The City Pearl neighbourhood is now one of the most rapidly revitalised areas of the city. The traffic is muted, pedestrian zones are restored, new town squares are built, and the number of unusual cafés, restaurants and art spaces continues to grow. Not only does City Pearl fit perfectly with this idea, but it is also becoming an important element of a wider revitalisation of the historic part of Szczecin. The investment restores the splendour of somewhere that was vibrant before the war.
The City Pearl neighbourhood is one of these unusual places, where history harmonically interweaves with the spirit of the present. You can experience that while taking a stroll
among the historic townhouses, having a coffee in one of trendy cafés, or eating an ice-cream in Jasne Błonia Square. An adventure with a ride in a motorboat hired at the quay, a wonderful evening with a performance on the stage at Teatr Mały or a concert in the world-famous Szczecin Philharmonic all awaits you within a short walk.
City Pearl is built in a place that was defined as the heart of the city as early as in the late 1880s, when the city was freed from the confines of the fortresses. The radial road pattern with its beautiful, eclectic townhouses has become the pride of Szczecin. A spacious square was left at the heart of these buildings, where an impressive rotunda-shaped performance hall with a large dome was built in 1899. It was called Zentralhallen, which translates as ‘Hale Centralne’ or ‘Central Halls’. In the largest hall, two thousand spectators could watch circus performances, movies, listen to concerts, and watch boxing. The building also housed a restaurant, café, billiard rooms and smaller meeting rooms. It was the entertainment centre of Szczecin at the time. Unfortunately, while the hall failed to survive World War II, the area has today opened up to a possibility of a no less interesting investment. The city is going to bustle again, although in a slightly different manner, and some interesting architecture is going to emerge once more from behind the historic townhouses.