Historical Poznań

Historical Poznań

Cathedral in Poznań, photo: D. Krakowiak

Historical Poznań

WARSZAWA

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A stroll around Poznań is like looking into a mirror of the past. From the very beginning of Poland’s history consecutive centuries left their fingerprints here, each architectural style has left its mark. Buildings and monuments retain palpable traces of long gone days, and they point to various periods ranging from the times of Prince Mieszko I and King Bolesław Chrobry to our contemporary times. Sometimes we do not even realize how numerous and how significant these sites are. The ones most valuable are subject to regulations on preservation maintenance. In Poznań nearly 500 landmarks are listed in the heritage register. If we take into account the architectural urban lay-outs of the town’s oldest neighbourhoods with all the buildings located there, which are also included in the register, it will turn out that over 6,000 structures are subject to preservation maintenance laws.

The above facts are evidence of the historical significance of Poznań. There is no way one could see all these landmarks. Therefore visitors must choose, using their preferences as a guide or simply looking for the most precious landmarks. For this reason to those who come to Poznań for only one day we recommend a trail

leading from Ostrów Tumski (cathedral island) via Stary Rynek (the Old Town Square) and the City Centre to the so-called Castle District. This is the most popular tour of Poznań, leading to the core part of the Royal-Imperial Route. The latter name makes a reference to monarchs from the Piast dynasty who resided in Poznań as well as to emperors visiting our city: Otto III, who in the year 1000 stopped here on his way to Gniezno; Napoleon Bonaparte, who visited Poznań four times - his longest stay in 1806 resulted in the fact that for a few weeks the city became a European capital; Wilhelm II, for whom in 1910 a castle was erected – the last imperial residence in Europe. It was here that the University of Poznań was born after Poland regained independence in 1918; the castle was also one of the official presidential residences during the interwar period.

To those planning a two or three day break here we would like to recommend additional itineraries leading to sites which are less frequently visited yet equally interesting; they reveal the diversity and uniqueness of Poznań.

Because this is a truly amazing city, defying stereotypes and worth getting to know.

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THE MAIN ROUTE Ostrów Tumski - Old Town Square – City Centre – Castle District Ostrów Tumski

An island embraced by the arms of River Warta and its tributary – Cybina, Ostrów Tumski is the oldest part of Poznań, or in the words of Pope John Paul II “this is where Poland started”. It was here, in a location formerly occupied by a settlement that in the mid 10th century Mieszko I founded a gord (a fortified settlement). In 968 the first seat of bishops was established here; presently the first cathedral was also built. Relics of the preRomanesque and the Romanesque cathedral today can be seen in the cellars of the church.

In the 970s the gord was expanded and surrounded with massive walls, 20 metres wide and 10 metres tall. At the same time a palatium was built; its remnants were unearthed in 1999 by a team of archaeologists supervised

by Professor Hanna Kóčka-Krenz from the Institute of Pre-History of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. The whole of Poland heard about Ostrów Tumski on that occasion.

The same happened in 2009 when they found relics of the oldest Christian church in the Polish land founded by Dobrawa.

Yet, the research continues. The most significant findings so far include: a lead seal of Prince Bolesław Krzywousty, over 220 mosaic tiles (found nowhere else in Poland) and an 11th century goldsmith workshop.

The latter is a unique site in Poland (even though medieval goldsmith workshops are known in our country, none of them actually worked with gold) and is an irrefutable evidence of the significant position of the gord in those times: the place which held a goldsmith workshop controlled by the ruler was also a seat of the political authorities. Similarly the massive earthworks – unparalleled in Europe - dating from the times of Mieszko and Bolesław Chrobry, which have been unearthed at Ostrów Tumski (ks. Ignacego Posadzego Street) bear witness to the rank of Poznań at the dawn of history. After examina-

Bird’s eye view of Ostrów Tumski, photo: D. Krakowiak

tion the walls were again covered with earth.

Only some fragments as well as parts of walls built around Ostrów Tumski in the 16th century by Bishop Jan Lubrański can be seen in an archaeological reserve at ks. Ignacego Posadzego Street (to open in mid 2012). On the other bank of the Cybina river, opposite the cathedral, the Interactive Centre of Ostrów Tumski History is being built and should be completed in 2012.

The Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the burial grounds of the House of Piast (including Mieszko I, Bolesław Chrobry, Mieszko II, Kazimierz Odnowiciel and Przemysł II) is a 15th century Gothic basilica with three naves, an ambulatory surrounding the chancel and a sequence of chapels. In this form the church was rebuilt after the destruction of 1945. The 18th century layout, which had existed until WWII, was not restored – the building regained its Gothic features instead. Because of the damage caused by the war, particularly in the area of the main nave, the cathedral was partly appointed with furnishings brought from Silesia: the Gothic altar from 1512 came from Góra Śląska, the 16th century choir stalls from Zgorzelec, and the 18th century pulpit and baptismal font were relocated from Milicz. In 1990 the famous 15th century tombstones made in the Vischer family workshop in Nuremberg came back to the cathedral; pillaged by the Nazis, after a long search they were finally found in

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Cathedral and Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, photo: D. Krakowiak

Interior of the cathedral in Poznań, photo: Archive of the Wielkopolska Tourist Organizatiom, A. Piechocka

the Hermitage collection in Saint Petersburg.

The least damage was incurred during the war by the side chapels, where today we can still admire true masterpieces of sculpture from previous centuries, including the tombstone of Bishop Benedykt Izdbieński, crafted by Jan Michałowicz from Urzędowo, the most outstanding sculptor of the Polish Renaissance; as well as the Renaissance tomb of the Górka family, a work of Hieronim Canavesi.

Yet the most renowned is the Chapel of Polish Kings, also known as the Golden Chapel, which was founded in the 1800s by public contributions from the three parts of Poland under the authority of partitioning powers as well as by donations made by the Tsar of Russia and the Crown Prince of Prussia. The chapel, featuring early Christian ornamentation, holds a neo-Gothic sarcophagus of the first two Polish monarchs, Mieszko I and Bolesław Chrobry (containing elements of the Gothic tomb founded by King Kazimierz Wielki for the latter monarch); we can also see here statues of both rulers sculpted

by Christian Rauch, an artist from Berlin, and funded by Edward Raczyński.

