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44-792: The Old Town is centred on Stary Rynek , the Old Market Square where the historic Poznań Town Hall ( Ratusz ) stands. It represents the glory of Poznań, from its foundation in 1253. One of Town Hall's towers hosts two small billy goats, which butt their heads together every day at noon. At the western end of the Old Town is the Przemysł Hill ( Góra Przemysła ) on which the King's castle once stood. The medieval Royal Castle in Poznań has been reconstructed between 2011 and 2016. The city walls were taken down when

88-411: A board with the date 1555, the year the work was completed. Artists' signatures, house marks and representations of their tools can also be found. The southern part contains representations of animals and legendary creatures (elephant, lion, leopard, eagle, rhinoceros, griffin , Pegasus ) and deities signifying heavenly bodies (the sun, the moon, Mercury , Venus , Mars , Jupiter and Saturn in

132-518: A broken column and temperance ( temperancia ) pouring water from a vase into a bowl. The last pair is of two famous women from the Ancient World: Lucretia ( Lucrecia ) with a spear through her own breast, and Cleopatra ( Cleapairi ), with snakes twisted around her arms. Between the ground and first floors runs a fresco in Latin text serving as a warning to judges. Below the first floor there

176-447: A fire of 1536). Most of the buildings in the square were reconstructed following heavy damage in the Battle of Poznań (1945) . The central group of buildings includes: Notable houses among those around the edge of the square include: Other features of the square are a punishment post (" pranger ", Polish pręgierz ) and a fountain depicting Proserpina , on the eastern side in front of

220-400: A hurricane in 1725. From 1781–1784, the building had a large renovation thanks to the efforts of the city's "Committee of Good Order", and it obtained the basic form which it presents today. A Classical -style tower roof was designed by Bonawentura Solari, topped by a white eagle with a two-metre wingspan. On the eastern elevation Franciszek Cielecki painted Jagiellonian kings, and under

264-415: 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

308-516: Is a group of buildings in the central part of the square, chief of which is the Old Town Hall (Ratusz) . On each side of the square are tall rows of former tenement houses ( kamienice ) , many of which are now used as restaurants, cafés and pubs (often with outdoor tables on the square itself). The square was originally laid out in around 1253, with each side divided into 16 equal plots, and many changes to architectural layout and style were made over

352-590: Is a series of medallions with figures from the Ancient World: the brothers Gaius Gracchus and Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus , Lucius Junius Brutus , Archimedes , Vitruvius , Virgil , Homer , Justinian I , Horace , Spartacus , and the tyrannicides Harmodius and Aristogeiton . Above the loggia is an attic wall , which features a list of rulers of the Jagiellonian Dynasty from Władysław II Jagiełło and Jadwiga of Poland to Sigismund II Augustus . In

396-545: Is called Stare Miasto in Polish, although that name may also refer to the wider administrative district of Stare Miasto , which extends to most of the city centre and northern parts of the city. The Old Town is centred on Stary Rynek , the Old Market Square where the historic Poznań Town Hall ( Ratusz ) stands. It represents the glory of Poznań, from its foundation in 1253. One of Town Hall's towers hosts two small billy goats, which butt their heads together every day at noon. At

440-507: Is designed in Renaissance style by G. B. di Quadro. It was originally used for important sittings of the city court. Over the entrance is a quotation from Aristotle's Politics , and on the hall side a quotation from the Third Psalm . The hall retains its original vaults with lunettes , supported by two columns and by corbels . The coffers and columns are ornamented (the ornamentation on

484-485: Is located near the north-east corner of the Poznan City Hall . The following is a list of present-day names of streets within the area of the former walled city ( ul. stands for ulica , meaning "street"). Streets to the north of the market square: Streets to the east of the market square: Streets to the south of the market square: (For ul. Klasztorna , which extends as far as Gołębia, see above.) Streets to

