OPOLE RIVER PARK

Nadodrzański Park in Opole is a recreational green area for both city residents and tourists. The park covers an area of approximately 6 hectares and is an ideal place for those who enjoy running, walking, rollerblading, practicing yoga or strength training. There are wide, picturesque alleys along the Oder River, colorful murals, green glades and squares and several outdoor gym stations. Those who prefer to relax with a book or newspaper will find shaded and beautifully sunlit benches or squares. There are also playgrounds for the youngest and small architectural elements for the slightly older, such as an outdoor stage and a climbing wall. During the summer season, a cruise ship moors at the Odra boulevard and kayaks can also be rented here.

A gem of small architecture is the bust of Juno hidden in the park. Its prototype was created in 1857 as part of the promotion of Friedrich Grundmann's first cement plant in Opole, as a faithful reproduction of the marble statue standing in Villa Ludovisi in Rome. The 19th-century sculpture was made of Opole cement and exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1867, where it gained recognition. It was then brought to Opole and donated to the city by Grundmann's cement plant. The last place it stood was the Park on the Oder River. Years later, thanks to cooperation with Cementownia Odra, the only cement plant still operating in the city out of several that existed in past centuries, Juno returned to the park.