Poznań, Poland: Old Town Square

Poznań is capital of the Polish district of Wielkopolska, or Greater Poland. In the 11th century this district, with its principal towns of Poznań and Gniezno, saw the birth of the early Polish state: it is thus affectionately referred to as the "cradle of Poland".

We are in the Old Square (laid out in 1253 and measuring 140m x 140m) in the heart of Poznań's Old Town. Today's weather is uninviting, there is plenty of rain and drizzle, the cloud base is even encroaching on the tops of the buildings.

To the right is a small part of the facade of the renaissance town hall, once considered to be the most beautiful building north of the Alps. The hall and row of buildings beyond it comprise part of the larger group of buildings occupying the centre of the square.


Poznań was very badly damaged during fighting in World War II. All the buildings seen here will have undergone restoration work, some of them have no doubt have had to be rebuilt from scratch.


(This blip was added in November 2014)