{"id":403,"date":"2018-03-13T13:53:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-13T12:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/m40.hekko24.pl\/projekty\/visitpoznan\/?page_id=403"},"modified":"2018-06-22T15:02:15","modified_gmt":"2018-06-22T13:02:15","slug":"srodmiescie","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/visitpoznan.info\/en\/poznan\/poznan-attractions\/central-quarter\/","title":{"rendered":"CENTRAL QUARTER"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\u015ar\u00f3dmie\u015bcie – the Central Quarter was created mainly Prussian rulership. Firstly, the former outskirts were organised and developed, and later the quarter was developed and supplemented in the post-war period, continuing to contemporary times. This process has given \u015ar\u00f3dmie\u015bcie \u2013 the Central Quarter its present form. Walking around this part of the city you will find there are at least several significant places worth visiting.<\/p>\n

Going west from the Old Market several minutes is enough to reach the indicated square, known for over 200 years as the Wilhelm Platz, and today as Plac Wolno\u015bci or the Freedom Square<\/strong>. On one side of the square you will notice a \u00a0magnificent classicist facade of the Raczy\u0144ski Library<\/strong>, the first public library in Poland. Opposite the library is the National Museum<\/strong>, currently home to collections of European sculpture and painting (though the building was originally intended to exhibit Prussian works of art). The museum\u2019s prized possession is the largest 17th century Spanish painting collection in Poland as well as the only painting on display in Poland by Claude Monet. The museum\u2019s new wing is home to paintings by Polish artists with the largest artwork collection of Jacek Malczewski. Going south from the museum you will stumble upon the imposing Bazaar<\/strong> \u2013 in the second part of the XIX century it was a\u00a0hotel connected with a\u00a0commercial section, simultaneously serving as the most important patriotic centre of those times. It is historically famous for the visits and the inflammatory speech of Ignacy Paderewski, delivered in the late afternoon of the 27th of December 1918 to citizens of Poznan of Polish descent assembled on the square. In honour of the victory of the Wielkopolska Uprising, the square was given its current name – Plac Wolno\u015bci – Freedom Square.<\/p>\n

Going further to the west, we reach the Teatr Polski<\/strong>, the design of a distinguished Poznan citizen \u2013 Zygmunt Gorgolewski, who later became famous for designing the Lw\u00f3w (now Lviv) Opera. The Teatr Polski theatre building is well known, among other reasons, for the two words proudly sitting on the facade \u201eNar\u00f3d sobie\" \u2013 \u201cA\u00a0Nation unto itself\u201d. Actually at the time of its construction, Poles living in all occupation zones, the Austrian, Prussian and Russian partitions, sent money to build the only public institution in Pozna\u0144, in which one might legally listen to Polish being spoken near the end of the XIX century. In the next few years an interactive museum of the Wiekopolska Uprising is going to be built right next to it. Not far from the theatre one can see the Okr\u0105glak<\/strong> building, which received its name from its circular shape, it is an excellent orientation point in this part of the city. Built in the mid XXth century as a\u00a0state retail centre, it has now become an office block. It has a\u00a0remarkable staircase, which occupies over 40% of the building surface area! It is regarded as an outstanding example of Polish architectural modernism and despite its relative lack of age; it is already an architectural monument!<\/p>\n

Going further down along Miel\u017cy\u0144skiego Street, one comes across a\u00a0tenement building with a\u00a0characteristic wood d\u00e9cor on the roof. During the German occupation there was a\u00a0restaurant here, where waiters connected to the Polish Underground State (the Dr Witaszka Organisation<\/strong>), poisoned the meals served to German officers. Several buildings further is an inconspicuous tenement building with a\u00a0climatic courtyard \u2013 indeed this where for over two centuries the members of the Pozna\u0144 Society of Friends of Science<\/strong> met, and which during times of the partitions served as an informal higher academy, and today is a\u00a0meeting place for scientists and supporters of science.<\/p>\n

