Różycki market

RÓŻYCKI M A R K E T

Julian Józef Różycki

The founder of the Różycki Market, a pharmacist from Warsaw, owner of several pharmacies and social activist

Brzeska

Różycki Market

Targowa

The area where the market is located was purchased in 1874 by Julian Józef Różycki (a pharmacist, owner of several pharmacies, investor). Later, he also purchased the surrounding plots (among others, plots located at Targowa Street 52 and 54, 8 and Ząbkowska 10 Street and Brzeska Street 23/25 ). He decided to establish a market on the area he owned, which was to become the commercial center of Praga. The official opening of the market took place in 1882.

The market opened in 1882 and it quickly became the main shopping center in Praga. Around 1901, the owner of the bazaar built a seven-meter-high kiosk at the gate from Targowa Street. It was quite disincitve blue siphon-shaped constructionthat housed a kiosk selling soda waters andsweets. Over time, the kiosk became a symbol of the market and an icon Praga district.

Shortly after the Second World War, the market began to grow rapidly, due to the smallscale sales that many were engaged in to make a living during difficult times. For this reason, almost anything could be bought at the market, from meat to illegal passports sales . In 1950s, the bazaar was nationalised, but this did not eliminate private trade.

Różycki market initially worked well in the early 1990s. Among the sellers were residents of the former USSR. Later, however, the market did not stand up to competition from the infamous Jarmark Europa at the 10th-Anniversary Stadium and quickly declined. The early 1990s were associated with the development of non-flagging entrepreneurship in Poland, and Praga was one of the most dangerous districts. At that time, the market received an unfavourable reputation as a dangerous place and it is still regarded as such today.

The market in 2020 was in a very poor state of repair, in need of intensive maintenance. Only 11 market stalls remained on it (whereas 111 stalls in 2018 ).