The process began in 1740, when, on the initiative of Prince Moritz of Anhalt-Dessau, then commander of the Stargard garrison, part of the ramparts on the southern side of the town was levelled. The resulting square was initially used for parades and military drills.
Further changes followed at the turn of the 19th century. At the end of the 18th century General Franz Otto von Pirch ordered the construction of the wooden Maiden’s Bridge, linking the promenade to the military parade ground. Today it has been replaced by a concrete bridge built at the turn of the 20th century. In 1800 Captain Friedrich Franz von Brunnow levelled another section of the former moat and laid out an extensive garden in its place. Nearby stood what later became the officers’ mess, together with a former bastion converted into a smoking room.
In the 19th century the removal of the old fortifications gathered pace. Promenades and green spaces were created on the site of ramparts, moats and military grounds, gradually encircling the historic town centre.
Today the Planty form a green ring around Stargard’s historic centre. It consists of five interconnected parks: Chrobrego, Zamkowy (Castle), Jagielloński, Popiela and Piastowski. Each has a different character, resulting both from the lie of the land and from the former function of the area.
