One of the most interesting places in Szczecin; one of the most mysterious places there. The island, located in the eastern part of the Oder River, was once a thriving hotspot. Now once again it has the chance of becoming the new heart of the city.
Then the first stage of renovation began. A 19th-century building which, from 1945, was owned by Meat Processing Plants in Szczecin and in the 1980s was used as a technical warehouse. Now the place is called the Old Abattoir. It houses a restaurant, a conference and projection hall, and a library.
Also in 2013 the six-storey office building of Lastadia Office was commissioned, built from scratch, taking advantage of the waterfront location and harmonised with the pre-war architecture.
The areas on the Oder River started to thrive and the vision of the highly liveable city close to water and nature has begun to take shape.
The embankment has started to live a full life, and the previously empty areas in the vicinity of the Oder River have become full of people. You can meet there cyclists, joggers and river anglers. This is a perfect place for walks and meetings. There is probably no better spot for a cup of coffee. On the other side of the river, the edifice of the Customs Office, the Ewa grain elevator, Lastadia and Stara Rzeźnia (the Old Abattoir) are visible, as well as the well-known cranes, which occasionally have also played the main role in the “light-and-sound shows”.
The isle is located in the centre, yet it is a little bit separated from it. Due to its history and its potential, the spot co-creates the city brand – that of a highly liveable city, surrounded by greenery, water and nature. A city that still has many secrets to be discovered.
The objectives of the Szczecin Floating Garden brand have always required visionary decisions and best-possible use of the unique location of Szczecin. The potential of the Międzyodrze and the location of Łasztownia, which in effect join the left and the right banks of Szczecin, offer tremendous opportunities, which the city has decided to grasp.
The biggest chance and challenge are posed by the fact that Szczecin has an opportunity to develop the large and very characteristically located part of the city practically from scratch. It is a unique situation in the whole country and a dream opportunity to create a new, thriving part of the city centre and to invigorate the areas located on the Oder River.
It has become an inseparable part of the landscape of our city. We can see it when driving down the Castle Route; we can see it while returning from a train trip, or while strolling in the city. It is arousing increasing interest. The isle is being talked and written about more and more frequently but, first of all, we visit Łasztownia more and more often to discover its secrets. At this spot, which used to fascinate mainly historians and architects, something new is starting to happen. Here the heart of the city may beat.