In the past Lodz was regarded by many as nothing more than a boring city of factory chimneys. The unique architectural, scenic, natural and cultural values went largely unnoticed until quite recently.
Today's Lodz with the population of almost a million is a truly European city with numerous contacts with cities all over the world which can be seen in the increasing number of partnership agreements, and a pro-active member of the organization of European major cities 'Eurocities' and a strong candidate for European City of Culture 2016 and not without cause - as a cultural city Lodz is fast becoming well renowned for the word-famous annual festivals held here: The International Festival of the Art of Cinematography "Camerimage", known all over the world and considered a milestone in the art of cinematography drawing many outstanding creators from world and Polish film industry; The Explorers Festival, a must for lovers of extreme sports, mountains and travel; The Festival of Dialogue of Four Cultures, a celebration commemorating the four cultures that created Lodz: Polish, German, Jewish and Russian; The Alexander Tansman International Competition of Musical Personalities; Golden Thread, the Contest for Fashion Designers; and the latest addition, the Pepsi Music Festival which saw Primal Scream headline in 2008 - to mention but a few.
Extensive improvements in infrastructure has meant that many large companies have chosen to locate in Lodz, leading to its re-emergence as an important economic centre. Further improvements, new highways and fast rail links to be completed by Euro 2012 can only enhance the position of Lodz at the very centre of Poland. Several important trade fairs are hosted here every year, among them, Intertelecom, the international fair of telecommunications; Interglass, International Glass and Ceramics Fair; Na Styku Kultur, International Tourism Sites Fair. Lodz also boasts over 40 research institutes and universities drawing a growing number of foreign students and academics.
The city is undergoing a gradual transformation with a lot of the old dilapidated buildings undergoing renovation with European funding and private investment, uncovering the beautiful tenements buildings and old factories - the real gems of 19th Century Art Nouveau architectural style - as well as museum collections and unrivalled nineteenth-century industrial architecture, the most renowned of which is 'Manufactura', Europe's largest shopping mall - converted from an old textile factory in the heart of the city and incorporating brand name shops, restaurants, cinemas, hotel, etc. The main street, ulica Piotrkowska (the longest commercial street in the world), is at the centre of the city's buzzing atmosphere with art galleries, retro rock bars, modern clubs, discos, shops and a myriad of restaurants and coffee shops with excellent cuisine. Although Lodz does not have any hills nor any large body of water, one can still get close to nature in one of the city's many parks, most notably Łagiewniki (the largest city park in Europe), Zdrowie, and Poniatowski. Lodz Zoo, and Lodz Botanical Gardens also offer pleasant opportunities for leisure. Lodz has one of the best museums of modern art in Poland, Muzeum Sztuki on Więckowskiego Street, which displays art by all important contemporary Polish artists. Despite insufficient exhibition space (many very impressive paintings and sculptures lie in storage in the basement), there are plans to move the museum to a larger space in the near future.