Podróż do Poznania (Journey to Poznań)

Another beautiful week in Poland saw us exploring another ancient Polish city - Poznań (pronounced POHZ-nine). This week we were especially lucky to have Lucy accompany us during a stopover on her way from D.C. to Bahrain.

November 11th may be Veterans' Day in the States, but it's Independence Day in Poland, celebrating the end of World War I and the creation of the first independent Polish state since 1795. We were also happy to discover that November 11th is celebrated for a second reason in Poland - święto św. Marcina (the Feast of Saint Martin). This feast is especially important to the citizens of Poznań and they put on unique festivities throughout their city, which of course we could not miss!

Poznań was the original capital of the Kingdom of Poland, dating to the 10th century. The first settlement was founded on Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island - like the one in Wrocław), a large low island in the middle of the Warta River in modern West-Central Poland. It was on this island that Mieszko I - the first ruler of Poland - was likely baptized in the year 966 and thereafter built the first cathedral in Poland, what is today the Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul. Duke Mieszko I and his son King Bolesław I Chrobry (Boleslaus the Brave) established their royal fortress on the island and both Mieszko and Bolesław have their tombs in the Cathedral. In the thirteenth century the center of town moved across the river to Stare Miasto (Old Town), but the island still contains the Cathedral, the royal Chapel of St. Mary, a medieval residence, and the Archbishop's Palace.

After touring Ostrów Tumski we crossed the river into Old Town, where we entered another meticulously-reconstructed medieval town square, complete with brightly-painted buildings, cobbled streets, and an incredible Italian-Renaissance-inspired Ratusz (town hall), one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Northern Europe. In contrast to the brick architecture that characterized medieval Poland, this white, stone structure really stood out against its surroundings.

But the coolest thing by far about the Town Hall was that every day at noon, two mechanical koziółki (billy goats) emerge from the clock tower and butt heads twelve times to mark the hour. This is one of the most cherished events for citizens of Poznań and when we arrived at the square at 11:55 there were already several hundred people packing the area in front of the Ratusz in order to see the spectacle. It was so fun to see, and we couldn't help but wonder whether these koziółki were distant relatives of the Koziks!

The Feast of St. Martin draws several interesting traditions in Poznań, not least of which is the city's parade. This celebration includes marching bands, athletic teams, military units, and odd historically-themed floats. But the main event is St. Martin himself. St. Martin of Tours was a 5th-century Roman soldier who became a bishop in France. He is one of the patron saints of Poznań, and at the culmination of the parade he receives the "key to the city" from the mayor. Thousands of people packed the streets for this parade and we witnessed the key ceremony from in front of the 19th-century Imperial Castle.

Another excellent tradition for the Feast of St. Martin is the baking of rogale świętomarcinskie (St. Martin's Croissants). These amazing (and HUGE) pastries are filled with almond paste, glazed with vanilla, and topped with sesame seeds. They are patented and can only be made and sold in this region of Poland, especially around this holiday. It is estimated that Poznań bakes and sells around 250 tons, or 1.25 million rogali during this week alone. We split two of them for a late breakfast and were given a complimentary one following our dinner. So delicious!

During our short trip to this beautiful city we also got to see two incredibly ornate Baroque churches, an interactive scale model of the medieval city, the "new" (13th-century) royal castle, and a huge shopping mall converted from a former brewery. Poznań proved to be alive with cultural and historical significance, and populated by a citizenry that took true pride in their home - one of the most significant cities in Poland, especially historically. We had a terrific trip and can't wait to compare Poznań to the other gems of this complex and ever impressive country!