| Thomas Woodrow Wilson Square | |
| Former Names: |
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| Namesake: | Thomas Woodrow Wilson |
| Location: | Żoliborz, Warsaw, Poland |
| Map Type: | Poland |
| Designer: |
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| Completion Date: | c. 1923 |
| North: | Mickiewicza Street |
| South: | Mickiewicza Street |
| West: |
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| East: | Krasińskiego Street |
Thomas Woodrow Wilson Square, also simply known as Wilson Square, is an urban square and a roundabout in Warsaw, Poland, within the district of Żoliborz. It forms a roundabout at the intersection of Mickiewicza, Krasińskiego, and Słowackiego Streets. The square was constructed around 1923.
The square is named after Woodrow Wilson, who was the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. The full name of the square is the Thomas Woodrow Wilson Square (Polish: Plac Thomasa Woodrowa Wilsona), although it is usually known simply as the Wilson Square (Polish: Plac Wilsona).
It was originally named around 1923 as the Stefan Żeromski Square (Polish: Plac Stefana Żeromskiego), after Stefan Żeromski, a 19th- and 20th-century novelist and dramatist.[1]
On 27 September 1926, it was renamed to the Thomas Woodrow Wilson Square.[2] The idea for the name originated on 21 February 1924, when, shortly after Wilson's death on 3 February 1926, the city council had decided to name a street, a city square, or an institution, after him.[3]
In May 1940, during the Second World War, while the city was under German occupation, the square was renamed to the Danzig Square (German: Danziger Platz; Polish: Plac Gdański), after the city of Gdańsk (German: Danzig). However the local population refused to use said name. The name was returned to the previous one after the end of the war.[4] [5]
In March 1951, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Paris Commune seizing power in Paris on 18 March 1871, the square was renamed to the Paris Commune Square (Polish: Plac Komuny Paryskiej).[6]
In 1990 it was again renamed to T. W. Wilson Square (Polish: plac. im. T.W. Wilsona).[2] In August 2012 its name was changed to Thomas Woodrow Wilson Square (Polish: Plac Thomasa Woodrowa Wilsona).[7]
Between 1849 and 1851, to the southeast from future square, was constructed the Sokolnicki Fort (originally known as the Sergei Fort), which was part of the Warsaw Citadel. It was expanded furtherly between 1864 and 1874, and was mainly used as police building and prison.[8]
The square was designed by Józef Jankowski, Antoni Jawornicki, and Tadeusz Tołwiński, and constructed around 1923.[1]
Between 1926 and 1928, in the northeast corner of the square, were constructed four tenements of thr Warsaw Housing Association, designed by Bruno Zborowski.[9] Between 1928 and 1932, there was also constructed the building of the Fenix Housing Association, designed by Roman Feliński.[10]
Between 1925 and 1932, to the southeast was developed the Stefan Żeromski Park.[1]
On 3 May 1943, at 6 PM, while the city was under German occupation during the Second World War, from the loudspeaker at the square was played the patriotic audition made by Directorate of Civil Resistance. It ended with the recording of the anthem of Poland. The audition was heard by the people gathered at the square, including a group of German soldiers, and the news of the incident quickly spread across the city.[11] [12] A portion of the buildings around the square were destroyed in 1944, including entirety of the Warsaw Housing Association complex.[1] [9]
The square was remodeled around 1955, with changes to the shape of streets and tram tracks, and addition of the lawns to it.[13]
On 8 April 2005, there was opened the Plac Wilsona (Wilson Square) station of the M1 line of the Warsaw Metro underground rapid transit system.[14] [15]
The Wilson Square is located in the district of Żoliborz, within the neighbourhood of Old Żoliborz. It is surrounded by road, forming a roundabout at the intersection of Mickiewicza, Krasińskiego, and Słowackiego Streets. It is also crossed by tram tracks, and a road directly connecting Mickiewicza and Słowackiego Streets.[1] [13]
The square is covered with the lawn and greenery.[13] Around it are placed tenements. At its southeast cornet is located the main entrance to the Stefan Żeromski Park, which also includes the 19th-century Sokolnicki Fort.[1] [8]
It is also the location of the Plac Wilsona (Wilson Square) station of the M1 line of the Warsaw Metro underground rapid transit system.[14] [15]