Poznań Town Hall

Poznań Town Hall or Ratusz is a building in the city of Poznań in western Poland, located in the Old Market Square (Stary Rynek) in the centre of the Old Town neighbourhood. It served as the city's administrative building until 1939, and now houses a museum. The town hall was originally built in the late 13th century following the founding of the medieval city in 1253; it was rebuilt in roughly its present-day form, in mannerist style, with an ornate loggia, by Giovanni Battista di Quadro in 1550–1560. The display of mechanical fighting goats, played out daily at noon above the clock on the front wall of the building, is one of the city's main tourist attractions.


The town hall was originally constructed as the administrative building of the city founded on the left bank of the Warta in 1253. It was completed around 1300, during the reign of Wacław II Czeski , and was first documented in Latin in 1310 as Domus Consulum.It was a one-storey Gothic building built upon a raised quadrangle . The cellars remain from this period of construction. The building was extended in the 15th century, and at the turn of the century a tower was built at the north-western corner. The interior was remodeled between 1504 and 1508.
In 1536 the city suffered a major fire, which did serious damage to the town hall. Repair work was carried out in 1540–1542, particularly to the tower, but it remained unsafe. In 1550 the city' council commissioned Giovanni Battista di Quadro to carry out a major rebuilding. The work lasted until 1560. Di Quadro added an upper storey, extended the building towards the west, and added attic walls and a three-storey loggia. A new clock (installed 1551) was made with three full faces and one half-face, and with goats added as a "comic element".

In 1675 the tower, clock and goats were destroyed by lightning. The tower was rebuilt in 1690 to a height of 90 metres (300 ft). The top of the towerwas destroyed in a hurricane of 1725. In 1781–1784 major renovation was carried out on the building thanks to the efforts of the city's "Committee of Good Order", and it obtained the basic form which it presents today. A Classical style tower roof was designed by Bonawentura Solari, and on the top was a white eagle with a two-metre wing span. On the eastern elevation Franciszek Cielecki painted Jagiellonian kings, and under the central turret was placed a cartouche with the king's initials "SAR" ( Stanislaus Augustus Rex ).

The next major renovation was carried out in 1910–1913 (during the period of German rule), when black rustication was used to give the building a more "northern German" style. The original late renaissance polychromy was destroyed. An additional storey was added and the goats, which had been absent since 1675, were restored to the tower in 1913. In October 1943 the Town Hall was the scene of Heinrich Himmler 's Posen speeches . Following major damage in the Battle of Poznań (1945) , the Town Hall was again rebuilt in 1945–1954, when the Renaissance character of the elevations was restored (and extracts from the constitution of the Polish People's Republic were added to the text displayed on the attic wall). The eagle, which had been kept hidden during the war, was returned to the tower in 1947. The mechanism that drives the goats was replaced in 1954, and again at the end of the century. Renovation carried out in 1992–2002 largely restored the building to its post-1784 appearance.

Today the mechanical goats' butting display is performed daily at noon, preceded by the striking of the clock and the playing of a traditional bugle call (hejnał) . At other hours between 7 am and 9 pm the same call is played on a carillon, installed in the tower in 2003. The daily appearance of the goats is one of Poznań's best-known tourist attractions.

Source of description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poznań_Town_Hall wikipedia

This object belongs to Poznań Old Town

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patryk
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funny symbol of the city There are 2 funny looking goats that hit each other every day at 12. If you manage to wake up 'so early' than you can spend rest of the day visiting the Old City, seeing the Cathedral where are buried first kings of Poland, lake Malta and many other interesting places. rating 1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 2011-08-08 21:04:28
Price definition of price normal : 5.50 child : 3.50 (age <7) youth : 3.50 (age 7<) student : 3.50 (age <26)
Geographical coordinates 52.4086110, 16.9341670
Address Poznań, Stary Rynek
Construction dates 1253 - 2002
Height 90.00

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