Former Albert Koenig Park

Tourist attractions

Description

In the north-west part of Gubin, along the eastern bank of the Neisse River, there is the former Albert Koenig Park. Established in 1904, this beautiful green area with a rich tree stand, extending over 25 hectares, was named after its donor - the respected founder and owner of the local daily newspaper, publishing house and printing house. After World War II, the entire area of the park was included in the border line, thus displacing the human-shaped form by nature.

Currently, one of the most interesting bicycle paths in the Eurocity Guben-Gubin leads to the park. It also stretches across the western bank of the Neisse, right next to the ruins of the bridge connecting the former industrial part of Guben with its villa district in the East. On a small terrace there are benches and information boards describing the history and past features of this charming place.

Above The 21 km route is available for viewing at this link: https://www.outdooractive.com/de/route/radtour/niederlausitz/deutsch-polnische-radwanderung/13745563/#dm=1.

Historical background

Albert Koenig (1844-1909) is considered one of the most important personalities of the pre-war Guben. He was the founder of the »Koenig's Kursbuch« publishing house operating from 1871 to 1939, offering, among others, for those traveling on German railways, the exact timetable of train arrivals and departures, including a list of the cheapest connections - the guide became so popular that in 1900 its sales reached 5.000,000 copies.

From 1890, Koenig also published the local daily "Gubener Zeitung" with a circulation of 10,000 per day.

At the beginning of 20^th century, in 1904, Albert Koenig purchased a large plot of land on the eastern bank of the Neisse River, which he designed and adapted to the needs of the city park in 1904. He handed over the newly developed recreational area to the city authorities of Guben in the same year. Soon after, in 1905, a local rowing club was built on its premises.

From the end of World War II to the beginning of the 21^st century, the area was closed to the border zone.

Since 2004, the park, despite its involuntary restoration, has been an important element of the tourist and recreational infrastructure of the Eurocity Guben-Gubin.