Poznań Old Town is the centermost neighbourhood of the city of
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
in western Poland, covering the area of the once walled medieval city of Poznań. It is called ''Stare Miasto'' in Polish, although that name may also refer to the wider administrative
district of Stare Miasto, which extends to most of the city centre and northern parts of the city.
The Old Town is centred on ''Stary Rynek'', the Old Market Square where the historic
Poznań Town Hall ''(
Ratusz)'' stands. It represents the glory of Poznań, from its foundation in 1253. One of Town Hall's towers hosts two small billy goats, which butt their heads together every day at noon. At the western end of the Old Town is the Przemysł Hill (''Góra Przemysła'') on which the
King's castle once stood. The medieval
Royal Castle in Poznań
Royal may refer to:
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* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
has been reconstructed between 2011 and 2016.
The city walls were taken down when the city expanded in the early 19th century, but the street layout of the Old Town still corresponds closely to that of the former protected city, with a grid of narrow streets. Surviving fragments of the walls, some of which have been further reconstructed, can be seen on Stawna Street, Ludgardy Street, next to Chopin Park in the south of the Old Market Square and best parts are on Masztalarska street in the north.
Poznań Old Town is listed as one of Poland's official national
Historic Monuments (''
Pomnik historii''), as designated November 28, 2008, along with other portions of the city's historic core. Its listing is maintained by the
National Heritage Board of Poland.
Geographical definition of the ''Historyczny zespół miasta Poznania'' (Polish language)with the associated map
/ref>
Old Market Square
The original settlement of Poznań was on the river island of Ostrów Tumski, and dates from at least the 9th century. The Old Town neighbourhood, however, corresponds to the city on the left bank of the Warta, to the west of Ostrów Tumski, which received its charter in 1253 (work on the Royal Castle, which would be at the western side of the ring of walls, began several years earlier).
The Old Market Square ''(Stary Rynek)'' is the large square on which the Old Town neighbourhood is centred. The sides of the square measure approximately . There is a group of buildings in the central part of the square, chief of which is the Old Town Hall ''(Ratusz)''. On each side of the square are tall rows of former tenement houses ''(kamienice
Kamienice is a settlement in the administrative district of Gmina Malbork, within Malbork County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately north-east of Malbork and south-east of the regional capital Gdańsk.
Before 1 ...
)'', many of which are now used as restaurants, cafés and pubs (often with outdoor tables on the square itself). The square was originally laid out in around 1253, with each side divided into 16 equal plots, and many changes to architectural layout and style were made over the centuries. Major changes were made from 1550 onwards by Giovanni Battista di Quadro
Giovanni Battista di Quadro (Polish ''Jan Baptysta Quadro'', Latin ''Joannes Baptista Quadro'') (died between 10 April 1590 and 16 January 1591) was an Italian renaissance architect, one of the most famous architects in Central Europe in his era. ...
, who reconstructed the Town Hall and several other buildings in Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass id ...
style (severe damage had been done to the buildings by a fire of 1536). Most of the buildings in the square were reconstructed following heavy damage in the Battle of Poznań (1945).
The central group of buildings includes:
* The Old Town Hall (see separate article), standing in the northeast corner of the central building group (facing east).
* A row of merchants' houses ''(domki budnicze)'', dating from the 16th century, painted in a multicoloured design (1953–1961), with an arcade containing souvenir stalls, facing east. One of the houses (no. 17) displays the coat of arms – a herring and three palms – of the merchants' guild
A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...
from which the houses take their name.
* The former town chancellery, adjoining the merchants' houses, facing south.
* The old town weighing house
A weighhouse or weighing house is a public building at or within which goods are weighed. Most of these buildings were built before 1800, prior to the establishment of international standards for weights, and were often a large and representative ...
''(Waga Miejska)'', behind the Town Hall, facing north. This was first built 1532–1534, reconstructed 1563, demolished as unsafe in 1890 (replaced by a Renaissance-style "New Town Hall" used by the city government, heavily damaged in 1945), rebuilt in its former style in 1950–1960 based on surviving prints, renovated in 2002, now used for weddings and other functions.
* The guardhouse
A guardhouse (also known as a watch house, guard building, guard booth, guard shack, security booth, security building, or sentry building) is a building used to house personnel and security equipment. Guardhouses have historically been dormi ...
''(Odwach)'', facing west, originally an 18th-century wooden building, rebuilt in Classical style in 1783–1787, heavily damaged in 1945, rebuilt 1949–1951 and used as a museum. It now houses a museum dedicated to the Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919).
* The ''Arsenał'' gallery, a postwar building (1959–1962), standing on the site of a former market building which was used as an arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
from the 17th century, and was destroyed in 1945.