While taking a walk around Ostrów Tumski one cannot omit the Gothic church of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the first half

of the 1300s. Unfortunately, due to its poor condition and works aimed at reinforcing its structure the building can only be viewed from the outside.

Next to the church there is a 16th century building, once home to priests who were psalm singers in the cathedral. Both this building and the edifice of Lubrański Academy, which can still be seen there, were commissioned by one of the most outstanding clergymen of Poznań, Bishop Jan Lubrański.

Named after him, the street departing from the square in front of the cathedral will lead us to the former Academy (the first school in Poland teaching in the spirit of Renaissance humanism) which today holds the Archdiocese Museum. Next to the Academy there is a statue of Jan Kochanowski, a Polish Renaissance poet. A reconstruction of a monument from 1884, it was relocated here from Ostrów Tumski Street in 2002, after its former location was designated in 2000 to hold a monument of Pope John Paul II, sculpted by Krystyna Fałdyga-Solska.

Stary Rynek (Old Town Square)

Poznań was born at Ostrów Tumski. It developed as a stronghold with an adjacent settlement. In the late 12th and early

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13th century Poznań started transforming from the fortified castle which mainly functioned as a seat of a duke into a town similar to those existing in Western Europe. Yet, it was not until 1253, when Duke Przemysł I adopted the Magdeburg Law for Poznań, that the real urban development of the town started on the left bank of the Warta river. This is when the settlement received the town square whose dimensions have been preserved to the present day. Three streets were delineated to originate from each side of the Square. Large municipal buildings were erected, including the town hall, weighing-house and the town parish church. The town was enclosed within walls and its fortifications included a castle built as early as the first half of the 13th century in the western part of the town.

In the middle of the Old Town Square we can see a Renaissance town hall, an old seat of the municipal authorities. Reconstructed in the mid-16th century to the design by Giovanni Battista di Quadro from Lugano, Italy, today the building holds the Poznań Historical Museum. Particularly beautiful here is the Grand Vestibule, otherwise known as the Revival Hall, one of the most magnificent Renaissance-style interiors in Poland – two sandstone pillars support the ceiling embellished with coffers containing polychrome-covered sculptures which depict coats of arms, biblical and mythological scenes, exotic animals and planets. And on the Town Hall tower, every day at noon we can see one of the symbols of Poznań – two goats and their horn-butting display

Near the Town Hall we can see 16th century arcaded houses, relics of old commercial architecture – a rarity in Poland. In the Middle Ages the area held wooden stalls where one could buy herring, candles or torches. Over time they were replaced with narrow brick houses used by the stall owners for residential purposes. Today they also hold apartments - some of these comprise rooms located in three houses.

Each of the four corners of the Square holds a fountain. In front of the Town Hall we can see Proserpina’s fountain from the 1700s, sculpted by Augustine Schöps; the

Old Town Square, Town Hall and the weighing-house, photo: D. Krakowiak

others were placed there in recent years by reference to the four wells which for centuries existed there. The new ones hold sculpted representations of Apollo (by Marian Konieczny), Neptune (Marcin Sobczak and Adam Piasek) and Mars (by Rafał Nowak).

While strolling around the Old Town Square you should pay attention to the so-called palaces of the Działyński, Mielżyński and Górka families. The first one, a Classicist-style edifice with a sculpted pelican on the roof, is home to Kórnik Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences. From the beginning of the 1800s it was owned by the Działyński family. Following the death of Jan, the last member of the family, in 1880 it was acquired by his nephew Władysław Zamoyski, who then in 1925 donated the palace along with his Kórnik estate to the Polish nation.

For over one hundred years, during the time when Poland was under foreign authority, the palace of the Działyński family was a sanctuary of Polish culture and the hub of Poznań’s intellectual life. The palace hosted political meetings, lectures devoted to various themes, concerts, and theatre performances. The tradition of literary meetings and concerts organized in the Red Hall has been kept up into the present.

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On the other hand the palace built for the Mielżyński family in the late 18th century was the first Classicist-style residential building in Poznań. In addition to the owners’ apartments and servants’ quarters from the very beginning it contained rooms for rent – their tenants included General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski and Józef Wybicki who stayed here in 1806.

Extremely interesting is the Renaissance-style palace of the Górka family (at the corner of Klasztorna and Świętosławska streets, the south-eastern area of the Old Town Square), today holding the Archaeological Museum. It is worth visiting not only for its interesting expositions (e.g. devoted to the history of Wielkopolska and to ancient Egypt); you can also see here the city’s most beautiful Renaissance portal and a courtyard with a glass dome-shaped roof, also in Renaissance style. The courtyard holds an Egyptian obelisk of Ramses II – this way Poznań has joined a group of cities such as Rome, London, Paris and New York, although the obelisk here is not as impressive.

Other places worth visiting at Old Town Square include the Museum of Musical Instruments and the Henryk Sienkiewicz Literary Museum. They were both established by passionate enthusiasts. The former was initiated by Zdzisław Szulc, a grain merchant who used to bring various instruments back from his numerous trips. Even though some of them did not “live through” the war his collection became the germ of the only Polish museum of this type. The Sienkiewicz Museum is a result of efforts made by Ignacy Moś (who during WWII paid the Gestapo to set Sienkiewicz’s son free). He donated his collection to “the nation and his beloved city” and remained its honorary custodian for the rest of his life (he died in 2001).

nearly 75 years (from mid 17th until the early 18th century) to the design by Bartłomiej Nataniel Wąsowski, rector of the Jesuit College in Poznań, this is the city’s most beautiful Baroque church. The three-nave structure contains galleries over the side naves and massive columns (based on Wąsowski’s idea) in the main nave. The magnificent main altar and entrance portal were designed by Pompeo Ferrari. The grandeur and pomposity, the plenitude of sculpted decorations as well as stucco and painted embellishments are the distinguishing features of this gem of Baroque style. Each Saturday at 12:15 visitors can hear a short concert performed on the famous organ built by Friedrich Ladegast.

