Text by Smith Michelle

Poznań is one of Poland's oldest cities, and was its capital during the mid-10th century. As such, several important early Polish rulers are buried in its cathedral, including Duke Mieszko I and King Bolesław I the Great. Sadly, the city was destroyed during the Bohemian Czech invasion of 1038, and the capital was moved to Kraków. Luckily, King Bolesław II the Generous rebuilt Poznań, but the city's capital status would remain lost forever.

A center of culture and commerce
Despite this loss, Poznań was to remain a capital of sorts, as it became the capital of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) from 1138 on. The 12th century saw the city develop quickly, becoming a centre of trade. Due to Poznań's location in western Polish territory, it would grow to have a significant German population, with many German settlers moving to the city in the 13th century to pursue dreams of riches and power.

When a unified Poland soon emerged, Poznań became a major political, economic, cultural, and academic centre. With the large German population of Poznań (called 'Posen' in German), the Protestant Church developed alongside the Polish Catholic Church, and also had its own academic institutions. All of these new developments in trade, culture, religion, and education brought about the Golden Age of Poznań, generally agreed to be the 16th century. With a population of about 20,000, it was one of the largest cities in Poland, and it was steadily growing and flourishing until 1655, when the Swedish armies invaded. When Poland was partitioned in 1793, Poznań fell to the Kingdom of Prussia, and became the capital of South Prussia; Poznań remained largely under Prussian control until all of Poland regained its independence after the First World War.

Until World War I, the population of Poznań was roughly 50% Polish and 50% German, and the city rapidly industrialised and developed culturally and economically, and was made into a major military post by the German army. After the war, the Treaty of Versailles returned most of the province of Posen to the newly established Polish nation, and Poznań became once again a Polish city. Most of the German population moved to Germany, leaving only about 10% of the city German.

Post-war, the city was a major part of the growing and prospering Second Polish Republic. Most notably (and with its influence still seen today), in 1925 the Poznań International Trade Fair became a major event of commerce in the area. Even as a second war loomed near, Poznań continued to grow and prosper, until Nazi invasion in 1939 made Poznań a German city again.

The Soviet army liberated the city in February of 1945, but in the process much of Poznań was destroyed, including over 90% of the Old Town. After this 'liberation' of Poland, the country was incorporated into the Soviet Bloc, though Poznań became once again a Polish city. These times were hard, as foreign travellers and visitors were not encouraged to come and the city's trade fair sector all but died. After the fall of Communism in 1989, though, the city got back on its feet and today, Poznań is enjoying a rebirth of economic prosperity, free artistic expression and cultural renewal – as well as the sweetness of a tourism boom.

Sights to see

Poland’s first bishopric was established in Poznań in 968 AD, and from 1138–1295 Poznań briefly operated as the home of Poland’s Royal Court. The oldest point of interest is Ostrów Tumski, and though nothing remains of the 9th century castle and fortress that once stood here, the Cathedral (Poland’s first), is open to visitors (it is located at Ostrów Tumski 17 and is open daily from 09:00-18:00, though visitors are requested not to enter during mass).

The Cathedral has had a tough history, destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, though the crypt has survived the trials and tribulations of fate and is the final resting place of Poland’s first rulers – Mieszko I and Bolesław the Great. Burnt down in 1945, it was reconstructed in 1946-1955 in the Gothic style. The oldest remains are in the cathedral crypt, where you can see sections of excavated walls that date back to the founding of Poland. The Chapel of the Holy Sacrament houses several outstanding examples of Renaissance sculpture, while St. Martin's Chapel houses a painting by Poznań artist Krzysztof Boguszewski of the saint entering Amiens.

Ostrów Tumski itself is of particular interest for visitors, as well. This island is where the city originated and ‘where Poland began’ according to Pope John Paul II. Legend has it that three Slav brothers called Lech, Czech and Rus met at this island, after not having seen each other for years. The city was named to commemorate their reunion and meeting, (poznać). This is the spot where Poland adopted Catholic baptism and remains of 19th century Prussian fortifications are still visible on the Cybina riverside.

