We begin our journey on the trail of murals at 18 Chełmska Street. The wall of Elementary School No. 6 features the figure of the school's patron, an outstanding novelist, Nobel Prize winner - Henryk Sienkiewicz - and his achievements. The mural was created in 2020 as part of the People's Budget to commemorate the centennial of the school in the village, and later the Winiary neighborhood. The initiative was put forward by school graduate Mateusz Wieczorek, the Estate Council and the Parents' Board. 

 

The second point on the route is Saint Joseph Square. On the building at the intersection of Adam Chodynski Street and 2-4-6 St. Joseph Square is a mural with the image of the Virgin Mary, which was created for the film “ Matka 24h”.  The author is Kalisz resident Damian Kwiatkowski, also known as “Kfiatek” - a graduate of Art Education in Visual Arts in Kalisz at the UAM. Go to Kolegialna Street and turn left into Piekarska Street.

 

The next mural adorns a private residential building at the entrance to Kalisz City Park, on the extension of Piekarska Street. On the left side, between the trees, we can see the tenement with the mural. It is a painting by Jacek Malczewski “The History of Song - a portrait of Adam Asnyk” from 1899. It was transferred onto the wall by artists Łukasz Rudecki and Paweł Witkowski. We return along the same route to Kolegiala Street and head toward "Dorotka" Tower.

 

Another spot on the route is the Center of Fables and Legends of Kalisz and of the City's Founding - the “Dorotka” Tower - located right next to the Sanctuary of St. Joseph. In its courtyard there is a mural “Kalisz Piastowski” by Damian Kwiatkowski. It depicts a panorama of the city, a sketch of the Piast Route, and in the center of the mural is the figure of Kalisz Prince Bolesław the Pious. It is worth noting that to the completed work the author added the image of the Holy Family painting whose original can be seen inside the temple. 

 

Walking towards Jan Kiliński Square, we can see another mural from a distance - “Ziemia Kaliska”. This mural is different from the others, because it was made using the “sgraffito” method. This technique is based on applying successive layers of colored plaster and scraping off their top fragments to create the graphic. The mural is located on a tenement on Stawiszyńska Street and was created in the 1970s. It was designed by the distinguished artist Władysław Kościelniak. Pass by the building and go straight down Stawiszyńska Street to the intersection with Garncarska Street.

 

We reach the place where Sushi Kushi and the Rowerowy Młyn have their headquarters. On the wall of a neighboring building we see a mural depicting rulers: Mieszko III the Old, who was buried at Zawodzie, Casimir the Great, who is credited with building the city's brick walls, Bolesław the Pious (prince of Kalisz) with his wife, the blessed duchess Jolanta, who founded, among others, the city's cathedral. The mural also depicts Władysław Jagiełło, who visited Kalisz more than twenty times. The mural was created as part of the implementation of the ”Królewski mural - Stawiszyńska 13“ project selected by residents as part of the People's Budget. It was executed by Bit-o-Magic Tomasz Smieszkoł, Jarosław Jastrzębski, a Warsaw-based company. Head back towards the center and turn right at the nearest intersection.

 

Walking down 3 Maja Street on the right you pass the Elementary School No. 1. On one of the school's walls, on the side of the courtyard, you can see one of the newest murals in Kalisz. The painting, which was made by a group of artists from Wallart according to a design by Dawid Celek, depicts the authors of the May 3 Constitution. It was created as part of the People's Budget of the City of Kalisz. 

 

After a short while we reach the intersection by the Galeria “Tęcza” shopping mall - from there we head to Wojska Polskiego Avenue. Right next to the gas station there is a building, on the facade of which there is a mural “Flora”. The piece was created in 2019 by a Kalisz visual artist Michał Mąka. He is a graduate of the master's degree program at the Faculty of Pedagogical and Artistic Studies in Kalisz at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. The work covers the entire surface of the facade, which makes it very well highlighted. The artist was inspired by a statue of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, which is very well known to Kalisz residents. The original statue is located on the City Hall patio, and a copy is in the City Park. The mural was painted in a very characteristic way for the author with the so-called “digital error”. The whole project was created with the cooperation of the City and the “Wieża Ciśnień” Art Culture Center. 

 

 

Continuing along Wojska Polskiego Avenue, we come to the Zespół Szkół Gastronomiczno-Hotelarskich. Here there are two murals. One of them is a painting depicting the image of the school's patron Janek Bytnar “Rudy”. It was created as part of the People's Budget.

 

The other mural is located on the school building on the sports field side. Here it is clearly visible by the students of all three schools, which are located around the sports facilities. The picture depicts birds, i.e. owl, kingfisher and crake, which are currently under protection in Poland. It was made by artists of the company “DONUT STUDIO” from Wroclaw. 

