Town Hall - Museum of Poznań

*Currently undergoing restoration, the Town Hall is closed until 2027/28.

The show-stealing Town Hall presents the history of Poznań from the 10th to mid-16th-century, as well as the history of the Town Hall itself. This mid-16th century moment is not accidental - it marks the time in the city's history when Italian architect Giovanni Battista di Quadro transformed the building from a modest Gothic Town Hall into the masterpiece of Renaissance architecture it is today. The ground floor and basement exhibits are thusly titled 'Poznań Before Quadro,' and it's worth noting that one of these basement levels was once at ground level; the surface of the market square has risen an incredible 3 metres since medieval times. Amongst the exhibits in this part of the museum, visitors will see the keystone where all of the vaults of the basement meet, which bears the Bohemian coat of arms from the early 14th century, as well as the city's original pillory, and relics of lost Poznań landmarks like the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, which once stood on Plac Kolegiacki. On the ground floor is the Studio Warehouse, where visitors will see a wide range of artefacts related to the museum's history, including the red star that was once affixed to the top of the obelisk in Citadel Park, and the goats that butted heads on the Town Hall tower from 1911 to 1992.

The upper floors showcase some of Poland's finest Renaissance interiors, the undisputed highlight of which is the Great Hall (Sala Wielka), whose spectacular ornate decoration and coffered vaults supported by two huge pillars are truly dazzling. The tableaux are inspired by the bible, astrology and figures from mythology, and absolutely worth seeing once their ongoing renovation is completed (late-2027 at the earliest).

A free audioguide (in Polish and English) is available upon request.
Average visiting time: 30mins.