Poznań

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This article is about the city in Poland. For other uses, see Poznan (disambiguation).
Poznań
Poznań
Poznań
Flag of Poznań
Flag		 Coat of arms of Poznań
Coat of arms
Poznań is located in Poland
Poznań
Poznań
Coordinates: 52°24′N 16°55′E / 52.4°N 16.917°E / 52.4; 16.917
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Greater Poland
County city county
Established 8th century
Town rights 1253
Government
 - Mayor Ryszard Grobelny
Area
 - City 261.85 km2 (101.1 sq mi)
Highest elevation 154 m (505 ft)
Lowest elevation 60 m (197 ft)
Population (2006)
 - City 566,546
 - Density 2,163.6/km2 (5,603.8/sq mi)
 - Metro 855,894
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 60-001 to 61-890
Area code(s) +48 61
Car plates PO, POZ, PZ
Website http://www.poznan.pl/

Poznań [ˈpɔznaɲ] ( listen) (Latin: Posnania; German: Posen; Yiddish: פּױזן Poyzn) is a city in west-central Poland with over 567,882 inhabitants (2006). Located on the Warta River, it is one of the oldest cities in Poland, making it an important historical centre and a vibrant centre of trade, industry, and education. Poznań is Poland's fifth largest city and fourth biggest industrial centre. It is also the administrative capital of the Greater Poland Voivodeship.

Poznań's cathedral is the oldest in the country, containing the tombs of the first Polish rulers:Duke Mieszko I, King Boleslaus the Brave, King Mieszko II, Duke Casimir I the Restorer, Duke Przemysł I, and King Przemysł II.

Poznań was the host city for the United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place in December 2008. The conference was a key event in the creation of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

Poznań has The Royal-Imperial Route in Poznań — a tourist walk running through the most important parts of the city showing the history, culture and identity of the city.

Contents

[edit] Etymology

The name Poznań probably comes from a personal name Poznan (from the Polish participle poznan(y) — "one who is known/recognized") and would mean "Poznan's town." It is also possible that the name has came directly from the verb poznać, which means "to get to know" or "to recognize".

The earliest surviving references to the city were by Thietmar in his chronicles: Episcopus Poznaniensis ("Bishop of Poznań", 970) and Ab Urbe Poznani ("From the City of Poznań", 1005). Earlier spellings included Posna and Posnan, which have also historically been used in English.

The full official city name is The Capital City of Poznań (Polish: Stołeczne Miasto Poznań). Poznań is known as Posen in German, and officially was known as Haupt- und Residenzstadt Posen ("Capital and Residence City of Poznań") between 20 August 1910 and 28 November 1918. The Latin name of the city is Posnania and Civitas Posnaniensis. Its Yiddish name is פּױזן, or Poyzn.

[edit] History

Poznań Coat of Arms on the Medieval seal (1344)
Main article: History of Poznań

For centuries before the Christianization of Poland, Poznań was an important cultural and political centre of Polans. Mieszko I, the first historically proved ruler of Polans (rex ambulans - "moving ruler"), built one of his main stable head quarters in Poznań.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul is the oldest Polish cathedral, founded in Poznań during the latter half of the 10th century. The son of Mieszka I, Boleslaus the Brave, was crowned king in 1025 and the Kingdom of Poland was formed. Greater Poland became the 'cradle of the Polish state'; both: Mieszko I and Boleslaus I are buried in Poznań.

Lubrański Academy, the second Polish university (not a "full" university, in fact, as science students had to go to Kraków) was established in 1519.

Poznań (South facing view) ca. 1617 by Frans Hogenberg and Georg Braun's Civitates Orbis Terrarum, Köln 1618

Poznań was the capital of the Greater Poland region until it came under the dependency of Prussia in 1793 and its administrative area has been renamed to South Prussia. During the Greater Poland Uprising of 1806, Polish soldiers and civilian volunteers, assisted the efforts of Napoleon by driving out the occupying Prussian forces. The city became a part of the Duchy of Warsaw in 1807 and became a capital of the Poznań Department.

In 1814 Napoleon's defeat led to the Congress of Vienna, where the boundaries of Europe were once again redrawn. Greater Poland was returned to Prussia and became the capital of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Posen. From the time of the Revolutions of 1848, Poznań was the capital of the Prussian Province of Posen. It became part of the German Empire during the unification of German states in 1871.

