Poznań

Poznań
a city worth getting to know
Welcome to Poznań
At the turn of the 8th century, a fortified settlement was established in the
Cathedral Island. By the 10th century, the settlement grew to become one of the
main centres of the Piast Dynasty State. It is at this very place that Poland accepted
Christianity, the country’s first bishopric was set up in 968 and a Cathedral was built
in which Piast rulers are buried.
Poznanians have always had great respect for science and knowledge, as
evidenced by the establishment of the Lubrański Academy in 1518. Today, Poznań is
home to twenty plus institutions of higher education with a combined student population of nearly 130,000. The Polish Academy of Sciences, the Polish Association of
the Friends of Science, and numerous other local societies and associations contribute significantly to the development of science.
Always enterprising and good at planning, Poznanians have greatly developed
their crafts and trade. The Poznań International Fair, whose grounds are located in
the city centre, is the site of exhibitions and conferences. The PIF brings together
thousands of manufacturing and trading companies and research institutes from around the world. Poznań’s Wielkopolska Agro-Horticultural Wholesale Market, the first
facility of its type that meets European standards. The national and international
investors gladly start their business activity in Poznań.
The local cultural and musical scene is made up of the „MALTA” International
Theatre Festival, two international festivals: the H. Wieniawski Violin Competition and
the H. Wieniawski Violin Making Competition, the Biennial of Contemporary Dance,
the Contemporary Dance Workshop, the world-renowned men’s and boys’ „Poznań’s
Nightingales” choir conducted by Stefan Stuligrosz and Agnieszka Duczmal’s Chamber Orchestra.
The city offers many sports and recreation attractions. Active recreation can
be pursued at an array of sports facilities at Lake Malta and at Poznań’s tennis courts,
swimming pools and its golf course. Poland’s largest Palm House, the Old and New
Zoos and the Botanical Gardens are always filled with visitors.
Poznań is easy to reach by various modes of transportation. It is a railway hub where
numerous regional, national and international lines converge. It offers coach services
to Europe’s and Poland’s main cities and has its own international airport PoznańŁawica.
A multitude of charming spots makes Poznań a very special place. While its
cosy atmosphere may surprise you, the city can also be very dynamic and open. Both
the city itself and its residents have their distinctive character.
POZNAŃ, A CITY WORTH GETTING TO KNOW…
Tenement houses, Old Market Square
Old Market Square
Sculptures of M. Abakanowicz, Citadel
A. Mickiewicz University
Parish church
Exploring history
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Sightseeing in Poznań is best begun with the
Cathedral Island 1 . Its most prominent building is the
Cathedral 2 featuring a three-nave Gothic basilica surrounded by radiating chapels. The structure is one of
Poznań’s most magnificent churches and certainly one of
its most precious historical buildings. It bears testimony
to numerous stages of construction from pre-Romanesque to Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Classicist. The
building’s oldest parts can be found in the cellars where
visitors can view old wall sections, a baptism bowl and the
tombs of Poland’s first rulers. A ring of chapels surrounds
the aisle and ambulatory, the most famous of which is the
Golden Chapel modelled after Byzantine architecture. In
1834, a mausoleum was established here for Mieszko I
and Boleslavus the Brave.
The city’s showcase spot is its Old Market
Square 3 dominated by the Renaissance Town Hall designed by Giovanni Baptista Quadro. The building’s tower
features a clock whose mechanism includes two metal
goats that butt heads daily at the strike of noon.
The tenement houses 4 surrounding the Old
Market Square were restored after the destruction of World
War II in a style reminiscent of Baroque and Renaissance
architecture. The Działyński Palace is remarkable for its
attic reliefs representing triumphant and sacrificial parades and the sculpture of a pelican spreading its wings.
Next to the Town Hall are vendor tenement houses with
their distinctive arcades. The Market’s other notable structures are a Rococo fountain representing the kidnapping
of Proserpine, three other fountains: Apollo, Poseidon and
Mars, a torture pole, a well with a Bamber woman figure 5 , and a Baroque figure of St. John of Pomuk. With
its café patios, street musicians, keepsake and souvenir
stands and pigeons, the Old Market Square projects a unique atmosphere. A variety of performances, concerts and
other events held here add to the place’s charm.