The town parish church in the past was in the custody of Jesuits. Nearby we can also see their former college (today a seat of Poznań authorities) and opposite the church Apollo’s fountain, photo: D. Krakowiak

Around the Old Town Square

Walking down Świętosławska Street from the Old Town Square we can get to the Town Parish Church of the Holy Mother of Perpetual Help, St. Mary Magdalene and St. Stanislaus the Bishop. Built in the course of

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a look at two buildings at the intersection of Paderewskiego Street and Marcinkowskiego Avenue. One of these is the museum building erected in the first years of the 20th century by the Prussians and modelled after the Arsenal in Berlin. Formerly housing the Emperor Frederick Museum, today (expanded to include another wing) it is home to the National Museum where you can see works by the most outstanding Polish painters including: Jan Matejko, Józef Chełmoński, Stanisław Wyspiański, Olga Boznańska and a large collection of paintings by Jacek Malczewski.

Across the street from the museum a modern installation called Poznań Stele, the work of Heinz Mack, an artist from Germany, was placed in 2006.

The other is the 19th century building of Bazar – one of the most significant institutions of Polish social, economic and political life in the times of partitions and one of the most important symbols of Poznań. The main proponent for establishing the company named Bazar Poznański in 1838 was Karol Marcinkowski, a physician and a prominent member of the positivist movement striving

Town parish church in Poznań, view from Chopin Park, photo: D. Krakowiak

there is the old Jesuit school (today home to a ballet school).

Taking a walk from the Town Square up Franciszkańska Street you will reach Góra Przemysła (Mount of Przemysł) where a massive castle was built in the 13th century by Duke Przemysł I and his son Przemysł II. At present the only remains of the oldest royal residence in Poland are its Gothic cellars.

On the other hand the building of the 18th century castle, restored after WWII, today is home to Museum of Applied Arts. Following years of efforts initiated by the Public Committee for the Reconstruction of the Royal Castle in Poznań, in 2011 the reconstruction works were started, or according to some it is in fact construction works. The idea was met with opposition from numerous historians of art and architects who claim that the design does not have anything in common with the original residence built by Przemysł, because in fact we do not know what it looked like.

Opposite the castle there is a uniquely beautiful Franciscan church of St. Anthony

for organic development of Wielkopolska.

The company built a large hotel whose ground floor was designed to hold shopping facilities (Hipolit Cegielski had his hardware store here). In the evening of 26 December 1918 Ignacy Jan Paderewski made a speech from a window of the Bazar building and on the following day an uprising started as a result of which Wielkopolska regained independence.

For over a decade now the Bazar Company consisting of heirs to the founders of the 19th century Bazar has been thoroughly renovating the building. Today again there are shops, and a part of the building is occupied by offices. The façade has regained its neo-Baroque style, however works aimed at the reconstruction of its historical interiors continue.

At Plac Wolności we can see a Classicist-style building whose front elevation was modelled after the eastern façade of the Louvre. It is home to the Raczyński Library – the oldest public facility of this type in Poland. It was built for exactly this purpose by Count Edward Raczyński who then in 1829 presented it to the city along with the collection

of Padua, built during 1665-1730 in Baroque style. The most interesting thing here is the splendid chapel of Our Lady of Miracles, also called Our Lady of Poznań. A painting known for its miraculous powers is mounted onto an elaborately carved altar – which is like a grand artistic reliquary. To a large extent the furnishings and interior decorations of the church are the work of two brothers, who were also monks - Adam (a painter) and Antoni (a sculptor) Swach. In the church vaults you can see scale models of old Poznań – a “light and sound” show presented here helps visitors to better understand the history of Poznań.

Raczyński Library, photo: D. Krakowiak

19th century Poznań

Walking from Old Town Square down Paderewskiego Street we will reach Plac Wolności (Freedom Square), which was delineated in the early 19th century and today is the city’s central square. However, before you enter it we recommend that you take

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Arkadia building photo: Archive of Wielkopolska Tourist Organization, Sz. Kaczmarek

Grand Theatre, photo: D. Krakowiak

assembled by him and his wife Konstancja.

Today it is a municipal public library and its holdings comprise approximately 2 million volumes, including a special collection of 200,000 items. It is well worth a visit – inside you can admire an impressive staircase and the reading room with genuine 19th century bookshelves.

The western side of Plac Wolności is graced with the building of Arkadia. Its name makes a reference to a cafeteria which was here before WWII; however in the 19th century the building was home to a theatre.

Its original structure has not been preserved – the edifice which we can see now dates from 1877 and was originally designed to hold a socalled German theatre. This name was commonly used to make a distinction between this institution and the Polish Theatre (Teatr Polski) located nearby, at 27 Grudnia Street.

The latter was erected in 1875; it was funded by public donations collected in all three parts of Poland under foreign authority – hence the inscription on its front façade: “Nation to Itself ”.

One of the most unique buildings in Poznań can be seen at the intersection of 27 Grudnia and Mielżyńskiego Streets. The socalled Okrąglak (literally: a round structure) is a modernist-style building designed by Prof. Marek Leykam and erected in the mid

1950s to hold a department store. However, for many years now it has not been used for its original purpose. In 2007 it was entered into the heritage register. After years of neglect, the building now is being restored and is designed to hold offices.

At Mielżyńskich Street, which is lined with houses dating from the late 19th and early 20th century, there is also the impressive building of the Poznań Society for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences, established in 1857 and today the oldest association of scholars in Poland. A new wing of the building with a library, museum and assembly hall was erected in the 1870s; then in the early 20th century a neo-Baroque tenement house was erected in front of it, and rental revenues were used to support the Society. A gate with a monumental portico leads to one of the city’s most impressive courtyards with a replica of the first Polish statue of Adam Mickiewicz, which was placed here in 1998 (originally it was located next to the Church of St. Martin).

Castle District

Until the end of the 19th century Poznań was a fortification surrounded with a belt of massive defensive structures which

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Imperial Castle, Archive of Wielkopolska Tourist Organization, A. Piechocka

Mickiewicz Square and Assembly Hall of Adam Mickiewicz University, photo: D. Krakowiak

hindered spatial expansion of the city. After the Prussian fortifications were dismantled in 1902 an elegant layout was developed by Joseph Stübben, one of the most remarkable European urban designers, which skilfully combined green areas and newly constructed public edifices representing various styles.

