Poznan Attractions – Old Market (Stary Rynek)
Acquaintance with the city Poznan, we started with zoos: Old and New. But, of course, the heart of the city and its main attraction, which you need to see, is the area of the Old Market (Old Town). We specifically chose the evening to visit the Market Square in Poznan – Every year in the second half of June, the famous Poznan Fair is held here, and we really wanted to see our own eyes, how does it look live. But later, a little later, and first we walk in the old market. Poznan – the only city from our entire journey, where we had to look for parking space for a long time. Most likely it is connected with the fair, because we spent almost half an hour, writhing out the nearby streets along and across, before you found a place on Paderevsky Street, directly opposite the National Museum of Poznan. In the rest of the cities, nothing of the kind with us never happened.
From the museum to the old market only about 200 meters, but on the way we were able to take a look at the Royal Castle in Poznan, the Church of St. Anthony of Padouansky (Kosciol SW Antoniego Padewskiego) and the Franciscan Monastery, which are planning to visit during our next visit.
Square "Old market" founded in 1253 (just 4 years older than square in Krakow) and is the third largest in Poland after Krakow and Wroclawskaya. It is believed that Poznan Market Square is not only one of the most beautiful in Poland, but in all Eastern Europe.
As it should be, in the center of the Market Square is the town hall. Poznan Town Hall Outwardly not at all similar to those that we saw in Wroclaw and Krakow. She was designed by the Italian architect Jan Quadro in 1560. The first Town Hall appeared in Poznan back in the XIV century, but she died in a fire. But not only from the firemade suffered from the fire – during the strongest hurricane of 1725, the 90 meter spire of the tower was broken, after which the height of the tower decreased to 61 meters.
Daily at noon (only once a day!) At the Town Hall there is a whole representation that collects crowds of tourists: the window opens above the clock and the joy of tourists and local residents occurs "godding of goats". You know why the goats are the symbol of Poznan?! By legend, one trader decided to pass two of his naughty goats to the butcher, but the animals managed to escape. The owner found them for some reason on the roof of the Town Hall, but when he rose, he saw the enemies coming to the city. He immediately warned everyone, and the townspeople were able to defend their city. So the goats saved Poznan and are now a symbol of this city, their images can be found on many souvenirs and even on the coat of arms.
Nowadays, the Museum of Poznan is located in the town hall – they say very interesting, but in the evening he was already closed, so we could not check it yourself. &# 128578; Nearby there is a single-storey building of Vaga (Waga Miejska), until 2009 there was a city registry office, and now exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events are held here.
If in Wroclaw and Krakow, the place in the center of the market is occupied by the trading ranks of "Sukennitsa", then in Pozaknia, artisan houses are houses (Domki Budnicze). As a rule, the second floor was occupied by residential rooms and workshops, and the first floor was assigned to the store. Incredibly bright houses with colorful facades – Business Card Poznan.
As in most Polish cities, the old market of Poznan has its own shameful post – this is an octagonal column in the Gothic style with the figure of the executioner, which holds the sword in the hands. Pole was erected in 1535 for funds collected from luxury tax for excessively fashionable at the time clothes and jewels. Criminals who have made small offenses (thieves, prostitutes, merchants, poor-quality goods and others) were attracted to the chains, and the townspeople were allowed to challenge.
Like the town hall, the pillar was erected under the guidance of Italian sculptors and had a height of 5.5 meters. He was often repaired, according to the inscriptions on the pillar itself, and it happened in 1690, 1727, 1749, 1781, 1825, 1880. Now there is a copy of the pillar on the market square, and the original is located in the city museum.
By the way, the last "attack" on the post occurred quite recently, in 2011. A 21-year-old student from Stockholm, being very drunk, climbed to a pillar and dropped the execution of the executioner. When the sculpture falls the head and someone stole her!
Every year, in June, the Sven Toyan Fair is held in Poznasta, which has been attracted to him from tourists for many years. In addition to shopping tents with souvenirs and goodies, the large scene is mounted on the square, on which concerts and theatrical representations are held.
The tradition of the Fair in Poznan arose in the Middle Ages, but now she attracts artisans and merchants from all over Poland, and not only Poland – we have seen representatives of the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Here you can buy original souvenirs, very tasty food, try homemade beer and wine. Everything is very colorful and tasty.
We just do not know whether during the fair or constantly, but during our visit on the old market there were many street ideas.
We really liked the guys who arranged a small musical show of soap bubbles.
Short video about a naughty above, allowing giant soap bubbles. &# 128578;
Well, traditionally, a little about some houses that stand around the old market, because each of them has its own unique name and their own story.
In the photo below the second building on the right with high tower is the house number 50, called "House under the Cap". He is famous for the fact that in 1716 the king of Augustus was stopped in him with his retinue. Everyone drank a little, and someone accidentally fell out of the second floor window. Fortunately, a wooden canopy was located under the window, which saved fallen. It is said that it was not anyone else, as the monarch himself.
On the left side, a piece of gray building with inscriptions "For Sale" is a house number 91 – Mellagsky Palace (Pałac Mielżyńskich). The first building of the Poznan, built in the style of classicism. It was in this house that the author of the famous Mazurka Dombrovsky – Yang Dombrovsky once lived.
House number 78 of the Old Market – Działyńskich (Pałac Działyńskich), the first owner of this house was the Lithuanian Commander-in-Chief. Once in this building gathered the most exquisite society of Poznan – the theater worked here and concerts were held. Now the building is located a branch of Kursnitskaya Library (Biblioteki Kórnickiej). From the reverse side of the palace there is a small but very beautiful park. Unfortunately it is impossible to get into it – you can only admire through the fence grid.
In the house number 41 (in the photo below, a dark purple building for the fountain) was located the famous pharmacy under the White Eagle. This is one of the few buildings in the old market, which practically did not suffer during World War II.
Pharmacy in this house was located from 1564 to the mid-90s of the last century. And in the house number 45 (the right gray house with a balcony), where now is the museum of musical instruments, once played Frederick Chopin himself.
At the corners of the market square there are four fountains: Proserpines, Apollo, Mars and Neptune. Similar fountains on the market we saw in Lviv. As in Ukraine, the fountains had practical importance – it was there that the townspeople took drinking water. Only one fountain, built in 1766, and dedicated to the goddess of the Underground Kingdom of Proserpine preserved to this day. The rest of the fountains appeared in Poznan in the 2000s, when the authorities of the city decided to restore the historical appearance of the old market.
Traveling through Polish cities sometimes it seems that one market square is similar to another, but the old market in Poznan is completely different. He is very bright and colorful, the town hall of the city is rather reminiscent of the Town Hall in some Italian city, and not at all like the Polish.
Yes, and herself Poznan cozy and friendly, very spacious and clean, but sometimes even in the city center you can meet old and dilapidated buildings.
In most cases, automotive tourists use Poznan as a place overnight stay along the way to France or Germany, but Poznan deserves to look at it not only from the car window. During our stay we stayed in a small but cozy hotel Hotel Zielony, Where for a double room with breakfast and parking, we paid about 34 euros.
This article was stolen from http: // poznamka.Ru.
We specifically chose a hotel that is a bit far away from the city center in order to go to the next item of our automotive travel in Eastern Europe – to the famous three-person, which includes three large towns of Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia.
