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Published: January 16th 2023
Ratusz
Ratusz (Rathaus) - Poznań old Town Hall. Rebuilt in the Renaissance (Mannerist) style in 1550-1560, replacing an earlier 13th century Gothic structure. Restored in 1992-2002. The Town hall is famous for its automaton clock. Stary Rynek 1.
"In the Alte Markt, to the E. of the Wilhelm-Platz, is the Rathaus, originally a Gothic edifice, but rebuilt in the Renaissance style after a fire in 1536 by G. B. di Qnadro (1550-55), an Italian architect. The slender tower (214 ft. high), restored in 1783, commands an extensive view".--Baedeker 1910.
DSC_0075p1Monika, our Collette tour courier, hastened the group along as we prepared to leave Wrocław for Torruń. We would be stopping for lunch at Poznań, but we must make haste getting there and arrive before noon. She would not say why. En route we made a hurried rest stop at a travel plaza near Lipnow. A curiosity here were the statues of European Bison placed in an adjacent field. I'm not sure why there were placed here, but will note that the European Bison is Poland's national animal.
In the event, to coach reached Poznań at 11:30. Plenty of time for us to our way to the Market Square,
Stary Rynek. The secret was revealed. We were here to see the Town Hall clock in operation. The automaton clock on the
Ratusz tower performs at Noon each day. Two mechanical goats appear from the clock and butt their heads twelve times. The clockwork figures were installed in 1551, at the time the town hall was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. After the show there was free time for lunch on the market square. The square was smaller than those of Kraków or Wrocław. But like the others the square surrounds
Ratusz
Ratusz (Rathaus) - Poznań old Town Hall. Rebuilt in the Renaissance (Mannerist) style in 1550-1560 with three Italianate loggia tiers, replacing an earlier 13th century Gothic structure. Restored in 1992-2002. The Town hall is famous for its automaton clock. Stary Rynek 1.
"In the Alte Markt, to the E. of the Wilhelm-Platz, is the Rathaus, originally a Gothic edifice, but rebuilt in the Renaissance style after a fire in 1536 by G. B. di Qnadro (1550-55), an Italian architect. The slender tower (214 ft. high), restored in 1783, commands an extensive view".--Baedeker 1910.
IMG_5727 the town hall and is lined with 16th and 17th century townhouses, many with sgraffito decoration. The old Market Square was severely damaged during World War II, but was rebuilt along historic lines in the 1950s.
In the center of the Market Square stands the town hall and its clock tower, designed after the Italian Renaissance fashion and featuring stacked loggia. In front of it are a fountain and a pillory. To one side is a well with the statue of a woman bearing a yoke and two water buckets. This is the
Studzienka Bamberki, the Bamberger's Well, and it commemorates a significant chapter in the history of Poznań. In the early 18th century, the population of Poznań and its surrounding territory had been dramatically reduced by the Great Northern War and associated plague outbreaks of 1707 to 1709. With farms and markets standing empty, Germans in the region around Bamberg were invited to emigrate. Hundreds of settlers came for the available farmland to be found in the depopulated Polish lands. Their descendants are known as
Poznański Bambry and make up a significant part of the city's cultural heritage.
Susan and I looked around for a restaurant at
Ratusz Clock
Ratusz (Rathaus) - Poznań old town hall (1550-1560). Clock tower and automaton clock.
DSC_0083 which to have lunch. There were many around the old town market square. There was a Mexican restaurant of all things! Called
Czerwone (Red)
Sombrero, a hostess outside wore a large sombrero as she beckoned diners to come in. We went on further around the square and found a restaurant called
Podkoziołek .The menu outside announced
Smaki Regionu - Flavors of the Region, and the food photos looked appetizing. We elected to have lunch here. I enjoyed the Poznań Potato Pancakes.
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
I look forward to visiting Poznan this fall!!!
Poznan was the first capital of Poland with King Boleslaw "The Brave" Chroby. becoming the first king of Poland. You missed getting a picture of his statue! We are going there to get a picture of his statue, as he is both Linda and my 29th great grandfather. His sister, our 28th great grandmother, was Świętosława "The Haughty" (and "Sigrid" in Sweden and "Gunhilda" in Denmark) Mieszkówna of the Piast Dynasty, and Queen of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and England. Firstly, she married King Eric "The Victorious" of Sweden (28th ggf), with whom she had a son, King Olaf III "The Treasurer" (27th ggf). King Olaf III had two daughters, Princess Ingegerd who married Prince Yaroslav "The Wise" Vladimirovich of Kievian Rus (26th ggf) and Princess Astrid who married King/Saint Olaf II Haraldsson, King of Norway (32nd ggf...vikings had shorter generations than other as they were always killing and being killed). King Olaf II was killed in the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. His younger half brother King Harald III "Hardrata" Sigurdsson of Norway (31st ggf), known as "The Last Viking," was wounded fighting by his side, but escaped to Kiev where he was welcomed by his relative Prince Yaroslav "The Wise." He then traveled to Constantinople where he was commander of the Varangian Guard who protected the Byzantine Emperor. He returned to Norway after 16 years where he was crowned king. In 1066 King Harald III was killed in the Battle of Stamford Bridge by the army of King Harold II Godwinsson of England (29th ggf), who himself was killed in the Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror (26th ggf) a couple weeks later. Secondly, she married King Sven "Forkbeard" of Denmark, Norway, and England (28th ggf) with whom she had two sons; the oldest Harald II became King of Denmark, and Canute. She told Canute that if he wanted to be a king he would have to conqueror another country. So, he invaded England with the help of the fearsome Polish cavalry provided by his uncle, King Boleslaw. He became King Canute "The Great" of England (27th ggu), and with the passing of his brother Harald II, he also became King of Denmark and Norway. So, Polish Świętosława was the Queen or Queen Mother of four countries, but not Poland itself! We are also related to the first kings of Hungary and Serbia, so will also visit there, with the statues of many of these kings at the Heroes Monument in Budapest, including Köten Khan of the Cumans, our 25th great grandfather. We are enjoying following the footsteps of our ancestors!