 

 

To see more murals, we have to backtrack along Wolska Polskiego Avenue to the intersection with Złota Street, and it is along this street that we will reach the next point on our route. At the intersection with Chopin Street in the courtyard of the Hampton by Hilton hotel, we can encounter a mysterious, intriguing mural that was created on the wall of a building adjacent to the hotel. The mural called “Look around - rozejrzyj się” is another work by Michał Mąka - a Kalisz-based artist - after “ Geometria”, “Flora” and “Nowy Świat”. The painting depicts the face of a woman who looks at the space around her with a mysterious gaze. The place itself - a former piano factory, as well as the buildings that are located right next to the factory have been revitalized and adapted for use as a hotel and catering business. The figure looking from the mural invites us to look again at the place we know, but this time we are to notice its “new appearance”. Work on the painting took almost 5 days and nearly 300 cans of spray paint. The result of the artist's work can be admired from the courtyard of the Hampton by Hilton complex and from the observation deck of the City Hall clock tower. Now we return again to Złota Street.  

 

 At the nearest intersection, we turn right into Ciasna Street and come to the Juliusz Słowacki Elementary School No. 3. On the facade of the structure there is a paining, made in 2022 as part of the People's Budget. The image is a quote from, “Odpowiedzi na” along with an image of the school's patron. We return to Złota Street and head to the center, passing the city's plantations. Immediately after the planty we turn left into Parczewskiego Street.

 

 The courtyard at 5-6 Parczewskiego Street underwent a metamorphosis in the spring of 2022. In addition to cleaning up, building sidewalks and a shed for waste containers, greenery was planted and a mural was painted. The work was created as part of an educational and artistic project entitled: “Street Art - Mural - miejski ogród” by students of the Tadeusz Kulisiewicz High School of Fine Arts in Kalisz with the support of the artist - Wojciech Brewka. We return to Złota street.

 

On the building at the intersection of Zlota and Garbarska Streets is the mural “Geometria dźwięku”, another work of art by Michał Mąka. When asked about the inspiration, the author answers - “With the ‘Geometria dźwięku’ project I want to refer to the Pythagorean theory of the harmony of spheres, a concept that is a combination of music and mathematics in the cosmos. The figures depicted are divided by black lines, which show us the distances between sounds - intervals. The color transitions symbolize the colors of the sound, the musical work. Through painting I am searching for the 'geometry of sound', its hidden proportion, rhythm and direction ...”

 

Leaving the Old Town, we follow Śródmiejska Street and then Fabryczna Street. There, on the façade of the Elementary School No. 16 is a mural that commemorates two dates from the pages of history. The first is the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Wielkopolska Uprising, and the second is the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence - (the painting was officially unveiled in 2018). The author is Dawid Celek, a Wrocław-based artist who graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology and Technische Universität Dresden.

 

 

Walking to the end of Fabryczna Street we come to the intersection with Ułańska Street. We turn right and after a while we are at the parking lot of the Faculty of Education and Arts of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Kalisz. There on the wall of the building you can see the mural “Kalisz Feniks 1914 - 2014”.  The work was created by students of the UAM, international students and the youth from Kalisz schools, following a design by Hank Foreman of Appalachian State University and Prof. Monika Kostrzewa, associate dean for artistic and scientific activities at WPA UAM. The mural depicts selected most interesting parts of the city, and was created buring an international plein-air art event organized at the WPA in Kalisz as part of the Kalisz-Feniks 1914-2014 project.

 

Following up Ułańska Street we come to the intersection with Nowy Świat Street. We turn right and after about 200 meters on our left we will see a mural painted by Kalisz artists Damian Kwiatkowski and Michał Mąka. The work was created in 2014 and was executed as part of the Festival of Science and Art organized by the Kalisz branch of the Adam Mickiewicz University.

 

Following Nowy Świat Street, we come to Rogatka Wrocławska which is located at the intersection with Górnośląska Street. We turn left and after a few minutes of walking we come to the corner of Cmentarna Street. It is there that the mural “Muzykanci” ("Musicians") is located on the facade of the building. The artwork was created in 2019. It is the result of the work of two artists - Tanja Prill from Hamm and Wojciech Brewka from Kalisz. It is no coincidence that such a pair of artists created this painting - the cities of Hamm and Kalisz are twin cities, and the work is a symbol of friendship between them. The project was coordinated by the Bogdan Jarecki Center for Visual Arts "Wieża Ciśnień" in Kalisz. Wojciech Brewka was inspired by the“Muzykanci” sculpture which is located in the City Park.