Walking even further down Miel\u017cy\u0144skiego Street, we reach Cyryl Ratajski Square<\/strong>, which in Prussian times was known as Nowomiejski (New City) Square. The XIX century buildings were almost entirely destroyed during military activities, today the square is considered to be a\u00a0good example of socialist realism architecture. Going up Miel\u017cy\u0144skiego Street, we reach \u015awi\u0119ty Marcin Street<\/strong> \u2013 the main artery of the city centre, and the only street in Poland that celebrates the day of its Patron Saint! Its former buildings have mostly disappeared during the liberation of the city and post-war rebuilding. There are now only a\u00a0few Secession \u2013 Art Nouveau tenement buildings which can be found among the office blocks from the 1970's. At the western end of the street you will find the Imperial Quarter – Dzielnica Cesarska<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To the south, Taczaka Street<\/strong> runs parallel to \u015awi\u0119ty Marcin Street and with much better preserved XIX century architecture, which recently has recovered its lustre and popularity. This due to both the increasing number of newly renovated tenement buildings, but also due to the pubs and clubs, somewhat different from those on the Stary Rynek \u2013 Old Market. In the next few years the Polish Dance Theatre, to whom Poznan has been long host to, is going relocate here. A short distance from Taczaka street, a 5 to 10 minute walk, we can find the famous Stary Browar – Old Brewery<\/strong> \u2013 art and business centre. The buildings of the former brewery have been matched with stylized buildings and park. Inside the Old Brewery, we will find a countless number of shops, art galleries and event-exhibition halls, offices, contemporary art installations, restaurants, music clubs, a\u00a0five-star hotel<\/strong> as well as a cinema.<\/strong> This retail centre, with its own individual style and character, has for 10 years won a\u00a0series of awards and won the hearts of even those who do\u00a0not like shopping. It is still the most celebrated retail centre in Poland and the collection of its trophies include the title of the Best retail centre in the World to be visited with a tour guide.<\/p>\n

If anyone would like to do\u00a0some shopping outside of the retail centre, it is worth taking a walk along P\u00f3\u0142wiejska Street \u2013 the longest street in the city designated only for pedestrians and simultaneously a\u00a0commercial street linking Old Brewery with the Old Market. At the junction of P\u00f3\u0142wiejska Street<\/strong> with Strzelecka Street, one comes across the Stary Marych monument<\/strong>, a sculpture of an agreeable gentleman pushing a\u00a0bicycle with a\u00a0briefcase hanging from the bicycle\u2019s handlebars, a\u00a0memorial in honor of the Pozna\u0144 dialect. If anyone is interested in XIXth century architecture, it is worth walking around Kwiatowa, Rybaki, Strzeleck\u0105 or Kopernika Streets in the vicinity, in order to take in the delightful sight of recently individually restored tenement buildings, find a cult, quaint and very old cinema in Pozna\u0144, view a delightful fountain surrounded with greenery. If you are visiting Poznan during Christmas time you need to find the time to drop by the St Francis Seraphic's Church located by the Bernardynski square, where you will see the largest live nativity scene in Europe. If you are interested in eating healthy the Sunday Green Market at Bernardynski Marketplace is your attraction.<\/p>\n

Worth visiting:<\/p>\n

Poznan National Museum, Marcinkowskiego Avenue 9, phone number: 61 85 68 000
\nhttp:\/\/www.mnp.art.pl\/<\/a><\/p>\n

The Raczynski Library, Freedom Square 19, phone number: 61 852 98 68
\nhttp:\/\/www.bracz.edu.pl\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Teatr Polski Theater, 27 Grudnia street 8\/10, phone number: 61 852 56 27
\nhttp:\/\/www.teatr-polski.pl\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Old Brewery, P\u00f3\u0142wiejska street 42, phone number: 61 859 60 22
\nhttp:\/\/www.starybrowar5050.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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