Poznan

Poznan is one of the oldest cities in Poland. It is here in the Wielkopolska region that the Polish State was born more than 1000 years ago. It is not the most typical Polish city as it belonged to both Poles and Germans in the past. Nowadays we can still hear a subdialect called "gwara poznanska" influenced by the period of the German rule. Poznan has a variety of architectural styles - Modernism goes hand in hand with Renaissance and Gothic. Landmarks such as the Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul or Poznan Main Market Square attract a vast number of visitors throughout the year. Every day at noon people gather next to the Town Hall to watch the traditional duel of the Town Hall goats – the number one symbol of the city. When it comes to food, a regional specialty of Poznan is St. Martin’s croissant. The tradition of baking this goody started in pagan times when dough rolled in the shape of ox horns was sacrificed to the gods. Now it is mostly associated with St.Martin's Day celebrated in November. You can buy this delicious treat in local shops and bakeries.