Heading over to the Old Town Square (Rynek), the Old Town Hall (Stary Rynek 1, open Tuesday to Thursday 09:00-15:00; Friday from 12:00-21:00; Saturday from 11:00-18:00. Closed on Mondays) is worth a look. First built at the beginning of the 14th century, the seat of Poznań’s municipal authorities was rebuilt following the great fire of 1536. Once revered as the most beautiful building north of the Alps, the town hall has been beset by a fire in 1675, a hurricane in 1725 and then bomb damage during WWII. Today, little of the original structure remains and its oldest surviving parts are the cellars. Today, the Town Hall houses the Historical Museum of Poznań, whose collection encompasses exhibits from the 10th century till the present day. The biggest draw is the Great Entrance Hall with its elaborately decorated vault, supported by two huge pillars. The tableaux are inspired by the bible, astrology and figures from mythology. The crowds you’ll see gathering outside the building at noon are waiting for the two mechanical billy goats to emerge. On Sundays and holidays, a bugle call also comes from the tower; legend has it that a town-hall bugler took care of the King of Ravens, and in return, the birds helped to save the city during a siege.

If the weather is not fantastic, or if you are a museum-lover, then Poznań has some good places for you to investigate. It's odd, but Poznań’s Archaelogy Museum (ul. Wodna 27, Pałac Górków) contains a collection of 42,000 rare objects that chart life in Ancient Egypt and prehistoric Poland. The first part of the museum takes you through the earliest settlements in the region, with life-sized figures as well as miniature-sized dioramas depicting life from the Older Stone Age to the Iron Age. The other permanent exhibit, 'Death and Life in Ancient Egypt', features 120 rare pieces – of note are the granite obelisk of Rameses II that stands in the courtyard outside. Tickets cost PLN 3-6 (approx.GB£0.65 – GB£ 1.30) and admission is free on Saturdays. Guided tours are given only by prior arrangement and cost PLN 20 (approx. GB£ 4.50 - call 061 852 82 51 to make arrangements); alternatively, audio guides are available in English for PLN 12 (approx. GB£ 2.70) per person. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday 10:00-16:00; Saturday from 10:00-18:00; Sunday from 10:00-15:00 and is closed on Mondays.

Doing business

The Wielkopolska region - of which Poznań is the capital - has been one of the strongest regions economically-speaking in Poland ever since the fall of Communism, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. The region's main industries are food, chemicals and electromechanics, and GlaxoWellcome, Wrigley and Beiersdorf are just a few of the big international names that have set up in the city.

It's not just the growing economy which is leading to a rise in foreign investment in Poland - and Poznań in particular - but rather a number of other favourable factors are involved. Key determinants are the availability of skilled and educated labour (the city takes pride in its academic achievements: today, Poznań has 23 scientific academies educating around 60,000 full-time students a year, which is about 10% of the population, as well as another 70,00 part-time)and excellent transport links, as Poznań is located halfway between Warsaw and Berlin.

Of course not everyone coming to Poznań on business is setting up shop: this is 'The City of Trade Fairs' after all. Many businesspeople come to Wielkopolska to attend the many trade fairs, conferences and conventions that take place in Poznań on an annual basis. There are trade fairs on everything from angling to advertising taking place in the city's many convention centres, the biggest of which is the Poznań International Fair Centre.

Some of these fairs and conferences are very high-profile and influential, for example, Poznań Business Day (which will be held on 9 December 2008) has been jointly organised by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Poznań Business Day will bring together more than 300 decision-makers from companies, governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations to discuss perspectives for a post-2012 climate agreement for the EU. Another very important event is the 12th International Conference on Business Information Systems (BIS 2009), being held in Poznań from 27-29 April 2009. With keynote speakers from the Netherlands and Spain, and delegates from all over the world, it is a very high-profile event sure to attract much international attention to the city..

So whether you are in Poznań for a trade fair, a conference or to see the sights, rest assured that there is much to do, see and experience in this city of culture and commerce.
 

Poznań is a city full of contrasts and surprises.

Jan Mazurczak, Director of the Poznań Tourist Office talks exclusively to Discover Poland.

For somebody who has never visited Poznań before, please describe the essence of the city - for instance what is the most striking feature of the city?

“Poznań seems to be a city that offers something for everyone. For instance, the city of Poznań offers an attractive business environment with a great climate for doing business and all of the business services that one would expect of a modern city. On the other hand, Polish students choose to study in Poznań because of its excellent academic environment. Every evening, 150 000 students visit pubs, clubs and restaurants around Poznań’s Old Market Square. One of the greatest aspects of the city is the fact that history blends comfortably with modernity. The Ostrow Tumski Island – the birthplace of Polish history, dating as far back as the10th century – is situated amongst the modern architecture of the city centre. This makes Poznań a city full of contrasts and surprises”.

Low cost airlines have made travel to Poznań affordable and convenient in recent years - has Poznań seen an increase in visitors from other parts of Europe?