* The Wielkopolska Military Museum, a modern building (1959–1962) standing on the site of a former cloth hall ''(sukiennice)''. The cloth hall existed from 1386 (reconstructed in 1563) until it was converted into houses in the 19th century (destroyed in World War II).
Notable houses among those around the edge of the square include:
* nos. 45, 46 and 47 on the east side of the square, which house a Museum of Musical Instruments.
* no. 48, a reconstructed Gothic building, behind which archaeologists have discovered the remains of a late 13th-century merchant's house, the oldest known brick building in the left-bank city, which probably belonged to the city's founder, Thomas of Guben.
* no. 50, a reconstructed late-Gothic building, on whose wall is a plaque showing the maximum water level during the city's worst ever flood in 1736.
* no. 78 on the west side, known as the Działyński Palace
Działyński Palace in Poznań, Poland is a Baroque palace built in 1773 to 1776. The building features a rich stucco-decorated interior of its "Red Hall" and a classicist façade
A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front p ...
.
* no. 91 on the north side, known as the Mielżyński Palace.
Other features of the square are a punishment post ("pranger
The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stock ...
", Polish ''pręgierz'') and a fountain depicting Proserpina
Proserpina ( , ) or Proserpine ( ) is an ancient Roman goddess whose iconography, functions and myths are virtually identical to those of Greek Persephone. Proserpina replaced or was combined with the ancient Roman fertility goddess Libera, whose ...
, on the eastern side in front of the Town Hall; a statue of St. John Nepomucene
John of Nepomuk (or John Nepomucene) ( cs, Jan Nepomucký; german: Johannes Nepomuk; la, Ioannes Nepomucenus) ( 1345 – 20 March 1393)
was the saint of Bohemia ( Czech Republic) who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of Wenceslaus ...
; and fountains depicting the gods Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
, Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 time ...
and Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmos ...
. Within the central group of buildings is a water fountain depicting a Bamber woman (''Bamberka''). The Pranger of Poznań
The Pranger of Poznań is found near the north-east corner of the Town Hall, not far from the Prozerpina Fountain. It is an eight-sided, late-Gothic column, on the summit of which stands a statue of an executioner in a Crusader's outfit holding ...
is located near the north-east corner of the Poznan City Hall.
File:Poznan 10-2013 img10 Town hall.jpg, Town Hall
File:Poznan Braun Hohenberg.jpg, Poznań, 1618 from '' Civitates Orbis Terrarum''
File:Poznan 10-2013 img15 Old Market.jpg, Merchants' houses
File:Waga dla malkontentów.jpg, Weighing house
File:Odwach Poznań.jpg, Guardhouse
File:Stary Rynek 50 51 Poznań.JPG, Buildings at nos. 50 and 51
File:Palac Działynskich Poznan.jpg, The Działyński Palace
File:Pałac Mielżyńskich Poznań.jpg, The Mielżyński Palace
File:Pranger Poznan.jpg, Punishment post (pranger)
File:Niepomucen Poznan.jpg, Statue of St. John Nepomucene
File:Bamberka blisko.jpg, ''Bamberka'' water fountain
File:Fontanna Prozerpiny Poznan.jpg, Fountain of Proserpina
File:Apollo fontanna Poznan.jpg, Fountain of Apollo
File:Neptun Poznan.jpg, Fountain of Neptune
File:Mars Poznań fontanna.JPG, Fountain of Mars
Streets in the Old Town
The following is a list of present-day names of streets within the area of the former walled city (''ul.'' stands for ''ulica'', meaning "street").
Streets to the north of the market square:
* ''ul. Stawna'' ("Pond Street"), approximately following the line of the northern section of the former town walls.
* ''ul. Masztalarska'' ("Stableman Street"), running west and then south at the north-east corner of the Old Town. Part of a bastion
A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...
from the town wall system (mostly reconstructed) stands adjacent to the street. There is also a section of wall, again mostly reconstructed, running between Masztalarska and Stawna (up to the Wronki Gate).
* ''ul. Mokra'' ("Wet Street"), connecting Wroniecka and Żydowska.
* ''ul. Dominikańska'' (" Dominican Street"), running east from Żydowska.
* ''ul. Kramarska'' ("Stallkeepers' Street"), parallel to the north edge of the market square.
* ''ul. 23 Lutego'' ("February 23rd Street"), an extension of Kramarska, leading west out of the Old Town neighbourhood (its name commemorates the day of victory in the 1945 Battle of Poznań).
* ''ul. Szewska'' ("Tailors' Street"), running north and south from Dominikańska.
* ''ul. Żydowska'' ("Jewish Street"), running north from the north-east corner of the square. The north-eastern part of the town was formerly the Jewish Quarter.