Since these were being erected in the proximity of a castle which at the time was also under construction here, the whole area became known as a castle district.

Intended as a residence for Wilhelm II, the Emperor of Germany, the castle was designed by Franz Schwechten in neoRomanesque style and built during 19041910. The massive building with its varied layout makes a reference to medieval castles and its specific parts are modelled after Romanesque castles of Germany and Italy. After Poland regained independence in 1918 the castle became the main seat of the newly established University of Poznań (originally called Wszechnica Piastowska – University of the Piasts); during the interwar period it also functioned as one of the official residences of presidents of Poland. It is at the University of Poznań that the mathematicians Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki and Henryk Zygalski acquired their skills. They gained renown

for breaking the Enigma code, and they are honoured here with a monument designed

by Grażyna Bielska-Kozakiewicz and Mariusz Krzysztof Kozakiewicz, and located in front of the former imperial residence which today is home to Zamek Culture Centre.

Representing the style of Dutch Renaissance, Collegium Minus at Wieniawskiego Street (on the western side of Mickiewicza Square) today is part of Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań and home to its authorities. Additionally there is the Assembly Hall, famous for its architecture and acoustics, which hosts symphony concerts. The building was erected in 1910 to the design by a German architect Edward Fürstenau and was intended to hold the Prussian Royal Academy. A symbol of the University, the façade of the Assembly Hall flanked with two towers is a dominant feature of the building. Representing the same style the façade with the entrance to Collegium Minus, standing slightly further back is less imposing. Inside we can see well-preserved magnificent interiors (including the so-named small assembly room) with impressive staircases.

While developing the design for the district Joseph Stübben also delineated a square today named after Adam Mickie-

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wicz. We can see here two monuments, one representing the great poet Adam Mickiewicz holding a book (the work of Bazyli Wojtowicz, unveiled in 1960) and the other commemorating June of 1956 when workers’ demonstrations were met with violent repression (the sculpture by Adam Graczyk was erected in 1981). Also known as Poznań Crosses the monument contains the dates of subsequent anti-communist protests which happened in Poland.

From the north Plac Mickiewicza is enclosed with the edifice of the opera house erected to the design by Max Littmann. Located on a slight elevation, the building draws attention with its monumental façade in the form of a Greek portico crowned with a figure of Pegasus and it stands high towering over the park and square. The grandeur of the opera house can also be seen in its interiors – a magnificent auditorium, private boxes, crystal chandeliers, and elaborate ornamentation imbue the place with a truly theatrical atmosphere. The opening of the opera house on 30 September 1910 was graced with the staging of The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; then on 31 August 1919 the fact that the opera house was taken over by Polish people was celebrated with the performance of Halka by Stanisław Moniuszko, who later became the patron of the Grand Theatre.

In the Castle District we can see a number of other Prussian buildings. In the vicinity of the Assembly Hall is the edifice of Collegium Iuridicum (originally holding the German Cooperative Bank). Opposite Mic���� kiewicza Square and Collegium Minus there is the building of the Academy of Music (formerly an Evangelical House) which was expanded to include another wing in the 1990s and an assembly hall in 2006. At Fredry Street we can see Collegium Maius – a monumental edifice with a distinctive dome – today used by the University of Medical Sciences and Adam Mickiewicz University; it was originally built for an institution which was generally detested by Wielkopolska residents, i.e. the Prussian Settlement Commission.

Old Town Square, photo: D. Krakowiak

ADDITIONAL ROUTES Old Town Square - St. Adalbert Hill – the Citadel

Along the streets in the vicinity of Stary Rynek there are numerous interesting landmarks which are worth visiting if we have enough time. The following additional itineraries are a suggestion for those who are planning to stay for a few days in Poznań.

At Szewska Street, close to the Old Town Square, there is the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Consolation. Today it is owned by Jesuits but some call it a post-Dominican church because it was in the custody of that order from the 13th until the 19th century when their monastery was closed. Dating from the 1200s, and altered many times throughout the following centuries, this is nonetheless the oldest church in the part of Poznań located on the left bank of the Warta, built even before the settlement received city rights. Today in the Jesuit monastery we can also visit an interesting gallery “U Jezuitów”.

The only trace of the Jewish quarter in Poznań is the name of Żydowska Street starting northward at Stary Rynek and an edifice at Wroniecka Street, the building however does bear any resemblance to the Jewish synagogue as it once was. Built in the first years of the 20th century, the magnificent building with a dome in 1940 was trans-

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Inside the Church of St. Adalbert, photo: Z. Schmidt

Church of St. Adalbert, photo: Z. Schmidt

formed by the Nazis into a swimming pool.

In 2001 the synagogue was re-acquired by the Poznań Branch of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities of Poland and in 2011 the swimming pool was finally closed. Following restoration works it will be home to the Centre of Judaism and Dialogue.

At Wroniecka Street there is also the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians.

This 13th century church was built for Dominican sisters. In the early 20th century it was acquired by Salesian monks who restored it to its religious function. That is also when it was dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians, yet even today it is commonly called the Catherinian church (the nuns were given this name by reference to the patron of their own church). Particularly impressive here is the Gothic gable of the chancel.

North of the Old Town Square we can see Wzgórze św.Wojciecha (St. Adalbert Hill). Tradition links the origin of St. Adalbert Church with the person of the saint himself, as apparently he had preached there before setting out to Prussia. The church certainly had been built by 1244 yet what we can see here today is its 15th century Gothic structure, with its later additions (including the beautiful Renaissance gable). At Christmas time the place is visited by large numbers of people who come to see a Nativity display

depicting the history of Wielkopolska against the backdrop of events of national importance.

