Poznan
(German Posen, before that the spellings Posna or Posnan were used) is a city now in west-central Poland with over 578,000 inhabitants (1999). Located by the Warta River, it is one of the oldest cities in present-day Poland, an important historical center and the capital of Greater Poland, the cradle of the Polish state, and Poland's capital in the mid-tenth century during the early Piast dynasty. Poznań's impressive cathedral is the earliest church in the country, containing the tombs of the first Polish rulers: duke Mieszko I and king Boleslaus the Brave. For a long time, it was also an important Prussian city.Today the city is a vibrant center for trade, industry, and education. Poznań is Poland's 5th largest city and 4th biggest industrial center. It is also the administrative capital of the Greater Poland Voivodship.
| Poznań | |||||
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| Motto: none | |||||
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| Voivodship | Greater Poland Voivodship | ||||
| Municipal government | Rada miasta Poznań | ||||
| Mayor | Ryszard Grobelny | ||||
| Area | 261,3 km2 | ||||
| Latitude Longitude | 52ð17'34'' N - 52ð30'27'' N 16ð44'08'' E - 17ð04'28'' E | ||||
| Population - total (2002) - population density>density | 578 900 2215/km² | ||||
| Area code | (+48) 61 | ||||
| Car registration marks | PO 0001 do PO 99999 | ||||
| Official site (in Polish) | |||||
Withouth the special characters, the name is sometimes also spelled Poznan in English, it is also referred to, in Polish language, as Stołeczne Miasto Poznań, German Haupt- und Residenzstadt Posen, Latin: Posnania, civitas Posnaniensis.
First mentions of the city name are by Thietmar in his chronicles: episcopus Poznaniensis ("Bishop of Poznań", 970) and ab urbe Poznani ("by" or "from the city Poznań", 1005).
The name probably comes from a personal name Poznan and means the Poznan's town. It is also possible the name comes directly from the verb poznać which means "to know, to recognize".
Main article: History of Poznań, see also: History of Poland
The city became part of Prussia in 1793, and, with exception from the years 1806-1815 during the Napoleonic Wars, remained German until 1920, when it was ceded to Poland.
The city was in the years 1815-1920 the capital of the Grand Duchy of Posen in the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1871 it became part of the German Empire. It became German again in 1939, and Polish again in 1945.
Poznań town hall
Goats on the town hall
Prussian "Posen garrison" strength:
Local government disctricts of Poznan
The annual Malta Theatre festival is probably the most characteristic cultural event of the city. Annual claasical music festival is held in the city, on which the Basel Boys Choir took part several times. to be continued...
Main article: Education in Poznań
Poznań is home to three major state-owned universities and a number of smaller, mostly private-run colleges and institutions of higher education. Adam Mickiewicz University (abbreviated UAM) is one of the most influential and biggest universities in Poland.
Poznań has been an important trade centre since the Middle Ages. In 19th century however local heavy industry became to grow. Several major factories were founded, including the steel mill and railway factory of Hipolit Cegielski.
Nowadays Poznań is one of the major centres of trade with Germany. Many Western-European companies started their Polish branches there or in the nearby localities of Tarnowo Podgórne and Swarzędz.
For a list of major Poznań-based corporations see Major corporations in Poznań
Since 1989 (the end of the communist era), Poznań municipality and metro area have invested heavily in infrastructure, especially transportation and improved public administration. This has effected in a massive investment from foreign companies in Poznań itself, as well as in communities west and south of Poznań (namely, Kornik and Tarnowo Podgorne).
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 & logistics industries. Foreign companies are primarely attracted by low labour costs, but also by the relatively good road and railway networks in the vicinity, good vocational skills of workers (heritage of the communist era) and relatively liberal employment laws. As compared with Germany, there are far fewer restrictions, e.g. on shop opening hours.
Worth noticing is also the positive attitude of public administration towards investments, and less annoying "red tape" than elsewhere in Poland.