 

An interesting point on the route of Kalisz street art is a mural dedicated to Żołnierze Wyklęci (the Accursed Soldiers). To get there, we continue walking along Górnośląska Street until the intersection with Polna Street. We turn left and walk to the intersection with Legionów Street. On the left we find the Skwer Inwalidów Wojennych (War Veterans' Square) where the headquarters of the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) is located. On the facade of the headquarters we can see the figure of Rotmistrz Pilecki, Danuta Siedzikówna alias “Inka”, Roman Dmowski, Tadeusz Rozwadowski, scenes of fighting from the Warsaw Uprising, and a gorget with an image of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn against a background of an eagle. The entire work is filled the spirit of patriotism. The mural was created in 2013, through the joint efforts of the Stworzyszenie Kaliscy Patrioci (Kalisz Patriots Association) and the artist who painted the work is Michał Przybyłek.

 

Leaving the Skwer Inwalidów Wojennych, we follow Polna Street to the intersection with Adama Asnyka Street. There we turn right and proceed to the end of Asnyka Street until the intersection with Serbinowska Street. There is the Elementary School No. 8 and a mural on its wall. The City of Kalisz, in partnership with the State Forestry Authority in Kalisz, announced a competition for the design and execution of a mural inspired by the 100th anniversary of the Authority. The winning entry was designed by a team consisting of: Shuai Zhang, Nadine Minzer, Ariel Zaremba and Zoriana Volianskaya. The artists are students at the WPA UAM in Kalisz, characterized by their love of art and desire to learn about Poland. The creators describe the painting: “The main figure of the mural is a goddess, created with inspiration from Greek mythology. In her hair one can see a forest with all its richness of flora and fauna. The goddess holds the Earth in her hands. In her glass vessel is our planet, shown in the form of a child, and therefore very delicate, in need of care, dependent on us. The goddess protects the Earth. The mural is meant to remind us that we are responsible for the future of our planet, to show that the future of the whole world depends on human behavior towards nature, forests.” 

 

The idea of the mural, located on the sports hall building of St. Joseph's Technical School in Kalisz, 144 Złota Street, came from father Adam Kraska - the school's principal. The wall on which it is located is the facade of the school's sports hall. The mural conveys important sports values of healthy competition, fair play spirit and motivation to surpass oneself. Sports buildings are usually associated with team sports, where various forms of balls are kicked, bounced, dribbled or thrown. Therefore, in the center of the mural there is a ball crushing the walls of human differences. Around it are figures representing various sports. At the base there is a skyline of Kalisz with some of the oldest buildings of the city: the City Hall, St. Nicholas Cathedral, St. Joseph's Basilica and St. Michael the Archangel Church in Dobrzec. The entire structure is crowned with the inscription: “Sports Hall of the St. Joseph Technical School in Kalisz”. The mural was designed by Piotr Jankowski, a teacher of multimedia subjects at the school, with the help of student Angelika Dziedzic. The painting was done by the designer himself with the help of his son and the school's principal.

 

To celebrate the Year of the Fibiger Family, a mural was created on the facade of a building at 6 Rzemieślnicza Street, next to the Gustaw Arnold Fibiger square, designed and painted by Marcin Czaja. The winning project alludes to the tradition of Kalisz, as a city of pianos and pianos and the Fibiger family, as well as music as a means of artistic expression, having a great influence on other fields of art. In an interesting, geometric and synthetic way, it exudes the joyful energy that music brings. The artist of the mural was selected through a competition, organized by the Bogdan Jarecki Center for Visual Arts "Wieża Ciśnień" and the City of Kalisz. The jury, chaired by Izabela Rudzka, Ph.D., professor at the Adam Mickiewicz University, included Judyta Fibiger, representing the Fibiger family; Grażyna Dziedziak, head of the Department of Culture and Art Sport and Tourism of the Kalisz City Hall; artist Izabella Symanowicz; and Piotr Bigora, the head of "Wieża Ciśnień".

 

Across the street we can see another work of art. On the facade of the Comprehensive High School of Economics on Legionów Street, a mural commemorating the 150th anniversary of commerce and economics education in Kalisz was created. The author of the project and contractor is Wojciech Rokosz. The mural features an image of the school's patron General Mieczyslaw Smorawinski and the school's symbol - the Greek God of merchants - Mercury, while the background is complemented by graphics by Kościelniak, who is a graduate of the school.

 

While on Szlak Bursztynowy (the Amber Trail), don't miss the mural that adorns the pedestrian tunnel under the railroad overpass in Zagorzyne. The wall is located on Kresowa Street. The author of the mural is an artist from Kalisz - Michał Mąka. The passage has become colorful and is eagerly used by Kalisz residents.

 

 Near the Westerplatte roundabout, walking towards the city center we can catch sight of the mural “Ogród wyobraźni” ("The garden of imagination") by Ziemowit Finck. The mural is located on the wall of a building at 51 Wojska Polskiego St. The painting was created thanks to a cultural scholarship awarded to the artist by the Mayor of the City of Kalisz.