japanese Art Museum is about 200 m away. Wawel Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral are each about 250 m away.

Vistula Boulevards: questions visitors ask

Are the Vistula Boulevards the same as Bulwary Wiślane?

Yes. Bulwary Wiślane is the Polish name, and the Municipal Greenery Authority (ZZM) lists the boulevards among the city's parks as Bulwary Wisły.

Where are the Vistula Boulevards in Krakow?

On both banks of the Vistula. On the Krakow side, Czerwieński and Inflancki boulevards run between Dębnik Bridge and Józef Piłsudski Bridge, and the usual address given is Bulwar Inflancki.

When were the Vistula Boulevards built?

Construction began in 1907 to plans by Roman Ingarden. The First and Second World Wars stopped the work, and the regulation of the Vistula through the city was completed in 1955.