The Church of St. Adalbert is famous for the mausoleum of outstanding Wielkopolska residents, which is located here. The idea for establishing it came from Father Bolesław Kościelski, a parish priest in the early 20th century who also conducted a comprehensive renovation of the church. This is when it received the painted embellishments by Antoni Procajłowicz, who in creating them was inspired by polychromes at St. Mary’s Church in Kraków. Father Kościelski followed an example of the church in Kraków commonly called Skałka while creating the mausoleum of outstanding Wielkopolska residents (therefore it is sometimes referred to as the Poznań Skałka). The first to be brought into the vaults of the church, in June 1923, were the ashes of Karol Marcinkowski, a physician and an activist; in the same year the mortal remains of a few people who had died earlier were transferred here, these included Józef Wybicki, author of the Polish national anthem, and Napoleon’s officers: General Antoni Amilkar Kosiński and Colonel Andrzej Niegolewski. We can also see here the tombs of Prof. Heliodor Święcicki, Father Wacław Gieburowski, Feliks Nowowiejski, Tadeusz Szeligowski and Stefan Poradowski. In the

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Church of St. Joseph, photo: Z. Schmidt Sculpture Nierozpoznani (The Unrecognized), photo: D. Krakowiak

1990s a new crypt was built outside the church perimeter. Designed by Jerzy Gurawski, it was connected with the old vaults by means of a passage cut through the old foundations. The new crypt holds the ashes of a famous traveller Paweł Edmund Strzelecki, an urn with soil from Heligland island where General Ignacy Prądzyński was buried, and an urn holding the heart of General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski.

Opposite the Church of St. Adalbert we can see the Church of St. Joseph owned by the Order of Barefoot Carmelites. They built here a Baroque chapel in the 17th century but it was reconstructed in the 19th century and practically no remains of the original furnishings were retained; after their monastery was dissolved the building was transformed into an Evangelical garrison church. Carmelites returned to St. Adalbert Hill in 1945.

The church adjoins the Carmelite monastery which today is home to athe Theological Seminary of Discalced Friars of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.

Adjoining the Carmelite monastery there is the Cemetery of Distinguished Citizens of Wielkopolska – the oldest burial grounds in Poznań established in 1810 as a graveyard of the town parish. The oldest tomstones date from that time. This is the resting place of many renowned Poznań residents, including those whose ashes were transferred to this location from other cemeteries.

On the other side of St. Adalbert Hill there is the Cytadela Park, comprising an area of 100 hectares. Its name makes a reference to the main fort of the Prussian fortress. Winiary Fort, also known as the Citadel, was built by the Prussians in the first half of the 19th century and was designed as the most important part of the fortifications surrounding Poznań.

These were partly dismantled in the late 19th century, while some facilities continued to be used by the army during the interwar period.

In February 1945 the Citadel, being the last point of the Nazis’ resistance, witnessed the most ferocious fighting.

Following the war, demolition works continued until the 1950s that is why today we can see only small parts of the old structures. In the park there are two museums (devoted to Poznań Army and to Arms and Armour), an amphitheatre, the Heroes Monument, as well as a number of cemeteries holding tombs of Red Army soldiers and British soldiers, Polish heroes, as well as a garrison graveyard (with tombs of participants of the January Uprising and the war of 1920), the cemeteries of St. Adalbert parish and Orthodox church. In 2002 the largest open-air installation by Magdalena Abankowicz was placed at the Citadel Park – entitled “������� Nieroz-

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Church of St. John of Jerusalem, photo: Z. Schmidt

Citadel, Museum of Arms and Armour, photo: D. Krakowiak

Śródka – Malta

poznani” (The Unrecognized) it consists of 112 headless iron-cast figures.

Surprisingly, even though Ostrów Tumski had been connected with Śródka by a bridge over the Cybina, it was not until 1800 that the area became a part of Poznań.

The Church of St. Margaret, located at Środa Town Square dates from the times when it was a separate urban unit. The Gothic church was presumably built in the 14th century and at the time it was the largest suburban parish church. Its size bears witness to the significance of the Śródka settlement. Over the centuries its appearance altered. A majority of its present furnishings date from the time the church was owned by the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri (its congregation existed here from 1671 to 1805 - and its former house can be seen next to the church). The Church of St. Margaret today is a rector’s church in the archdiocese parish.

In Śródka we can also see the Church of St. Casimir and adjacent buildings formerly holding a Reformed-Franciscan monastery. The church was built in the second half of the 17th century for monks of that order who were brought here at the time. The arrangement, floor plan and furnishings of the church were strictly defined by the Order.

Church of St. Margaret, photo: D. Krakowiak

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Bambers’ Museum, photo: Z. Schmidt

Since 1963 the church has been owned bythe Polish Catholic Church and the former monastery building is home to an educational facility for children with hearing impairments – its history goes back to 1832.

The area east of Śródka is called Komandoria. In 1170, Duke Mieszko Stary founded a hospital-shelter for the poor and wayfarers; he located it next to the church of St. Michael which existed here at the time. He entrusted the hospital to friars of the Order of Malta who were brought here in 1187 – this is why the areas in the suburbs of Poznań which were owned by them became known as Malta. In the late 12th and early 13th century they built a new church which received a name of “St. John of Jerusalem, Beyond the Walls”. This Romanesque building is one of the oldest brick churches in Poland. Even though some Gothic and Baroque alterations were introduced it has retained a number of Romanesque features (e.g. portal, rose window embellishing the gable). The most valuable interior furnishings include a 15th century Gothic grating in the Chapel of the Holy Cross and a late Gothic triptych depicting Mary, St. John the Baptist and St. Stanislaus having a conversation.

The Church of St. John today stands on the shore of Lake Malta which was created in the 1950s as a result of damming the Cybina river. The lake boasts a regatta course considered to be the best in Europe. In the 1990s Malta became a sports and leisure centre with ski slopes and a sledging course. In 2011 a modern sports and leisure centre called Termy Maltańskie opened here. In the vicinity of the lake there is also the New Zoological Garden.

Route: Grobla Street – Ethnographic Museum – Bambers’ Museum - Bernardine Church – Church of Corpus Christi – Old Brewery

In the proximity of Old Town Square you can take a walk visiting a number of interesting sights. At Grobla Street you can see the Church of All Saints. Built in the second half of the 18th century it was designed for the local Protestant community, and at the time was named after the Holy Cross. Its interior is an exquisite example of Baroque and Classicist architecture. Facing the main entrance there are an altar, pulpit and organ which constitute a unified whole. Other no-

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Ethnographic Museum, photo: Z. Schmidt

table features include magnificent galleries.