St. Stanislav’s Parish Church is a gem of Polish Baroque architecture. This three-nave basilica with a
transept was built between 1651 and 1732. Its monumental beautifully decorated facade features polychrome
art by K. Dankwart, golden ceiling ornaments, paintings
by S. Czechowicz, stucco decorations by A. Bianco and
a historic mid-19th century organ by the distinguished
organ-maker Fryderyk Ladegast.
Towering over one end of St. Martin Street is
the impressive Emperor’s Castle designed by Franz Schwechten for Kaiser Wilhelm II and erected between 1905
and 1910. Its interiors were altered and most of its decorations were stripped during the World War II. Today,
the building houses the „Castle” Cultural Centre and many
other institutions: galleries, cinema, and theatre.
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The cultural scene
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Many tourists come to Poznań drawn by its
thriving cultural scene. The „Castle” Cultural Centre 1
seated in the former Emperor’s Castle is the centre of
culture of the city. The Pałacowe Cinema has been set
in its Throne Room. The Emperor’s former residence is
the site of a number of permanent galleries and a venue
for concerts, drama performances, meetings and debates. In the summer time, many concerts are held in the
building’s courtyards.
Each June for many years, the „MALTA” International Theatre Festival 2 has turned Poznań into
one big experimental theatre stage. Without a doubt,
the Festival is one of the most prominent events of its
type in Central and Eastern Europe. Theatre groups from
all over the globe arrive here to participate in the city’s
open-air theatrical events. Past editions of the „MALTA”
Festival have among others been graced by the presence of Goran Bregovic, Buena Vista Social Club, Leningrad Cowboys and Sinéad O’Connor.
Music lovers highly value Poznań’s violin
competitions held every five years. The Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition 3 is among
the oldest events of this type. Its first edition was held
in 1935 in Warsaw to mark the 100th anniversary of
the composer’s birth. The Competition has since gone
international and is one of the fifteen founding members
of the Geneva-based World Federation of International
Music Competitions, an organisation bringing together
over 100 members from all continents.
Every May sees the series of events entitled
„Poznań-worth getting to know”. This is an excellent
opportunity to present the most interesting events and
activities in the field of art and the achievements of
Poznań’s artists. These events are accompanied by the
Night of Museums, during which Poznań’s museums
prepare special lectures and exhibitions.
Every August, dance lovers have visited
Poznań’s Contemporary Dance Workshops, a project of
the Polish Dance Theatre – the Poznań Ballet School
4 headed by Ewa Wycichowska, which is particularly
popular with young people. The participants of dance
courses and contemporary dance knowledge workshops
are taught by teachers and dancers of international acclaim.
It is only in Poznań that one can take part
in Saint Martin’s Days, also referred to as the street’s
nameday. During this holiday, a colourful parade moves down St. Martin Street and Poznań’s Mayor hands
over the city gates’ key to St. Martin. One tradition that
is unique to Poznań is the baking of sweet croissants
which, as legend has it, take their shape from the horseshoes worn by a horse on which St. Martin rode into
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the city. St. Martin’s Days coincide with yet another
event: St. Martin’s Antiques Fair 5 .
Poznań is home to museums of various sorts.
The National Museum Painting and Sculpture Gallery
6 building dates back to the early 20th century and houses an extensive collection of Roman and Gothic art,
including paintings by such outstanding Polish painters
as Jacek Malczewski, Stanisław Wyspiański, Jan Matejko and by a number of foreign masters. The collections
include an overview of 15th to 18th century Italian, 17th
century Dutch and 16th and 17th century Flemish paintings. The Museum also houses Poland’s most precious
collection of Spanish paintings, featuring the works of
Francisco Zurbaran, Jose Ribera and Juan Carreno.
The Museum of Musical Instruments 7 is
Poland’s only museum of this type and also Europe’s
third largest. The Museum holds a collection of some two
thousand items and, notably, a permanently displayed
collection of stringed instruments featuring remarkable
violins by Polish and Italian makers. Also on display are
brass and mechanical instruments and a vast collection
of pianos and Polish and foreign folk instruments. The
museum premises often serve as a place for meetings
and chamber concerts.
