But for now, it's back to playing catch-up. On one Thursday afternoon in late March, my supervisor at Kompakt Medien (where I was interning) suddenly gave me the next day off work. Determined to not let this 3-day weekend go to waste, I planned a last-minute trip in record time and left the very next day. My destination? Poland! The first of the two cities that I visited was Poznan.
Poznan was definitely one of the most humble places I visited this year. But Poland's 5th-largest city still had a charming historical center that kept me entertained for a day. Poznan is also one of the oldest cities in the country, as its development first began in the 10th century!
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| Retro neon signs from the 1960s still adorn some buildings, such as the Philharmonic |
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| This castle was built in 1905 as a residence for Kaiser Wilhelm II, back when Poland was part of the Kingdom of Prussia. After World War I, Nazis moved in and Hitler had an office here |
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| These days, it serves as a cultural center and has a modern interior |
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| The year 1956 is very important to Poznan. In June of that year, the first street demonstrations in all of communist Poland took place in the city and were brutally suppressed. Over 100,000 factory workers went on strike and a prison was stormed. But Soviet soldiers closed in and quickly restored order, killing a 13-year old boy and about 70 others in the process. Freedom from Communism wouldn't come for another three decades |
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| In 1981, Poles built this monument to commemorate the 1956 uprisings. Construction took just 41 days |
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| While today it serves as a university, the Collegium Maius was built in 1905 for the Prussian Parliament. During WWII, the Nazi secret police took over the building |
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| The Okrąglak, or Rotunda, is an iconic modernist building constructed during Communist rule. Back then, it housed a department store with rare 'luxury' products |
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| Wolności Square |
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| Ninety percent of the volumes in Raczyński Library, built in 1829, were destroyed in WWII |
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| Poznan's big attraction is the Renaissance Town Hall, built in 1560. It is said to be the most beautiful non-church Renaissance building north of the Alps |
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| Looking towards the Church of St. Stanislaus and Our Lady |
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| The old town square in the middle of the city, known as Stary Rynek, is the third-largest in Poland one of the most picturesque in all of central Europe. First laid out in 1253, it was largely destroyed in WWII |
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| The building on the left is the Górka family palace, which was first built in the mid-1500s. But then, like so many other structures, it was destroyed during the war and rebuilt |
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| Venturing outside of the town center, I ran into this Lenin-themed bar... Communism can be fun! |
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| Ah, a new day! |
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| In the back left is the Royal Castle, built in the early 1300s. But then it was destroyed in 1945 and it wasn't rebuilt until 1959 |
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| The elaborate Franciscan Church, built from 1674 to 1728. You can see its deceivingly plain yellow exterior in the previous photo |
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| Back on the main square |
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| As was the case in many parts of Europe in medieval times, house owners once had to pay taxes based on the length of their house's facade along the street. Thus, to save on taxes, they built their homes narrow and high |
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| Former merchant houses |
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| The Royal Castle overlooks the city from its perch on top of a hill in the background |
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| Poznan's Peter & Paul Cathedral, founded in 968 but continuously rebuilt. It, of course, was largely destroyed in 1945, hence the largely bare walls left today. It was the first Polish cathedral ever constructed! |
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| The cathedral's exterior, with the Jordan Bridge in the foreground. The church sits on Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island), which is where the town of Poznan was founded when three brothers met there after not seeing each other for years (poznać is Polish for 'to meet') |
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| More love locks |
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| Polish flag |
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| The Town Hall's tower features two mechanical goats that appear and butt their horns twelve times each day at noon. This tradition started in the 1500s, when some goats escaped a chef who intended to cook them for a celebratory feast. The goats climbed the clock tower and butted their heads at the top, much to the amusement the town dignitaries. As you can see, the head-butting spectacle still attracts quite a crowd today |
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| The goats are accompanied by a traditional bugle call from a bugle player just out of sight on the balcony |
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| Some sort of festival was happening. According to Google's translation of the signs I saw, it was "Butterfly Day." The marching bands brought back memories of my own marching career |
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| I headed to the Church of St. Stanislaus and Our Lady to hear its famous 19th-century organ and its 2,579 pipes |
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| The church was finished in 1732 and is decorated in the awe-inspiring Roman Baroque style. This church also had to be reconstructed after WWII |
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| More festivities outside in the main square |
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| I paid a visit to the museum inside the old Town Hall. This is the finest room, the Renaissance Hall |
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| A globe dating back to 1688, made in Venice. I found California! |
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| This cemetry in Poznan's largest city park is the final resting place of WWII veterans and victims of the previously mentioned 1956 uprising |
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| A Soviet tank and the remnants of a 19th century Prussian fort |
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| A neat covered bridge over the Warta River to a visitor's center |
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| Porta Posnania Centre |
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| Another look at Poznan's cathedral, this time at at night |
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| Poznan's Cathedral Island, with the tiny Church of the Virgin Mary (1448) on the left and the Poznan Cathedral in the background |
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| My favorite shot from my time in Poznan: Jordan Bridge and Poznan Cathedral |
I had taken plenty of colorful photos already, but my weekend was only half over. My second stop - the Polish capital city of Warsaw!