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528-571: Is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland . The original settlement of Poznań was on the river island of Ostrów Tumski , and dates from at least the 9th century. The Old Town neighbourhood, however, corresponds to the city on the left bank of the Warta , to the west of Ostrów Tumski, which received its charter in 1253 (work on the Royal Castle , which would be at the western side of

572-538: The Ptolemeic system . Also in cross-shaped coffers are the heads of Moses and of Christ, the latter accompanied by another house mark. On the western wall are two portals dating from 1508, which combine Gothic and Renaissance features. Gold-plated doors contain the Bohemian coat of arms, possibly dating from the time of Wacław II Czeski . Notable exhibits include a Venetian globe (1688), and busts of Roman emperors from

616-421: The arcade columns on the ground floor are five pairs of female figures, the first four pairs representing virtues : patience ( paciencia ), with a lamb and prudence ( prudencia ) with a mirror; charity ( charitas ) with two children and justice ( iusticia ) with scales and a sword; faith ( fides ) with a chalice and sword and hope ( spes ) with a thurible and the sun; and courage ( fortitudo ) with

660-485: The 15th century, and at the turn of the century a tower was built at the north-western corner. The interior was remodeled between 1504 and 1508. In 1536 Poznań suffered a major fire, which seriously damaged the town hall. Repair work was carried out from 1540–1542, particularly to the tower, but it remained unsafe. In 1550 the city council commissioned Giovanni Battista di Quadro to carry out major repairs. The work lasted until 1560. Di Quadro added an upper storey, extended

704-483: The 19th century they were in use as a restaurant. They were later used as museum rooms, and are currently being renovated. The ground-floor rooms were originally built in Gothic style, but rebuilt in Renaissance style by G. B. di Quadro; only one room retains the original vault . The architect also added two rooms with lunette vaults. One of the original uses of these rooms was for the town archives. The second floor of

748-560: The National Museum's collections). The hall features a Renaissance sandstone fireplace (1541), moved here from the adjoining weighing house when that building was demolished in 1890 (it was rebuilt in its original style after World War II). There is also a portal dating from 1536, moved from a house on the Old Market Square (Stary Rynek 87). The sala sądowa (courtroom) was used for minor court hearings. It retains Renaissance "mirror vaults", with polychrome decoration dating from between

792-513: The Town Hall; a statue of St. John Nepomucene ; and fountains depicting the gods Apollo , Neptune and Mars . Within the central group of buildings is a water fountain depicting a Bamber woman ( Bamberka ). The Pranger of Poznań is located near the north-east corner of the Poznan City Hall . The following is a list of present-day names of streets within the area of the former walled city ( ul. stands for ulica , meaning "street"). Streets to

836-412: The administrative building of the city founded on the left bank of the Warta in 1253 (see History of Poznań ). It was completed around 1300, during the reign of Wenceslaus II of Bohemia , and was first documented in Latin in 1310 as Domus Consulum . It was a one-storey Gothic building built upon a raised quadrangle . The cellars remain from this period of construction. The building was extended in

880-399: The building towards the west, and added attic walls and a three-storey loggia . A new clock (installed 1551) was made with three full faces and one half-face, and with goats added as a "comic element" (see next section). In 1675 the tower, clock and goats were destroyed by lightning. The tower was rebuilt in 1690 to a height of 90 metres (300 ft). The top of the tower was destroyed by

924-592: The building was originally used for utility functions; following World War II damage it was rebuilt as exhibition space, with ceilings modelled on those from the houses on the Old Market Square. However the first floor contained the grandest rooms, used for official purposes by the city's authorities – these include the Great Hall (Vestibule), the Royal Hall and the Courtroom, described below. The Great Hall or Vestibule

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968-527: The ceiling is sgraffito ). The coffers in the northern part of the room have polychrome stucco decoration showing Hercules and Samson , David and Goliath , and Marcus Curtius . The lower coffers show the coats of arms of Poland, Lithuania , the House of Sforza ( Bona Sforza was Polish queen consort to 1548), the Habsburgs ( Catherine Habsburg was queen consort from 1553) and Poznań, as well as an angel holding