This early Classicist building was used as an Evangelical church until 1945; afterwards it was taken over by Catholics and renamed as the Church of All Saints.

Close by, also in Grobla Street (but with an entrance from Mostowa Street) there is a former Masonic Lodge (today home to the Ethnographic Museum), ranking among the most splendid buildings of this type in Europe. It was built in the early 19th century and its design is credited to Christian Wernicke, who at the time was the Master of the German Lodge.

Next to the Ethnographic Museum there is a new building of the Poznań Bambers’ Museum, established as a result of efforts made by the local Bambers’ Society. It collects souvenirs, documents and artefacts related to the history of Bambers, i.e. settlers who came to Poznań in the early 18th century from Bamberg in Germany. They quickly assimilated with the local community and played a significant part in the history of the city. Thanks to the Poznań Bambers’ Society we can again encounter girls wearing beautiful Bamber-style outfits during numerous na-

tional, city and church events.

At Bernardyński Square, towering over the nearby area, stands the magnificent Baroque Church of St. Francis Seraphic, owned by Bernardine Monks. One of the first in Poland, their monastery was founded here in 1456. The church which can be seen here now was built by monks in the 17th century to the design by Krzysztof Bonadura Starszy and Jerzy Catenazzi. In its interior we can see a characteristic arrangement – the pillars are integrated with side walls creating a unique type of chapels. The original furnishings were almost completely destroyed during World War II – the only remnants include a few sculptures by Augustyn Schöps and the 17th century monstrance with an image of Our Lady of Loreto. Damaged in the course of the war, the church was rebuilt in its 18th century Baroque form. It was re-acquired by Franciscan Observants (called Bernardine Monks with reference to St. Bernard, the founder of their Order).

The Church of Corpus Christi at Krakowska Street is the second largest Gothic church in Poznań. It was founded in the 15th century by King Władysław Jagiełło, in a lo-

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Old Brewery – art and business centre, photo: D. Krakowiak House at No. 22, Słowackiego St., photo: Z. Schmidt

cation where it was believed there had been an apparition of three Communion hosts.

Its construction took nearly one hundred years. In spite of numerous reconstructions and alterations it has retained its Gothic features. The noteworthy elements of its interior include the 17th century portraits of King Władysław Jagiełło and Queen Jadwiga as well as a group of intricately carved confessionals. The treasury of the church contains a turret-shaped monstrance from ca. 1400 donated by Władysław Jagiełło. This is probably the oldest liturgical vessel of this type in Poland.

Walking down Krakowska Street we will reach Półwiejska St. where we can see Stary Browar (Old Brewery) –an art and business centre. The imposing building is a skilful combination of modern architecture and restored facilities of the old Hugger Brewery, which produced beer from the mid 19th century. The place is home to a variety of shops, restaurants, cafeterias, and service establishments as well as the Art Courtyard which promotes cultural events.

At Święty Marcin Street we can take a look at the Church of St. Martin which regained its late Gothic style in the course of post-war reconstruction. It is certain that the first church had been built here before Poznań received its city rights, but we do not know when. A brick church was probably built here in the 1300s. Over the following centuries it was expanded and altered a number of times

– in the 16th century its three-nave, basilicatype main building was erected. Yet, the old furnishings of the church have not survived to our times. During World War II both its exterior and interior were damaged, that is why today it holds a Gothic altar which after the war was brought here from Lower Silesia.

Art Nouveau in Poznań

The heyday of Art Nouveau in the late 19th and early 20th century in Poznań coincided with the rapid growth of the city.

After the Prussian fortifications were dismantled and suburban villages were incorporated within the city limits in the early 20th century, it was necessary to delineate new streets and the buildings which were erected along them were designed in the Art Nouveau style fashionable at the time. Although we can in fact encounter Art Nouveau houses in the city centre, most of them are located in the neighbourhoods of Jeżyce and Łazarz. Many of them are in a state of disrepair but a growing number is being restored to their former splendour.

At Jeżyce the noteworthy buildings include houses No. 4, 5 and 9 on Roosevelta Street. Designed by Böhmer & Preul Co. they were erected by a construction co-operative for civil servants. Other buildings with interesting architectural features can be seen at

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House at No. 10, Wyspiańskiego St., photo: Z. Schmidt

House at No. 10, Wyspiańskiego St., photo: Z. Schmidt

No. 20, Zwierzyniecka St., No. 3, Gajowa St., No. 24, 28, 30 Mickiewicza St., No. 20, 22, 34, 38, 40, 48, Słowackiego St., No. 25, 33, 35/37, 39, Dąbrowskiego St., and No. 1, 2, 3 at Rynek Jeżycki (even though these carry three numbers and seemingly are separate buildings – they were erected in 1905 as a single house for a wine merchant named Wendlandt – it was designed by the Oskar Hoffmann studio), as well as houses at Staszica, Szamarzewskiego and Jackowskiego Streets.

After it was incorporated into Poznań, the neighbourhood called Łazarz was greatly transformed in terms of its architecture during 1900-1918. The most interesting here is the urban layout which was created at the time in the area located opposite Wilson Park; its name Johow-Gelände makes a reference to one of the area’s co-owners and to the main project designer Max Johow. The whole area between Matejki and Ułańska Streets was divided into quarters and this way plots and new streets were delineated: two perpendicular streets – Siemiradzkiego and Grottgera and two parallel – Chełmońskiego and Kossaka. At the same time innovative construction regulations, specially designed for the development of this area, were introduced; they specified the height of the houses, lighting conditions, architectural requirements for façades and front garden landscaping. In a short time a very impressive, elegant

housing estate was built. Even though all the houses here are worth seeing here,of particular interesti are those at Matejki St. (No. 50 - 61) and at 10, 12, Wyspiańskiego St. Besides Johow-Gelände other noteworthy buildings in Łazarz include those at Niegolewskich St. (from No. 6 to 16 and 24 - 34); No. 34, Jarochowskiego St., No. 16 and 27, Małeckiego St., and No.’s 13, 15, 23 Grunwaldzka St. House at No. 9, Roosevelta St., photo: Z. Schmidt