“Poznań is well on its way to becoming a popular tourist destination. Every year more and more people discover it, and then go home and recommend it to friends and family. Low cost airlines brought 36, 402 visitors to Poznań in 2004. Four years later, the number of visitors increased to 641, 053.”

Please tell me about any interesting projects or developments that are taking place in Poznań, for instance are there any parts of the city being regenerated, or new building projects?

“Poznań is facing a time of great changes. As one of the host cities of EURO 2012, Poznań is in the process of implementing few strategic projects, especially in filed of infrastructure and development. One of the most significant projects is the new stadium which will have a capacity of 50 000 people, and will be finished next year. The other strategic development is new railway station, which will be a part of the future business city centre. Furthermore, the city landscape will change also due to the 225 m high Poznan Forum, which is set to become one of the tallest Polish skyscrapers. Tourists will also notice crucial changes on the Ostrow Tumski Island, as this year will see the reconstruction of this historical part of the city. The main goal is to rebuild the area into an attractive destination for tourists, as well as for artists. It is a part of the bigger tourist project called The Royal Imperial Route”.

What unique factors make Poznań attractive to investors from the United Kingdom and Ireland?

“There are many factors that have made Poznań attractive not only for domestic as well as foreign investors, including those for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Poznań is an extremely important industrial, commercial, cultural and scientific centre in Poland. Furthermore, it is also one of the country’s economic leaders. One of the most important advantages of Poznań is its leading academic position with 25 higher education schools teaching around 150,000 students. It creates large and high educated labour market.
The institutional system behind its business environment, consisting of a network of financial institutions, consulting companies, entrepreneurs’ institutions, universities and business schools, is developing dynamically. There are over 90,000 registered business entities in Poznań and the number of entities with foreign share capital is one of the highest in Poland. The Poznań International Fair is Poznań’s showcase; every year, 50 other international events are held here featuring over 10,000 exhibitors from 60 countries. Last, but not least, is its location. Poznań is situated 160 km from the German border, on a very important transportation route which connects Paris and Berlin with Warsaw and Moscow.”

The United Nations Climate Change conference took place in Poznań at the end of 2008. In what way did this event put Poznań on the map?

“The United Nations Climate Change Conference gave Poznań and opportunity to show that it was more than capable of hosting a prestigious international event. According to the research made during the conference, 87% of visitors said that they would recommend Poznań as a congress city. There were 1,000 journalists and 10, 000 delegates from all over the world visiting the city at the same time. Now, it is time to make the most of being more recognisable significant conference centers in Europe.”

Which key events will attract visitors in 2009?

“I am sure that everyone will find something interesting for themselves. The most important sporting events taking place in Poznań are the European Basketball Championships and the World Rowing Championships. There is also the Malta Theatre Festival at the end of June – this is one of the biggest theater festivals in Europe. The city will transform itself into one big theatre for an entire week. It’s good to visit Poznań on 11 November – Swiety Marcin Street Day. Every year, a vibrant parade makes its way through the main street in the city centre, and everyone eats Rogal Swietomarcinski, or St. Martin’s Crescent Rolls.

Anyone wanting to get value for money should visit Poznań between 13 and 14 June this year – this is when the half-price weekend will be taking place. This means that visitors can enjoy 50% discounts on hotels, restaurants and museums, as well as take part in various guided tours for free. More information on this event can be found on www.poznan.pl”

What is the most common reason for visiting Poznań - business or leisure travel?

“It is difficult to define a common reason for visiting Poznań, as the city attracts both tourists and business travelers. Of course, it also depends on the time of year. For instance, there are more tourists during the summer and more business trips during the winter months.”

With so many cultural and historical sights to visit in Poznan, what advice would you give a first-time visitor?

A walk through Poznań should start on the Ostrow Tumski Island, the birthplace of Polish history. This is where visitors will discover the first ever Polish cathedral, the original baptism font from the 10th century and see the graves of first Polish kings. Everyone is fascinated by the Old Market Square and the Town Hall from the Renaissance period. For beer lovers I would recommend a free guided tour through one the most modern breweries in Europe – Lech Brewery, where a fresh pint of beer can be enjoyed at the end! At the end of the trip, I would strongly recommend a spot of shopping in the Stary Browar, a great example of how an old brewery has been regenerated, and where business meets art, history from the past and the present. It was received an award for award for the best mid-size shopping mall in the world by the International Council of Shopping Centers in 2005.”
 

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