Poznań Town Hall is a lovely Renaissance building, one of the finest in Poland. The hall now houses the Historical Museum of Poznań, which examines the city’s history from the 10th century to the present. Don’t miss the building’s set of mechanical goats, which famously butt their horns together at noon each day.
Originally constructed in the early 14th century, the building was redesigned by Italian architect Giovanni Battista di Quadro in the 1500s. A series of disasters, including a fire, a hurricane and a bomb, have left very little of the original building standing today. The hall has been rebuilt to recreate its Renaissance-era appearance, when it was known as one of the most beautiful buildings north of the Alps. Notice the crowned eagle on top of the tall spire, a reference to the Polish coat of arms.
Stop here at noon, when two metal goats emerge from a set of small doors above the building’s clock. Goats have been butting heads at noon since 1551. The current pair dates from 1954. Listen to the legends related to the origin of these creatures, with the most popular story involving two goats escaping before being cooked for a celebratory banquet in honour of the new clock. The goats supposedly clashed horns in front of the guests and the clockmaker was ordered to add their image to the piece.
Visit the Historical Museum of Poznań, which is housed inside the hall’s early Gothic cellars. The exhibits range from a 16th-century table clock decorated with the city’s coat of arms to 20th-century photographs of the hall taken during Nazi occupation, when it was adorned with swastikas.
Raise your eyes to admire the building’s Great Entrance Hall, where an ornate vaulted ceiling rests on two enormous pillars. The hall is beautifully decorated with Renaissance artwork inspired by the Bible, mythology and astrology, including evocative depictions of lions, griffins and eagles.
Poznań Town Hall is open from Tuesday to Sunday, with opening hours varying by season. Get here by tram or bus. Arrange your visit for a Saturday to take advantage of free admission.