1012-437: The central turret a cartouche was placed with the king's initials: SAR ( Stanislaus Augustus Rex ). The next major renovation lasted from 1910–1913 (during a period of German rule), when black rustication was used to give the building a more "northern German" style. The original late renaissance polychromy was destroyed. An additional storey was added and the goats, which had been absent since 1675, were restored to

1056-423: The centre is a small tower, at the foot of which the goats appear for their daily display. Below this is a clock, connected with the mechanism that controls the goats. Below that is the monogram of Stanisław II Augustus ("SAR"). Pozna%C5%84 Old Town Poznań Old Town is the centermost neighbourhood of the city of Poznań in western Poland, covering the area of the once walled medieval city of Poznań. It

1100-433: The centuries. Major changes were made from 1550 onwards by Giovanni Battista di Quadro , who reconstructed the Town Hall and several other buildings in Renaissance style (severe damage had been done to the buildings by a fire of 1536). Most of the buildings in the square were reconstructed following heavy damage in the Battle of Poznań (1945) . The central group of buildings includes: Notable houses among those around

1144-455: The city expanded in the early 19th century, but the street layout of the Old Town still corresponds closely to that of the former protected city, with a grid of narrow streets. Surviving fragments of the walls, some of which have been further reconstructed, can be seen on Stawna Street, Ludgardy Street, next to Chopin Park in the south of the Old Market Square and best parts are on Masztalarska street in

1188-409: The city on the left bank of the Warta , to the west of Ostrów Tumski, which received its charter in 1253 (work on the Royal Castle , which would be at the western side of the ring of walls, began several years earlier). The Old Market Square (Stary Rynek) is the large square on which the Old Town neighbourhood is centred. The sides of the square measure approximately 140 metres (460 ft). There

1232-425: The edge of the square include: Other features of the square are a punishment post (" pranger ", Polish pręgierz ) and a fountain depicting Proserpina , on the eastern side in front of the Town Hall; a statue of St. John Nepomucene ; and fountains depicting the gods Apollo , Neptune and Mars . Within the central group of buildings is a water fountain depicting a Bamber woman ( Bamberka ). The Pranger of Poznań

1276-405: The founding of the medieval city in 1253; it was rebuilt in roughly its present-day form, in mannerist style, with an ornate loggia , by Giovanni Battista di Quadro from 1550–1560. The display of mechanical fighting goats , played out daily at noon above the clock on the front wall of the building, is one of the city's main tourist attractions. The town hall was originally constructed as

1320-426: The gnome transformed into a raven and flew away. Years later, after Bolko had taken his father's place as trumpeter, when an attacking army was scaling Poznań's walls, Bolko remembered the present, ran to the top of the tower and began to play the trumpet. Dark clouds began to gather on the horizon, which turned out to be an enormous flock of ravens that fell upon the attacking army and forced it to retreat. The trumpet

1364-437: The late 16th and early 19th centuries. On the northern wall are personifications of four continents. On the wall to the right of the entrance is the painting Aeropagus Maioris Poloniae by Wacław Graff , which alludes to a court of 1726. Opposite the entrance is a marble statue of king Stanisław II Augustus , dating from 1783. The front of the building, facing east, features an ornately decorated, three-storey loggia . Between

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1408-422: The new clock being made for the building. Another legend is associated with the hejnał . This says that Bolko, son of the tower's trumpeter , once took care of a raven whose wing had been shot through. The boy was then awoken at night by a gnome wearing a crown and purple cape , who thanked the boy for his kindness and handed him a small gold trumpet , telling him to blow it when in danger. After these words

1452-452: The north. Poznań Old Town is listed as one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments ( Pomnik historii ), as designated November 28, 2008, along with other portions of the city's historic core. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland . The original settlement of Poznań was on the river island of Ostrów Tumski , and dates from at least the 9th century. The Old Town neighbourhood, however, corresponds to