* ''ul. Wroniecka'' (" Wronki Street"), running north, centrally in relation to the square. It led to the Wronki Gate ''(Brama Wroniecka)'', beginning a northward route which crossed the Warta river at Wronki.
* ''ul. Rynkowa'' ("Market Street"), a short street between the north-west corner of the square and Kramarska.
Streets to the east of the market square:
* ''ul. Wielka'' ("Great Street"), running east from the north-east corner of the square. It led to the "Great Gate" ''(Brama Wielka)'', the main eastern exit from the town towards the cathedral.
* ''ul. Woźna'' ("Carriage Street"), running east, centrally in relation to the square.
* ''ul. Wodna'' ("Water Street"), running east from the south-east corner of the square. It led to the "Water Gate" ''(Brama Wodna)'', which gave access to the island of Grobla; the name alludes to the river. On the street close to the market square is the former "palace" of the Górka family, now an archeological museum.
* ''ul. Klasztorna'' ("Abbey Street"), parallel to the east side of the square.
* ''ul. Ślusarska'' ("Metalworkers' Street"), parallel to and east of Klasztorna.
Streets to the south of the market square:
* ''ul. Kozia'' ("Goat Street"), parallel to the south side of the square. It was probably named after a sign showing goats (the name was originally applied to ul. Świętosławska).
* ''ul. Gołębia'' ("Pigeon Street"), parallel to and south of Kozia.
* ''ul. Jaskółcza'' ("Swallow Street"), connecting Szkolna and Wrocławska, south of Gołębia, on the line of the former walls.
* ''ul. Szkolna'' ("School Street"), running south from the south-west corner of the square.
* ''ul. Wrocławska'' ("Wrocław
Wrocław (; , . german: Breslau, , also known by other names) is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, roughly ...
Street"), running south, centrally in relation to the square.
* ''ul. Świętosławska'', running south from the south-east corner of the square, to the ''Fara'' (traditional parish church). It is named after St. Świętosław
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, the church's patron.
* ''Plac Kolegiacki'', a square at the east end of Kozia and Gołębia, with the former Jesuit College, which now serves as the city government's offices, on its southern side.
* ''ul. Za Bramką'' ("Beyond the Gate"), leading south from Plac Kolegiacki.
(For ''ul. Klasztorna'', which extends as far as Gołębia, see above.)
Streets to the west of the market square:
* ''ul. Paderewskiego'' ("Paderewski Street"), running west from the south-east corner of the square. This street was extended westwards at the time of the demolition of the city walls at the start of the 19th century, to connect the Old Town with the new district around today's ''Plac Wolności''. Its present name is linked to the speech given by Ignacy Paderewski at the ''Bazar'' hotel (whose building stands at the western end of the street) in December 1918, precipitating the Greater Poland Uprising.
* ''ul. Franciszkańska'' ("Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
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, ...
Street"), running west, centrally in relation to the square. A Franciscan monastery stands there.
* ''Góra Przemysława'' ("Przemysław's (Przemysł's) Hill"), a street named after the hill on which the Royal Castle stood, running on the slope of that hill, between Zamkowa and Franciszkańska.
* ''ul. Zamkowa'' ("Castle Street"), a short street leading west and then north, from the north-west corner of the square.
* ''ul. Sieroca'' ("Orphan Street"), parallel to the west side of the square.
* ''ul. Murna'' ("Wall Street"), connecting Paderewskiego and Kozia.
* ''ul. Ludgardy'', connecting Paderewskiego and Franciszkańska, on the line of the former walls. A monument to the Greater Poland Uprising (1918) Greater Poland Uprising (also Wielkopolska Uprising or Great Poland Uprising) may refer to a number of armed rebellions in the region of Greater Poland:
* Greater Poland Uprising (1794)
* Greater Poland Uprising (1806)
* Greater Poland Uprising (1 ...
stands there.
See also
* History of Poznań
* Museum of the History of Poznań
References
* Henryk Kondziela, ''Stare Miasto w Poznaniu. Przewodnik'', Poznań 1975, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie
* ''Poznań, przewodnik po zabytkach i historii'', Poznań 2003, Wydawnictwo Miejskie,
* Franciszek Jaśkowiak, Włodzimierz Łęcki, ''Poznań i okolice. Przewodnik'', Warsaw 1983, Sport i Turystyka,
* Magdalena Warkoczewska (ed.), ''Kronika Miasta Poznania nr 2003/2, W cieniu wieży ratuszowej'', Poznań 2003, Wydawnictwo Miejskie, ISSN 0137-3552
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poznan Old Town
Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
Historic districts in Poland