Poland, Poznan

Poznań is a city in west-central Poland with over 567,882 inhabitants (2006). Located by 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.

History

Mieszko I, the first known duke of the Polans, built one of his castles 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 city would become the capital of Greater Poland.

Poznań was the capital of the Greater Poland area when it came under the control of Prussia in 1793 and had its administrative area renamed to South Prussia. During the Greater Poland Uprising of 1806, local Polish resistance fighters rebelled, thereby assisting the efforts of Napoleon while simultaneously driving out the occupying Prussian forces.

Shortly after Imperial Germany's defeat in World War I, the Great Poland Uprising (1918-1919) occurred, leading to the creation of the Second Polish Republic, in which Poznań became the capital of Poznań Voivodeship.

Etymology

The name Poznań probably comes from a personal name Poznan (from the Polish participle poznan(y)) and would mean "Poznan's town." It is also possible the name comes 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 ("by" or "from the city Poznań", 1005).

Economy

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

Today Poznań is one of the major centers of trade with Germany. Many Western European companies started their Polish branches in Poznań, or in the nearby localities of Tarnowo Podgórne and Swarzędz.

Culture

The annual Malta Theater festival is probably the most characteristic cultural event of the city. There are also Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition (held every 5 years), and Classical Music Festival (annual).