Investment into transportation was mostly in the public transport area. While number of cars grew at least twice since 1989, the policy of improving public transport gave good effects. Limiting car access to the city centre, building new tram lines and investing in new rolling stock (such as modern Combino trams by Siemens and Solaris low-floor buses) actually increased ridership. This is a notable success, even considering that Polish society possesses about half of "old EU" purchasing power and thus not everybody can own a car.
Future investments into transportation include the construction of a "third ring road" around the city, and the completion of A2 (E30) highway towards Berlin. In the public transport area (and non-car transportation), further investment must be made into the development bicycle paths (and the linking of presently existing ones), and an attempt is presently made of developping Karlsruhe-style light rail system for commuters. All that is made more complicated (and more expensive) by the heavy neglect of transportation thruought communist era.
Name of the city
History
Historical population of Poznań
In Kingdom of Poland
1600: 20.000 inhabitants
ca 1650: 200-300 Scots
after Polish-Swedish war of 1655-57: 14.000 inhabitants
afterwards increase of population
1700–1709 Northern War, city captured and looted by the Swedes, the great plague kills 9000, some 75% of population
1716: city destroyed by Tarnogród Confedarates (Gniazdowski)
1732: 4.000 inhabitants, as recorded by Jan Rzepecki, city writer
1733: 6.000 inhabitants
1738: great flooding destroyes 60% of the city
1768–1772: fightings by the Bar Confederates and Prussian troops
economic upheaval
15.000 inhabitants as recorded by Council of Good Order (Komisja Dobrego Porządku)
before 1793: some 20% Germans, some 30% Jews (3000?)
1793: 12–13.000 inhabitants
1793-1800 integration of metropolitan area into one city
in Kingdom of Prussia
1816–1914 construction of Poznań Fortress, city area inside the fortifications on both sides of Warta river: 947 ha (9,47 km2)
1816: 18.000 inhabitants, 66% ethnic Polish Prussian burghers
1824: 22.000 inhabitants
1831: 31.000 inhabitants
1848: 42.000 inhabitants
1850: 43.000 inhabitants
1861: 51.000 inhabitants
1870: 54.400 inabitants
1871: 56.000 inhabitants (including the garrison)
1890: 66.000 inhabitants
1895: 73.200 inhabitants
1900: 117.000 inhabitants
1905: 136.800 inhabitants
1910: 156.700 inhabitants, including 58% Polish burghers
1848: 3.000 soldiers
1885: 4.200 soldiers
1910: 6.200 soldiers
1913: 10.000 soldiersin Poland
1939: 272.000 inhabitants
1939–1945 during WWII some 100.000 inhabitants resettled to GG
from 1990 migrations from the city to the surrounding areas of Poznań County
1990: 590.049 inhabitants
1995: 581 772 inhabitants
2000: 572.900 inhabitantsPopulation statistics 2002
31.03.2002: 571.571 inhabitants (inc. 305.567 women=53%),
2002: population density: 2187 inhabitants/sq.km
2002: city area 261,3 sq.kmPopulation Forecast 2020
2020 forecast: Poznań City 584.500 (small increase)
2020 forecast: Poznań County 305.500 (significant increase)
2020 forecast: Poznań Metro Area 890.000Famous people
Geography
Location
2002: city area 261,3 sq.km
geographical location: 52o17'34N-52o30'27N, 16o44'08E - 17o04'28E
highest point: Mt. Morasko 154 m asl
lowest point: Warta river valley: 60 m aslAdministrative division
Poznań metropolitan area, consisting of the autonomous towns of Poznań, Ostrów, Ostrówek, Środka, Chwaliszewo, Łacina, was integrated into one city in 1793–1800. Rapidly growing city was extended by the joining of the neighbouring villages of Grunwald, Łazarz, Górczyn, Jeżyce, Wilda, Winogrady, Piątkowo and Rataje. Today, Poznań is divided into 5 districts, which are further divided onto several dozens of neighbourhoods. The districts are:
Culture
Education
Economy
Politics
Municipal politics
Poznań constituency
Members of Sejm elected from Poznań constituency
Members of European Parliament elected from Poznań constituencySports
See also:
External links:
City Guides
Internet Directories
Economy
Science and Education
Genealogy
Culture and History
Sports