1496-516: The ring of walls, began several years earlier). The Old Market Square (Stary Rynek) is the large square on which the Old Town neighbourhood is centred. The sides of the square measure approximately 140 metres (460 ft). There is a group of buildings in the central part of the square, chief of which is the Old Town Hall (Ratusz) . On each side of the square are tall rows of former tenement houses ( kamienice ) , many of which are now used as restaurants, cafés and pubs (often with outdoor tables on

1540-401: The same call is played on a carillon , installed in the tower in 2003. The daily appearance of the goats is one of Poznań's best-known tourist attractions. 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

1584-403: The square itself). The square was originally laid out in around 1253, with each side divided into 16 equal plots, and many changes to architectural layout and style were made over the centuries. Major changes were made from 1550 onwards by Giovanni Battista di Quadro , who reconstructed the Town Hall and several other buildings in Renaissance style (severe damage had been done to the buildings by

1628-495: The third and fourth centuries, excavated in Italy in the 18th century. The hall is currently used for concerts and for special weddings. The Royal Hall (Sala Królewska) was once richly decorated similarly to the Great Hall, and was used for meetings of the city council. It was partly restored in 1954 following war damage. Its name derives from the portraits of kings which once decorated the hall (the portraits on display today come from

1672-552: The tower in 1913. In October 1943 the Town Hall was the scene of Heinrich Himmler 's Posen speeches . Following major damage in the Battle of Poznań (1945) , the Town Hall was again rebuilt in 1945–1954, when the Renaissance character of the elevations was restored (and extracts from the constitution of the Polish People's Republic were added to the text displayed on the attic wall). The eagle, which had been kept hidden during

1716-429: The walls, some of which have been further reconstructed, can be seen on Stawna Street, Ludgardy Street, next to Chopin Park in the south of the Old Market Square and best parts are on Masztalarska street in the north. Poznań Old Town is listed as one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments ( Pomnik historii ), as designated November 28, 2008, along with other portions of the city's historic core. Its listing

1760-456: The war, was returned to the tower in 1947. The mechanism that drives the goats was replaced in 1954, and again at the end of the century. Renovation carried out in 1992–2002 largely restored the building to its post-1784 appearance. Today the mechanical goats' butting display is performed daily at noon, preceded by the striking of the clock and the playing of a traditional bugle call ( hejnał ) . At other hours between 7 am and 9 pm

1804-464: The west of the market square: Pozna%C5%84 Town Hall Poznań Town Hall ( Polish : ratusz w Poznaniu ) is a historic city hall in the city of Poznań , Poland, located at the Poznań Old Town in the centre of the Old Market Square. It used to serve as the seat of local government until 1939, and now houses a museum. The town hall was originally built in the late 13th century following

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1848-436: The western end of the Old Town is the Przemysł Hill ( Góra Przemysła ) on which the King's castle once stood. The medieval Royal Castle in Poznań has been reconstructed between 2011 and 2016. The city walls were taken down when the city expanded in the early 19th century, but the street layout of the Old Town still corresponds closely to that of the former protected city, with a grid of narrow streets. Surviving fragments of

1892-581: Was lost when Bolko dropped it in his astonishment, but the call which he played is still performed. The interior of the town hall consists of cellars, a ground floor and two upper storeys. The building currently serves as a Museum of the History of the City of Poznań (Muzeum Historii Miasta Poznania) , a subdivision of the National Museum in Poznań . The cellars were built between the 13th and 14th centuries. There

1936-472: Was originally one large room with a supporting column in the centre; this was later divided into four rooms. Keystones feature the coat of arms of Poznań (crossed keys) and the Bohemian coat of arms (white lion with double tail) dating from the times of Wacław II Czeski . Until the 17th century the cellars were used to store goods, and in the 17th and 18th centuries they contained a prison and torture chamber. In

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