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USEFUL INFORMATION

Scale models of old Poznań – cellars of the Franciscan Church (entrance from Ludgardy Street) tel. 61 855 14 35, 532 651 218 www.makieta.poznan.pl

THE MAIN ROUTE: Ostrów Tumski Old Town Square – City Centre – Castle District

City Centre National Museum Al. Marcinkowskiego 9, tel. 61 856 80 00 fax 61 85 15 898, www.mnp.art.pl Raczyński Library plac Wolności 19 tel. 61 852 94 42 (43, 49) fax 61 852 98 68, www.bracz.edu.pl Teatr Polski ul. 27 Grudnia 8/10, tel. 61 852 56 28 fax 61 852 64 25, www.teatr-polski.pl Poznań Society for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences ul. Mielżyńskiego 27/29, tel. 61 852 74 41 fax 61 852 22 05, www. ptpn.poznan.pl

Ostrów Tumski Archcathedral Basilica of Saint Peter and Saint Paul ul. Ostrów Tumski 17, tel./fax 61 852 96 42 www.katedra.archpoznan.org.pl Archdiocese Museum ul. Jana Lubrańskiego 1 (Lubrański Academy) tel./ fax61 852 61 95 www.muzeum.poznan.pl Stary Rynek (Old Town Square) Poznań Historical Museum – Town Hall Stary Rynek 1, tel. 61 856 81 93 www.mnp.art.pl Museum of Musical Instruments Stary Rynek 45, tel. 61 856 81 78 fax 61 856 81 77, www.mnp.art.pl Henryk Sienkiewicz Literary Museum Stary Rynek 84, tel.61 852 24 96 www.bracz.edu.pl nieczynne z powodu przebudowy Górka Family Palace - Archaeological Museum ul.Wodna 27, tel.61 852 82 51 www.muzarp.poznan.pl Royal Castle - Museum of Applied Arts Góra Przemysła 1, tel. 61 856 81 83 www.mnp.art.pl The museum is closed until 30 September 2012.

Church of the Holy Mother of Perpetual Help St. Mary Magdalene and St. Stanislaus the Bishop (Poznań town parish church) ul. Gołębia 1 (parish office – ul. Klasztorna 11) tel.61 852 69 50, www.fara.archpoznan.org.pl Church of St. Anthony of Padua (Franciscan Order) ul.Franciszkańska 2, tel. 61 852 36 37 fax 61 855 17 45 www.poznan.franciszkanie.pl

House at No. 5, Roosevelta St., photo: Z. Schmidt

Castle District Collegium Maius of Adam Mickiewicz University ul. Fredry 10, tel. 61 829 40 00 www.amu.edu.pl Teatr Wielki im.Stanisława Moniuszki (Stanisław Moniuszko Grand Theatre) ul.Fredry 9, tel. 61 659 02 00, 659 02 80 fax 61 852 08 25 www.opera.poznan.pl Collegium Minus of Adam Mickiewicz University ul.Wieniawskiego 1, tel. 61 829 40 00 www.amu.edu.pl Imperial Castle Zamek Culture Centre ul.Święty Marcin 80/82, tel. 61 646 52 00 www.zamek.poznan.pl Museum of Poznań Uprising – June 1956 ul. Świety Marcin 80/82, tel. 61 852 94 64 www.muzeumniepodleglosci.poznan.pl ADDITIONAL ROUTES Route: Old Town Square - St. Adalbert Hill – the Citadel Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Consolation (Jesuit Order; formerly Dominican Order) ul. Szewska 18, tel. 061/ 852-50-76 Church of Our Lady Help of Christians (Salesian Order) ul. Wroniecka 9, tel. 61 852 67 53 www.salezjanie.pl Church of St. Adalbert Wzgórze św. Wojciecha 1 tel. 61 852 69 85, tel./fax 61 851 90 12 www.swietywojciech.archpoznan.org.pl Church of St. Joseph (Order of Barefoot Carmelites) ul. Działowa 25 tel. 61 853 28 11 fax 61 853 28 41 www.karmelici.info The Citadel Museum of Poznań Army Cytadela – Mała Śluza, tel. 61 820 45 03 www.muzeumniepodleglosci.poznan.pl

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House at No. 48, Słowackiego St., photo: Z. Schmidt

Museum of Arms and Armour – Poznań Citadel Al. Armii Poznań – Cytadela tel. 61 820 45 03 www.muzeumniepodleglosci.poznan.pl Route: Śródka – Malta Church of St. Margaret Rynek Śródecki, tel. 61 852 96 42 Church of St. Casimir ul.Bydgoska 4b, tel. 61 877 21 79 Church of St. John of Jerusalem, Beyond the Walls ul. Świętojańska 1, tel. 61 877 17 17

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Route: Grobla Street – Ethnographic Museum – Bambers’ Museum - Bernardine Church – Church of Corpus Christi – Old Brewery

Green Hotel ul. Jeziorna 1a, 62-052 Komorniki tel. 61 810 80 75 fax 61 810 81 23 www.greenhotel.pl Nasz Klub Guest House ul. Woźna 10, 61-777 Poznań tel. 61 851 76 30 fax 61 851 66 81 www.naszklub.pl Penssion nad Wartą ul. Wieżowa 19, 61-111 Poznań tel./fax 61 852 00 89 www.nadwarta.neostrada.pl Hanka School Youth Hostel ul. Biskupińska 27, 60-463 Poznań Strzeszyn tel. 61 822 10 63 fax 61 840 71 28 www.schroniskohanka.com

Stary Browar (Old Brewery) ul. Półwiejska 32, tel. 61 859-60-50 www.starybrowar.pl Church of St. Martin ul. Św. Marcin 13, tel. 61 852 32 63 www.marcinpoznan.hg.pl

