It dates back to 1253, but has morphed through the ages. 60% of it was destroyed during WWII after which many of the buildings were restored to their original states, which had dramatically changed through the centuries. It comes as no surprise the Old Market Square is ranked as Poznan’s #1 tourist attraction on Trip Advisor UK at the time of writing, but what is surprising is that I would agree. My preference is usually for the less touristy things, but I make an exception for Poznan’s Old Market Square. Rather than telling you why, I’ll show you why:
Poznan Old Market Square
Coloured buildings in the Old Market Square of Poznan.
There are many restaurants in the square where you can take your time and soak up the atmosphere.
These buildings were among my favorite in the Old Market Square.
The historic Poznan Town Hall stands in the center of the square. If you’re really lucky, you may even hear a live performance from one of the top floors.
The historic Poznan Town Hall at night.
Despite the obvious beauty of the square, there are also some less obvious things that you may not notice at first glance:
The City Hall in Poznan is where all marriages take place. If you come before 11:00 am you may even drive in the square, which is not normally allowed.
“Punishment Post” is where public humiliations occurred in previous times for all to witness, but today it serves as a popular meeting point.
Mechanical goats “fight” everyday at 12:00 near the top of the Poznan Town Hall. It’s a very popular tourist attraction that always draws a crowd.
There is one really ugly building in the middle of the square. Next to all the other buildings, it’s a real eye sore:
The “ugly” building from Stalin’s time has historical significance and therefore has remained in the square.
Although unattractive it might be, it does represent an important part of Poznan and Poland’s history under Communist rule. According to the locals I spoke to, nobody really knows what to do with it and there are debates as to whether it should remain, but for the time being at least it does. For further information on the Old Market Square visit Poznan Tourism which provides a timeline of the square from 1253 through to present day.
So now that you’ve had a virtual journey to Poznan’s Old Market Square, do you agree, is it one of the prettiest market squares in Europe?
Where to Stay in Poznan:
I stayed at the newly opened PURO Hotel, located just a few minutes walk from Poznan’s Old Market Square. The location was incredibly convenient and I LOVED the welcoming lobby, which felt like a really chic living room:
I loved the lobby of the newly opened PURO Hotel in Poznan – chic and comfortable AND close to the Old Market Square.
Getting from Poznan airport to Poznan:
The airport is located just 7km west from the city center making it very accessible. You can take a taxi, as I did which costs ~30 Złoty (~€7), or one of the four bus lines that run between Poznan airport and the city center. The most convenient of these is Line L, an express bus that runs between the airport and the main train station. The price for the regular buses and the express bus is the same – 4.60 Złoty (~€1.60).
Polish Currency:
It’s worth noting that although Poland is part of the European Union, it does not use Euros, but Polish Złoty. It’s worth exchanging some of your money from Euros into Złoty at the airport so that you can pay for your bus or taxi ride. At the time of writing the exchange rate was 1 EUR = 4.18 Złoty.
Note: My trip to Poznan was made possible via Poznan Tourism. As always all opinions expressed are my own. They did not make me fall in love with the square – I did that all on my own.
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