Poznan

Establishment: VIIIth century
City rights: 1253
Area: 261,3 sq. Km
Elevation: 60 metres
Population: around 600 000
Unemployment rate: 3 %
Significant employers: Volkswagen, Glaxo Smith Kline, Wrigley, Lorenz Bahlsen, Kreisel, Bridgestone, Kompania Piwowarska
Average wage: 3200 PLN
Official website: www.poznan.pl

Single public transport ticket - 1,30 PLN
Monthly ticket - 56-68 PLN
Taxi fares - 2-3 PLN / km
A single room monthly rent - 350-600 PLN
A single room flat rent - 850 PLN
A double room flat rent - 1300 PLN

Mieszko I, the first known duke of the Polans, built one of his castles in Poznań. The city would become the capital of Greater Poland. Greater Poland became the 'cradle of the Polish state', and both Mieszko I and Boleslaus I are buried in Poznań. Lubrański Academy, the second Polish university, was established in 1519.

PoznanPoznań was the capital of the Greater Poland area when it came under the control of Prussia in 1793 and had its administrative area renamed to South Prussia. During the Greater Poland Uprising of 1806 local Polish resistance fighters rebelled, thereby assisting the efforts of Napoleon while simultaneously driving out the occupying Prussian forces. The city became part of the Duchy of Warsaw in 1807. After the Congress of Vienna Greater Poland was returned to Prussia and became the capital of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Poznań. It became part of the German Empire during the unification of Germany in 1871.

Shortly after Imperial Germany's defeat in World War II, the Great Poland Uprising (1918-1919) occurred, leading to the creation of Republic of Poland, in which Poznań became the voivodeship captain. During World War II Poland suffered under Nazi occupation and the Polish population was severely repressed. In 1945, the city was declared a Festung (a fortified locale in which German forces were expected to conduct a last-ditch defense) by order of Hitler. As Poznań lays on the direct route from Warsaw to Berlin, the Red Army first besieged and then assaulted the German defenses, resulting in serious damage to the city.

In June 1956 the anti communist uprising began in Poznań. For a few days the workers and inhabitants of the city fought against the army and secret police forces. These protests played a significant role in liberalising the post-war communist regime.

• Adam Mickiewicz University
• Poznan University of Technology
• Poznan University of Medical Sciences
• Poznan University of Economics
• Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan
• Eugeniusz Piasecki University of Physical Education in Poznan

Poznań is well known for its DJ's and electro producers, as many of the best Polish ones live in the city. It goes with the clubs- places like Cute or Kukabura are ideal for electronic music fans. Although, the most famous city club is Blue Note, specializing in Jazz and gig organizing. SQ Club, Post Dali and Eskupal are considered the best, as they are placed 7th and 8th in Best Polish Club Ranking by Wprost weekly magazine. Most of the bars and clubs are within walking distance and are located in Main Market area.

Sightseeing in Poznań can be done in a variety of ways. Fans of old monuments can choose a tour of historic places-from the Gothic cathedral in Ostrów Tumski, through the Old Market, with its Renaissance burgher houses and the Town Hall, to the Baroque Fara church.

A trip to the Poznań International Fair can be complemented with a stroll down the streets of turn-of-the-century art-deco tenement houses.

The visitor can choose a tour of museums, and there are 20 of them in the city ranging from art, applied arts, ethnography, musical instruments to war memorabilia and literature museums.

Nature lovers will enjoy the prospect of visiting two zoological gardens, a botanical garden and arboretum, a palm house (palmiarnia), and numerous parks and nature reserves.

If the visitor wants to spend their leisure time pursuing sports activities, there's always something to do on Malta, regardless of the season of the year. In summer, swimming might be enticing, and a skiing slope is open all year round. The area around the lake is an attractive place to go for a walk, a bike ride, or do some roller skating/roller blading.

More information: here Festivals

Malta Theathre Festival
- The biggest cultural event in the city, held every summer on beautiful area of Malta lake, combining theathre with gigs and other additional events

Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition
- Famous violin competition, gathering the best musicians of the world, held every 5 years.

Cultural Institutions

Cultural offer is not a biggest advantage of Poznań, as it has always been a city of trade and industry, though it's still a few things worth mentioning. Teatr Ósmego Dnia is one of the most important avant-garde theathre groups in Polish history. Its brave, radical performances caused numerous problems for the troup members during communism.
Stary Browar is Poland's most interesting shopping mall, combining shops with galleries and cultural entertainment. Poznań is also an important place for polish hip-hop culture.