Poznan in Poland

Poznań is a city on the Warta River in west-central Poland, in the Greater Poland region and is the fifth-largest city in Poland. It is best known for its renaissance Old Town and Ostrów Tumski Cathedral. Today, Poznań is an important cultural and business centre and one of Poland's most populous regions. It is among the oldest and largest cities in Poland and is a centre of trade, sports, education, technology and tourism.
But what made me decide on visiting Poznan was its vibrant street art. They even have a map exclusively for visiting all the street art on display. And then of course the fulfilment of a long time desire of driving in Europe, specially on the much read about and written about ‘Autobahn’. So we rented a car in Berlin, Germany and drove to Poznan, Poland and back to Berlin, Germany. It was an incredibly satisfying drive, especially the seamless transition from one country to another. It was the closest to realising John Lennon’s dream that he sings in ‘Imagine’ ….Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for… It is heavenly for an Indian passport holder that we can go from one country to another with just one visa, without having to establish your credentials at the border. The beauty of United Europe. Here is a video of our drive.

  

My 1st impression of Poznan was that it is a laid back city with nobody in a hurry and everyone out to please the tourist. There were plenty of European families out there to enjoy their vacation and I did manage to spot one Indian family 😀

Like all European cities, Poznan too has its own beautiful catherdral, the Poznan Cathedral, the

St.Peter and St.Paul cathedral dating back to the 10th century, on the island of Ostrów Tumski. As you walk past the cathedral you will see a pretty little bridge that arches over the Cybina river, from

Ostrów Tumski to Srodka. This is named the Bishop Jordan bridge after the first Bishop of Poznan from the 10th century. In Srodka, the most amazing mural we have ever seen appears, to stun us

visually. It is a 3D mural titled ‘The tale of Srodka with a trumpeter on the roof and a cat in the background’. This mural shows what life in Srodka was a century ago. It was commissioned by the Chairman of the District Council and completed in 2015. Apart from the trumpeter and the cat, the mural also features a butcher’s shop which originally was located in the building and the portrait of Prince Władysław Odonic who founded Srodka in 1234.

Like all European cities, Poznan too has an ‘old town’ and is the centre of attraction. In the centre of

the Old town square is the impressive Old Town Hall dating back to the 13th century. Formerly the seat of the city council now it houses a museum but its main claim to fame now is the butting heads of mechanical goats at noon above the clock on the front wall, everyday.
Ref Wiki A legend behind the original addition of the goats to the clock mechanism states that a cook, while preparing a banquet for the voivode and other dignitaries, had burnt a roast deer, and attempted to replace it by stealing two goats from a nearby meadow. The goats escaped and ran up the town hall tower, where they attracted the attention of the townspeople when they began to butt each other (according to some versions, this drew attention to a fire which might otherwise have done significant damage). Because of the entertainment provided, the voivode pardoned both the cook and the goats, and ordered that two mechanical goats be incorporated into the new clock being made for the building.

Adjacent to the Town Hall building is a row of colourful buildings, built by the merchants in the 16th century. Most of the buildings in the square were reconstructed following heavy damage in the Battle of Poznań (1945).

All the buildings lining the square have cafes and souvenir shops. Overall an interesting place to spend a day! We did not go for a structured street art walk as we could sight quite a few all along the

way wherever we walked in the city.

And yes, the mascot of the city is The Goat as evidenced by the souvenirs on display in the shop.

Poznan - A city that is very tourist friendly and a must visit for history, heritage and art.