Citadel Park

Photo by Radoslaw Maciejewski

Just north of Poznań’s Old Town sits Winiary Hill and 89 hectares of picture-perfect green space known as Citadel Park. Much like any coveted location in Poland, this scenic overlook has a long history that involves multiple name changes, military battles and even some old-fashioned mystery. For visitors, the park offers not only beautiful promenades and leafy city escapes, but also a plethora of monuments, museums and historical tales.

Poznań Army Museum

Re-opened after a long renovation, the museum provides visitors with the chance to learn more about the city’s military history, with a particular focus on WWII and the inter-war period. A large number of items from these times are on display, including various newspaper cuttings, weapons, photos, and uniforms. But other eras are covered too, with some artefacts - such as old bullets and army storage devices - dating back as far as 1897. Note that the ticket also includes entrance to the Museum of Armaments, also located in Citadel Park.QI‑4, Al. Armii Poznań (Po. Armii Poznań Citadel), tel. (+48) 663 86 64 14, www.wmn.poznan.pl. Open 10:00‑17:00; Sun 10:00‑16:00; closed Mon. from March to October: Mon closed, Tue‑Sat 10:00‑17:00, Sun 10:00‑16:00; from November to February: Mon closed, Tue‑Sun 10:00‑16:00. Admission 12/6zł, Tue free; ticket also valid for the nearby Museum of Armaments. U British Military Cemetery

Citadel Park hosts several cemeteries, but the one typically of most interest to tourists is British Military Cemetery (also known as the Commonwealth Cemetery). Why? It’s here that you’ll find the graves of several of the men involved in what is now known as “the Great Escape” (it wasn’t just a movie, folks!). In addition, the cemetery houses graves of servicemen from WWI (all of whom died in various parts of Poland as POWs), and those who died in bombing operations over what is now the Polish city of Szczecin.QH‑4, Park Cytadela. Open from dawn till dusk.

Monument to the Heroes of the Poznań Citadel

One of the most noticeable features of Citadel Park is the Soviet Obelisk located prominently at the top of the grand staircase as you enter the park from Aleja Armii Poznań (H-4). The giant Socialist Realism column

Getting There

If the weather is nice there’s no reason not to walk to Citadel Park from the Rynek. The stroll is just under 2km and should take 25-30 minutes. Those who prefer a quicker route can grab bus numbers 174, 176, 190, or 603 from ‘Wielka’ to ‘Garbary’.

is dedicated to the Russian soldiers killed during the 1945 siege of the fort, and it’s most interesting aspect is perhaps the one you can no longer see: the large red star affixed to the top which disappeared in the dead of night after the fall of communism in Poland in 1989. Official complaints by the Russian Embassy to track down the star and its thieves were, unsurprisingly, largely ignored by police, and for years the public was left to speculate what became of the red emblem (a rumour that the star was filled with jewels proved to be one popular urban myth). In recent years, however, a local journalist looking into the mystery was able to swiftly solve it: local firemen had removed the star using their rescue ladders. They fessed up and turned it over without consequence to the city, which has plans to restore it and eventually put it on display at the Historical Museum of Poznań.QH‑4, Park Cytadela.

Museum of Armaments

The remains of this Prussian fort (which was used as a war laboratory to produce gunpowder and shells during World War II) proved to be the perfect location for the Museum of Armaments, which features displays of various (mostly Nazi and Soviet) weaponry and ammunition, a dynamic diorama showing anti-tank gun positions, and photos of battles from Poznań’s history. Most interesting for military buffs, however, is the outdoor exhibition laden with a whole host of war machinery including a T-34 tank, a ‘Katyusha’ rocket launcher, bombers, and a MIG-15. QH‑3, Park Cytadela, tel. (+48) 61 820 45 03, www. wmn.poznan.pl/odwiedz‑nas/muzeum‑uzbrojenia/. Open 10:00‑17:00; Sun 10:00‑16:00; closed Mon. from March to October: Mon closed, Tue‑Sat 10:00‑17:00, Sun 10:00‑16:00; from November to February: Mon closed, Tue‑Sun 10:00‑16:00. Admission 12/6zł, Tue free; ticket also valid for the nearby Poznań Army Museum.

British Military Cemetery © Bartosz Gawlowski

‘The Unrecognised’ art installation by Magda Abakanowicz

Unveiled as part of Poznań’s 750th birthday celebrations in 2002, this massive troop of towering, headless cast iron figures marching aimlessly across Citadel Park is officially titled “The Unrecognised” (“Nierozpoznani”). 112 in all, each measuring 2 metres tall, the odd installation is the work of local arts grad and international art star Magdalena Abakanowicz, who is keeping mum on its meaning. Those with ties to Chicago might recognise a similar installation in Grant Park, while a few more of Abakanowicz’s headless fright patrol can be found wandering lost in the courtyard of the Imperial Castle.QI‑3, Park Cytadela.

Rose Garden

Certainly one of the nicest and most popular parts of Citadel Park, particularly in fine weather, is the ‘rosarium.’ Consisting of six landscaped terraces planted with different roses, trees, and shrubs descending to a small lake at its centre, this is perhaps Poz’s most romantic corner, as evidenced by all the couples getting very cosy on the numerous benches scattered about. Go for a stroll, stop to smell the roses, and maybe sneak in a snog on the side.QH‑2, Park Cytadela.

The Bell of Peace & Friendship Among Nations

Erected in 1986, the ‘Bell of Peace and Friendship Among Nations’ was installed too late to spare Poznań from a largely turbulent 20th century, but it plays a role in the remembering when it’s rung on holidays and anniversaries such as Liberation Day (February 23rd) when the Germans capitulated at the fort during World War II. Weighing 850 kg, the dove-embossed bell hangs 10m above the ground and can allegedly be heard from 10km away.QI‑4, Park Cytadela.

Just Friends, p.63

Dining in Poznań

Gastronomy has grown considerably in Poznań, and the city is home to a large number of hipster and world-class restaurants serving a wide range of cuisines. At right we highlight some must-try regional dishes, while over the following pages you’ll find Poznań’s most noteworthy dining establishments, divided into basic categories with the type of cuisine listed under the venue name; for more options visit our website. In terms of tipping, 10% is standard (easy math). Smacznego!