Church of All Saints ul. Grobla 1, el. 061/ 852-02-00 www.grobla.info Ethnographic Museum ul. Grobla 25 (entrance from Mostowa Street) tel.61 852 30 06, www.mnp.art.pl Poznań Bambers’ Museum ul. Mostowa 7, tel.061/ 657-99-01 wew.10 Church of St. Francis Seraphic (Bernardine Order) ul. Garbary 22, tel. 61 851 26 00 www.franciszkanie.poznan.pl Church of Corpus Christi (entrance from Krakowska Street) ul. Strzelecka 40, tel. 61 852 32 00 www.bozecialo.poznan.pl

Major interesting regularly held events: * January (the first Saturday after Epiphany) – carol singing (in the Cathedral nearly 1,500 children from all over Wielkopolska play carols on recorders) * March – Vilnius-style Casimir’s Day * April – Days of the Lancer * June – St. John’s Fairs * June (29) – Poznan Day * June/July – Malta – International Theatre Festival * August (first Saturday following 1 August) – Bambers’ Festival * November (11) – Name day of St. Martin Street * Christmas Eve under the Roundabout (on Christmas Eve – the subway under Rondo Kaponiera – in the city centre – is visited by great numbers of Poznań residents who come here to share Christmas wafers and sing carols).

Inside Church of St. Francis in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt

Selected Hotels and Guest Houses: Sheraton Poznań Hotel ul. Bukowska 3/9, 60-809 Poznań tel. 61 655 20 00 fax 61 655 20 01 www.sheraton.pl

Safir Hotel ul. Żmigrodzka 41/49, 60-171 Poznań tel. 61 867 37 11, fax 61 867 83 36 www.hotelsafir.pl Poznański Hotel ul. Krańcowa 4, 62-030 Luboń tel. 61 649 99 88 fax 61 649 99 89 www.hotelpoznanski.pl

Mercure Hotel ul. Roosevelta 20, 60-829 Poznań tel. 61 855 80 00, fax 61 855 89 55 www.accorhotels.com

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Selected Catering Establishments: Przy Bamberce Restaurant Stary Rynek 2, 61-772 Poznań tel. 61 852 99 17 www.bamberka.com.pl Brovaria Stary Rynek 73, 61-772 Poznań tel. 61 858 68 68/78 fax 61 858 68 69 www.brovaria.pl Green Way- Vegetarian food outlet ul. 23 Lutego 11 (also at ul. Taczaka 2 and ul. Zeylanda 3), 61-741 Poznań tel. 61 582-52-41 greenway@wp.pl www.greenway.webpark.pl Pod Koziołkami Inn Stary Rynek 95, 61-773 Poznań tel. 61 851 78 68 fax 61 851 78 69 gospoda@avanti.poznan.pl www.podkoziolkami.pl Pieprz i wanilia ul. Murna 3a (corner of Kozia Street) 61-771 Poznań tel. 61 851 86 64 fax 61 855 35 40 biuro@pieprzwanilia.pl www.pieprzwanilia.pl

Church of St. Francis in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt

HP Park Hotel ul. abpa Antoniego Baraniaka 77 61-131 Poznań tel. 61 874 11 00, fax 61 874 12 00 www.hotelepark.pl Brovaria Hotel Stary Rynek 73-74, 61-772 Poznań tel. 61 858 68 68, www.brovaria.pl Ibis Poznań Centrum Hotel ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 23, 61-863 Poznań tel. 61 858 44 00, www.ibishotel.com Lech Hotel ul. Św. Marcin 74, 61-809 Poznań tel. 61 853 01 51 (do 58), fax 61 853 08 80 www.hotel-lech.poznan.pl Fusion Hostel ul. Św. Marcin 66/72, 61-808 Poznań tel. 61 852 12 30, fax 61 853 46 0 www.fusionhostel.pl

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Tourist Information Poznań 61-772 Poznań, Stary Rynek 59/60 tel. 61 852 61 56, 61 855 33 79 it@cim.poznan.pl

Leszno 64-100 Leszno, ul. Słowiańska 24 tel. 65 529 81 91, 65 529 81 92 infotur@leszno.pl

Entrance, ul.27 Grudnia 61-816 Poznań, ul. Ratajczaka 44 tel. 61 851 96 45, 61 856 04 54 centrum@cim.poznan.pl

Nowy Tomyśl 64-300 Nowy Tomyśl pl. Niepodległości 10 tel. 61 442 38 06 r.ratajczak@nowytomysl.pl

Poznań International Fair 60-734 Poznań, ul. Głogowska 14 tel. 61 869 20 84 centrum@cim.poznan.pl

Piła 64-920 Piła, al. Niepodległości 33/35 tel. 67 210 94 80 pit@powiat.pila.pl

Airport Poznań-Ławica 60-189 Poznań, ul. Bukowska 285 tel. 61 849 21 40 lawica@cim.poznan.pl

Puszczykowo 62-040 Puszczykowo, ul. Poznańska 1 tel. 61 633 62 83, 61 898 37 11 promocja@puszczykowo.pl

Poznań Railway Station 60-801 Poznań, ul. Dworcowa 1 tel. 61 866 06 67 info@globtourfb.poznan.pl

Śrem 63-100 Śrem, ul. Okulickiego 3 tel. 61 283 27 04 unia@srem.com.pl

Wolsztyn 64-200 Wolsztyn ul. Roberta Kocha 12a tel. 68 347 31 04 gci@wolsztyn.pl

Gniezno 62-200 Gniezno, ul. Rynek 14 tel. 61 428 41 00 info@szlakpiastowski.com.pl

Kalisz 62-800 Kalisz, ul. Zamkowa tel. 62 598 27 31 it@um.kalisz.pl

Publisher: Wielkopolska Tourist Organization ul. 27 Grudnia 17/19, 61-737 Poznań Text: Anna Plenzler Translation: Timothy Downey Graphic design: Agencja Fotograficzna Studio-F, www.olszewskiphoto.pl Cover photos: D. Krakowiak, Z. Schmidt

Konin 62-510 Konin, ul. Dworcowa 2 tel. 63 246 32 48 biuro@lotmarina.pl

ISBN: 978-83-61454-59-5 Poznań 2012

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