Ever since 1967, the Górka Palace (built in
1548) has been the seat of the Archaeological Museum,
which features archaeological finds from Western Poland
from the Stone Age to late antiquity, as well as ancient
Egypt and Sudan. Part of exhibits comes from the Egyptian Museum in Berlin and Museum of Egyptian Art in
Munich.
The St. John’s Fair attracts master artisans
and antique collectors. Other attractions include St.
Patrick’s Week, French Culture Days, the International
Celtic Festival, Danish Culture Days and Brittany Days,
which feature concerts, exhibitions, film showings, lectures, and drama performances devoted to the cultures of
the country or those of individual regions.
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Recreation
Poznań is a perfect place for the pursuit of active recreation. Just five kilometres from its centre are lakes
with designated swimming areas, forests with bicycle and
hiking trails and an artificial ski slope and sled track open
year round.
In 1990 on the Lake Malta 1 was built
Europe’s most advanced 2-kilometre long and 175-meter
wide regatta course 2 . The track is a frequent site of competitions, some of them international, including the 2001
World Kayaking Championship.
It is also the base of the “Malta Ski” Sports and
Recreation Centre. The Malta area’s biggest attraction is
its 150-meter year-round ski slope 3 completed in 1993.
The slope features a tow and a chair ski lift. A 560-meter
year-round sled track 4 was opened here in 1998. There
is also the specially designed course for a mini golf 5 .
In addition, the Centre offers rental of skiing equipment,
roller skates, Nordic Walking Sticks as well as familysize and regular bicycles. Malta also offers a number of
playgrounds. Plans have also been proposed to utilise the
local hot springs.
Along the northern shore of the lake runs the
Maltanka Miniature Railway 6 whose course ends at the
New Zoo 7 . 60% of the Zoo’s area are pine and mixed
forests. To see the Zoo’s 2,000 animals representing some
140 species, visitors may follow any of the three designated routes or take the “Zwierzynka” Road Train. Animals
here are kept in a nearly natural environment.
The city centre is the site of the Old Zoo, which
is one of the oldest such facilities in Poland. The Zoo features an aquarium, a reptile house and a birdhouse. In
1972, the Old Zoo was included on the list of Poznań’s
historical sights and placed under maintenance supervision.
Poznań prides itself on having Poland’s largest
Palm House established in 1910. The facility features
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some 17,000 species and varieties of plants from the
Mediterranean and subtropical, tropical, savannah, and
desert climates and a collection of exotic fish.
The Botanical Gardens are home to some
8,000 plant species from all of the world’s climatic zones
displayed in sections illustrating specific botanical environments such as steppes, peat-land, wet-land, forest,
dunes and high elevations.
Located to the north of the Old Town is Winiary
Hill, which was turned into a stronghold known as the Citadel in the 19th century. Following World War II, the site
was converted into a large park featuring an amphitheatre
and a rose garden. Numerous paths and charming spots
offer a perfect setting for walkers, roller skaters and bikers.
A huge meadow in the park’s centre is a frequent venue
for events and musical concerts.
The Morasko Meteorite Reserve is a unique
attraction within the city limits and comprises of seven
craters left by a meteorite strike. The Morasko craters constitute one of the largest concentrations of such craters on
Earth, in terms of size and number. The biggest diameter
measures approximately 60 m, while the depth reaches
11.5 m.
Poznań offers a multitude of tennis courts,
swimming pools, bowling centres, weight rooms, gyms,
recreational centres, horse-riding clubs, two golf courses
and an archery range.
Each year in Poznań the Wola Hippodrome
plays host to the International Equestrian Competition and
a horse-drawn wagon driving competition. The area offers
excellent riding trails.
The Poznań Marathon, organised in Poznań
every autumn for several years, is the biggest event of that
kind in Poland.
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Science and business
With a student population of over 130,000,
Poznań is among the research and leading academic
centres. Poznań is home to over twenty institutions of
higher education specialising in a wide range of fields
and disciplines. The biggest of them are the Adam Mickiewicz University, the Poznań University of Economics,
the Poznań University of Technology, the Poznań University of Medical Sciences, the Poznań University of Life
Sciences, the Eugeniusz Piasecki University School of
Physical Education. The city prides itself on its research
institutes, which conduct work in the fields of molecular
physics, applied chemistry, biochemistry, automation and
telecommunications. Many of these institutions maintain
close links with foreign organisations and have had their
achievements internationally recognised. Poznań has
its own Supercomputing and Networking Centre with a
170-km long fiberoptic network constructed for research
purposes.