Shortly after Imperial Germany's defeat in World War I, the Great Poland Uprising (1918–1919) liberated the city and the most of Greater Poland's land. The uprising lead to the creation of the Second Polish Republic, when Poznań became the capital of Poznań Voivodeship. 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 lies on the direct route from Warsaw to Berlin, the Red Army first besieged and then assaulted the German defenses, culminating in the assault on the Cytadela (citadelle) and resulting in serious damage to the city. Since the war's end, Poznań has been the capital of the surrounding area through administrative district boundary changes in 1957, 1975, and 1999; Poznań currently administrates Greater Poland Voivodeship, one of 16 provinces in Poland.

Anti-communist protests in 1956 took a part in liberalising the post-war communist regime.

Further information: History of Poland

[edit] Historical population

Detailed demographic tables: Historical population of Poznań

Historical population summary:

  • 1600: about 20,000 inhabitants
  • 1732: 4,000 inhabitants
  • 1793: 15,000 inhabitants before
  • 1875: 60,998 inhabitants
  • 1900: 117,033 inhabitants
  • 1918: 156,091 inhabitants [1]
  • 1939: 274,155 inhabitants
  • 1946: 268,000 inhabitants
  • 2000: 572,900 inhabitants
  • May 2002: 578,900 inhabitants

2020 population forecast:

  • Poznań City 584,500 (small increase)
  • Poznań County 305,500 (significant increase)
  • Poznań Metro Area 890,000

[edit] Geography

  • City area 261.3 km2 (100.9 sq mi) (2002)
  • Geographical location:
  • 52°17'34''N - 52°30'27''N
  • 16°44'08''E - 17°04'28''E
  • Highest point: Mt. Morasko 157 m (515 ft) asl
  • Lowest point: Warta river valley: 60 m (197 ft) asl

[edit] Administrative division

Local government districts of Poznań

The Poznań metropolitan area, consisting of the autonomous towns of Poznań, Ostrów, Ostrówek, Środka, Chwaliszewo, Łacina, was integrated into one city in 1793–1800. The rapidly growing city annexed the neighboring villages of Grunwald, Łazarz, Górczyn, Jeżyce, Wilda, Winogrady in 1900, Piątkowo and Rataje in later years. Nowadays Poznań is divided into five districts, which are further divided onto several dozens of neighborhoods. The districts are:

[edit] Economy

Stary Browar (Old Brewery) in Poznań

Poznań has been an important trade centre since the Middle Ages. Starting in the 19th century, local heavy industry began to grow. Several major factories were built, included the steel mill and railway factory of Hipolit Cegielski (see H. Cegielski - Poznań S.A.).

Nowadays Poznań is one of the major trade centres with Germany. Poznań is regarded to be the second most prosperous city in Poland (following Warsaw) with 202% of Poland's average GDP (PPP) per capita (2006). Many Western European companies started their Polish branches in Poznań, or in the nearby localities of Tarnowo Podgórne and Swarzędz. It is the site of annual Poznań International Fair.

Most foreign investors are German and Dutch companies (see "Major corporations" above), with a few others. Investors are mostly from the food processing, furniture, automotive and transport and logistics industries. Foreign companies are primarily attracted by low labour costs, but also by the relatively good road and railway network, good vocational skills of workers and relatively liberal employment laws. As compared with Germany, there are far fewer restrictions, e.g. on shop opening hours.

For a list of major Poznań-based corporations see Major corporations in Poznań

[edit] Culture

The annual Malta Theater Festival is probably the most typical cultural event of the city. There are also Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition (held every 5 years), the annual Classical Music Festival and the International Young Audience Film Festival "Ale Kino!"

