Poznan Must-See Sights

The heart of Old Town is Old Market Square. By day it’s a feast for the senses. Stately and colorful medieval buildings ring its perimeter, surrounding the cluster of equally historic structures found in the middle of the square, including the Old Town Hall and Weigh House. Fountains sparkle in the sunlight, attracting laughing children. Accordion players busk in front of the many Poznan restaurant terraces, from which waft scrumptious smells of freshly prepared food. The clocktower of the Town Hall chimes, and a pair of playing goats reveal themselves to onlookers’ delight.

By night, Old Market Square is Poznan’s playground. Night clubs, karaoke bars, and pubs open their doors and stay open until dawn.

The Old Town Hall is one of Poznan’s best-known sights. It was first built in the 13th century, but a series of destruction and repairs have altered its look over the course of history. At noon, when the clock chimes, a pair of goats butt heads. The goats were a part of the town hall early in its history but have not been consistently present, having been restored to the structure at the start of the 20th century. Until 1939, the Old Town Hall was used as the administrative building for Poznan. Now it’s home to the Historical Museum.

Cathedral Island occupies a section of Poznan between the Warta and Cybina Rivers to the east of Old Town and is reachable on foot. This island, called Ostrow Tumski in Polish, is the birthplace of Polish Catholicism and embodies a history that dates back to the beginnings of the Polish state. Poznan Cathedral continues to hold services here in a tradition over 1000 years old, while the island in general preserves spiritual landmarks and memory dear to Poznan and the larger Wielkopolska province.

St. Stanislas is a salmon-and-turquoise Baroque delight inside and out. Originally a Jesuit church built in the 17th century, it is a remarkable example of architecture of the period and will wow all who enter. Massive gold-capped marble columns flank archways delicately decorated with paintings and frosting-like relief work. Pale angels alight wherever they can find a perch. If the interior had been the work of a lesser artist, the effect would have been heavy and oppressive; however, despite the preponderance of stone and sheer size of the architectural elements, it has a light and airy atmosphere that lifts the eye and the spirit.

The Zamek, or Imperial Castle, was built in 1910, so it is not an old structure like most castles in Poland. The castle has served both governments and universities since its construction, and at one point it was to be used as Hitler’s residence and bunkers were built below the foundation. It now houses a cultural center. Guided tours of the castle can be taken. Some parts of the castle are now areas for entertainment or dining.

Little of the citadel from which the park derives its name exists (it was heavily damaged in WWII), but Citadel Park is attractive for other reasons. A green expanse north of the Old Town, it is a place for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Military cemeteries, museums, and monuments are also a part of the Citadel Park complex.

Rogalin Palace is located just outside of Poznan. Renovation to the picturesque Baroque structure ended as recently as 2009 and is now open to visitors. The museum includes a picture gallery. Its landscape park is also a popular attraction, where enormous oaks cast shade over the grounds with their ancient boughs.