Poznań prides itself on its trade fair traditions,
which date back to the 13th century and specifically to
1254, the year on which Przemysl I bestowed the Town
Privileges on the city in what is the oldest existing original document pertaining to the history of Poznań. The
idea of setting up a specialised trade fair institution was
proposed in 1917 by Poznań’s active merchant community. Four years later, the 1st Poznań Fair was held.
Immediately before the breakout of World War II, the Poznań Fair had grown to become one of Europe’s most
prominent fair events. 1947 was the year of the first
post-war Poznań International Fair 1 making the dynamically growing city of Poznań a national trade capital.
Poznań’s trade calendar includes nearly 40 specialised
annual events 2 that bring together thousands of manufacturers, trading companies, exhibitors, business people
and research institutes from all over the world. Today, the
PIF schedule features BUDMA: the International Construction Fair, Poznań Fashion Week, TOUR SALON: Fair
of Regions and Tourist Products, POLAGRA-FOOD: the
International Trade Fair of Food Industry and TAROPAK:
the International Exhibition of Packaging Technology and
Logistics.
The numerous trade fair visitors, business people and scientists arriving in Poznań find it an ideal setting for meetings, conferences and symposia 3 . Poznań
has the potential to become a major hub for convention tourism. The city offers all the facilities necessary
for holding such events, including numerous conference
rooms of various sizes and standards, restaurant, sports
and recreational facilities, a thriving cultural and entertainment scene and, equally important, easy access by
various modes of transportation.
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Practical information
TOURIST INFORMATION
City Information Centre (CIM)
www.cim.poznan.pl
– ul. Ratajczaka 44
Tel. (+48) 61 94 31, 61 851 96 45
– Poznań International Fair grounds (East Hall)
Tel. (+48) 61 865 67 17
– Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285
Tel./fax (+48) 61 849 21 40
Tourist Information Centre
Stary Rynek 59, tel. (+48) 61 852 61 56
GLOB-TOUR
Central Railway Station, terminal lobby, 24h
Tel. (+48) 61 866 06 67
TELEPHONE INFORMATION
Train information - Tel. (+48) 22 94 36, 61 866 12 12
Train reservations - Tel. (+48) 61 865 99 11
International coach service - Tel. (+48) 61 833 15 11
Telephone information, area codes Tel. (+48) 118 913
OTHER INFORMATION
Rent-a-car
AVIS, Poznań – Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285,
Tel. (+48) 61 849 23 35
BUDGET, Poznań – Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285,
Tel. (+48) 61 849 23 61
EUROPCAR, Poznań – Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285,
Tel. (+48) 61 849 23 57
HERTZ, Poznań – Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285,
Tel. (+48) 61 868 41 77
NATIONAL, Poznań – Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285,
Tel. (+48) 61 849 23 84
SIXT, Poznań – Ławica Airport, ul. Bukowska 285,
Tel. (+48) 61 847 14 68
Radio Taxi
Tel. (+48) 61 9191, 61 9622, 61 9624, 61 9661,
61 9667, 61 8216 216, 61 8219 219, 61 8222 222,
61 8222 333, 61 8515 515
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Ambulance (accidents) - Tel. 999
Ambulance (sudden illness) - Tel. (+48) 61 866 00 66
Police - Tel. 997
Fire Department - Tel. 998
Emergency number (for mobile phone) - Tel. 112
EDITED BY:
POZNAŃ CITY HALL
Public Relations Office
pl. Kolegiacki 17, 61-841 Poznań
Tel. (+48) 61 878 55 06, fax (+48) 61 852 76 86
e-mail: turystyka@um.poznan.pl, www.poznan.pl
PHOTOS: A. Ciereszko, J. Gunseus, A. Jabłońska, D. Krakowiak, P. Skórnicki, Ł.
Zandecki, Archive: MALTA International Theatre Festival Foundation, Malta Ski, H.
Wieniawski Society, Zoo
TEXT: Marta Stawińska
A girl in a traditional Bamber dress
Apollo’s fountain
City Scales
Old Marych monument
Poznań 2008