[edit] Education

The Raczyński Library, 1822–1828
Main article: Education in Poznań

Poznań has few state-owned universities and a number of smaller, mostly private-run colleges and institutions of higher education. Adam Mickiewicz University (abbreviated UAM in Polish, AMU in English) is one of the most influential and biggest universities in Poland:

[edit] Scientific and regional organizations

[edit] Sports

Municipal stadium (during reconstruction)

[edit] Politics

[edit] Municipal politics

Poznań City Hall (Ratusz)

Since the end of the communist era in 1989, Poznań municipality and suburban area have invested heavily in infrastructure, especially public transport and administration. That results in a massive investment from foreign companies in Poznań as well as in communities west and south of Poznań (namely, Kórnik and Tarnowo Podgórne). One of the most important values of Poznań is the positive attitude of public administration towards investments, and less bureaucracy than elsewhere in Poland.

City investments into transportation was mostly into the public transport. While the number of cars since 1989 has at least doubled, the policy of improving public transport gave good effects. Limiting car access to the city center, building new tram lines (inc. Poznański Szybki Tramwaj) and investing in new rolling stock (such as modern Combino trams by Siemens and Solaris low-floor buses) actually increased the level of ridership. This is a notable success, even considering the fact that Polish society only possesses about half of the "old EU"'s purchasing power, hence not everybody can afford to own a car.

Future investments into transportation include the construction of a third bypass of Poznań, and the completion of A2 (E30) motorway towards Berlin. In the public transport (non-car transport), further investment are going to be made by the development cyclist lanes (and link of currently existing ones), and an attempt is currently made of developing Karlsruhe-style light rail system for commuters. All that is made more complicated (and more expensive) by the heavy neglect of transportation throughout communist era.

See also: Tramways in Poznań

[edit] Constituency

Members of Sejm elected in 2005 from Poznań constituency:

Members of European Parliament elected from Poznań constituency:

[edit] Notable residents

See also: Category:People from Poznań

[edit] International relations

[edit] Twin towns

Poznań is twinned with:[2]

[edit] Sister cities

Poznań has 2 sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

[edit] Gallery

Old Market Square

Combino tram in Poznań

Poznań — Ławica Airport

Royal Castle on the Hill of Przemysł

Baroque Collegiate Church, built between 1651–1701

Andersia Tower and Poznan Financial Centre

Poznań skyscrapers

Delta

Academy of Music

Półwiejska Street

Collegium Stomatologicum Poznań

Jesuits Collegium established by king Sigismund III Vasa in 1611

Ostrów Tumski: Cathedral (to the right) and Church of Our Lady

Renaissance merchant houses, 16th century

Poznań Old City Centre, North facing view

Poznań City Centre

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ German statistics for 1875–1918
  2. ^ "Poznań Official Website - Twin Towns". (in Polish) © 1998–2008 Urząd Miasta Poznania. http://www.poznan.pl/mim/public/publikacje/pages.html?co=list&id=19&ch=20&instance=1017&lang=pl. Retrieved on 2008-11-29. 

[edit] Bibliography

  • collective work, Poznań. Dzieje, ludzie kultura, Poznań 1953
  • Robert Alvis, Religion and the Rise of Nationalism: A Profile of an East-Central European City, Syracuse University Press, Syracuse 2005
  • K. Malinowski (red.), Dziesięć wieków Poznania, t.1, Dzieje społeczno-gospodarcze, Poznań 1956
  • collective work, Poznań, Poznań 1958
  • collective work, Poznań. Zarys historii, Poznań 1963
  • Cz. Łuczak, Życie społeczno-gospodarcze w Poznaniu 1815–1918, Poznań 1965
  • J. Topolski (red.), Poznań. Zarys dziejów, Poznań 1973
  • Zygmunt Boras, Książęta Piastowscy Wielkopolski, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Poznań 1983
  • Jerzy Topolski (red.), Dzieje Poznania,Wydawnictwo PWN, Warszawa - Poznań 1988
  • Alfred Kaniecki, Dzieje miasta wodą pisane, Wydawnictwo Aquarius, Poznań 1993
  • Witold Maisel (red.), Przywileje miasta Poznania XIII-XVIII wieku. Privilegia civitatis Posnaniensis saeculorum XIII-XVIII. Władze Miasta Poznania, Poznańskie Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Nauk, Wydawnictwa Żródłowe Komisji Historycznej, Tom XXIV, Wydawnictwo PTPN, Poznań 1994
  • Wojciech Stankowski, Wielkopolska, Wydawnictwo WSiP, Warszawa 1999
  • Gotthold Rhode : Geschichte der Stadt Posen

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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