Jump to content

Poznań Town Hall: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Appleseed (talk | contribs)
No edit summary
grammar; cleanup; wikification; link
Line 1: Line 1:
<small>''[[Image:Loggia_Ratusz_Poznan.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Loggia]] of Poznań's Town Hall]]''</small>
{{wikify-date|August 2006}}
The '''Poznań City Hall''' is a structure in [[Poznań]] that was used as the city's administration building till [[1939]]. The Hall faces west towards the [[Warta River]]. Its characteristic [[loggia]] is ornately decorated.

==History==
==History==
[[Poznań]]'s Town Hall was first documented in [[1310]] as 'Domus Consulum.' The building was completed in [[1300]] under the reign of [[Wacław II Czeski]]. It was a one story building built upon a raised quadrangle. The cellars remain from this period of construction. Renovations were made in the [[15th century]]. The interior was remodeled [[1504]]-[[1508]].
[[Poznań]]'s Town Hall (Ratusz) was first documented in [[Latin]] in [[1310]] as ''Domus Consulum''. The building was completed in [[1300]] during the reign of [[Wacław II Czeski]]. It was a one-story building built upon a raised [[quadrangle]]. The cellars remain from this period of construction. Renovations were made in the [[15th century]]. The interior was remodeled between [[1504]]-[[1508]].

The eagle, which survived WWII in hiding, returned to the tower in [[1947]]. The current mechanism behind the goats from the end of the [[20th century]]. The goats bump heads each day at 12:00.

==External Description==


Between the [[Arcade (architecture) |arcade]] [[column | columns]] are paired female allegories to [[virtues]]:
<small>''[[Image:Loggia_Ratusz_Poznan.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Loggia of Poznań's Town Hall]]''</small>

The Town Hall faces west - toward the [[Warta River]]. Its characteristic [[loggia]] is ornately decorated. Between the [[Arcade (architecture) |arcade]] [[column | columns]] are paired female allegories to [[virtues]]:


*[[Patience]] (''paciencia'') - with a lamb and [[Prudence]] (''prudencia'') with a mirror
*[[Patience]] (''paciencia'') - with a lamb and [[Prudence]] (''prudencia'') with a mirror
Line 16: Line 12:
* [[Courage]] (''fortitudo'') with a broken column and (''emperancia'') pouring water from a vase into a bowl
* [[Courage]] (''fortitudo'') with a broken column and (''emperancia'') pouring water from a vase into a bowl
<br>The last pair is of two famous women from the Ancient World:
<br>The last pair is of two famous women from the Ancient World:
*[[Lucretia]] (''Lucrecia'') with a spear through her own breast [[Cleopatra]] (''Cleapairi'') with snakes twisted around her arms.
*[[Lucretia]] (''Lucrecia'') with a spear through her own breast
*[[Cleopatra]] (''Cleapairi'') with snakes twisted around her arms.


==Fresco==
Between the ground and first floors runs a fresco in [[Latin]] text serving as a warning to judges
Between the ground and first floors runs a fresco in [[Latin]] text serving as a warning to judges
<small>''[[Image:Ratusz Poznan od Wielkiej.jpg|thumb|right|200px|View of Town hall from ul. Wielka]]''</small>
<small>''[[Image:Ratusz Poznan od Wielkiej.jpg|thumb|right|200px|View of Town hall from ul. Wielka]]''</small>
Line 32: Line 30:
*[[Heraclitus]]
*[[Heraclitus]]


==Other features==
The [[Attic style | attic]] shows a list of rulers of the [[Jagiellon Dynasty | Jagiełło Dynasty]] from [[Władysław II Jagiełło]] and [[Jadwiga of Poland]] to [[Sigismund II Augustus]]. In the middle of the parapet there is a small tower with a clock and a mechanism that controls two goats. Below that is the monogram of [[Stanisław August Poniatowski]].
The [[Attic style | attic]] shows a list of rulers of the [[Jagiellon Dynasty | Jagiełło Dynasty]] from [[Władysław II Jagiełło]] and [[Jadwiga of Poland]] to [[Sigismund II Augustus]]. In the middle of the [[parapet]] there is a small tower with a clock and a mechanism that controls two [[goat|goats]]. Below that is the monogram of [[Stanisław August Poniatowski]].


==Internal Description==
==Internal Description==
Line 40: Line 39:


==Legend of the Crow King==
==Legend of the Crow King==
One day Bolko, son of the tower's trumpeter, found a [[crow]] whose wing had been shot through. The boy felt pity for the crow, took him to his home and took care of him. One night the boy was awoken by a gnome wearing a crown and purple cape. He thanked the boy for his kindness and handed him a small gold trumpet. The gnome told the boy to blow it when he was in danger. After these words he changed himself into a crow and flew away. A few years later, when Bolko took the place of his father as the tower's trumpeter, Poznań was attacked by a foreign army. When the attackers were already climbing up the city walls, the boy remembere about the Crow King's present. He ran to the top of the tower and began to play the trumpet. Dark clouds began to gather on the horizon, which turned out to be an enormous murder of crows. They fell upon the attacking army, forcing it into retreat. The golden trumpet was lost as Bolko dropped it due to his astonishment.
One day Bolko, son of the tower's [[trumpeter]], found a [[crow]] whose wing had been shot through. The boy felt pity for the crow, took him to his home and took care of him. One night the boy was awoken by a [[gnome]] wearing a [[crown]] and purple [[cape]].
The gnome thanked the boy for his kindness and handed him a small gold [[trumpet]]. The gnome told the boy to blow it when he was in danger. After these words he changed himself into a [[crow]] and flew away. A few years later, when Bolko took the place of his father as the tower's trumpeter, Poznań was attacked by a foreign army.
When the attackers were already climbing up the city walls, the boy remembered the Crow King's present. He ran to the top of the tower and began to play the trumpet. Dark clouds began to gather on the horizon, which turned out to be an enormous murder of crows. They fell upon the attacking army, forcing it into retreat. The golden trumpet was lost as Bolko dropped it due to his astonishment.

==External links==
*[http://www.info-poland.buffalo.edu/exhib/poznan/Ratusz.html Poznań: The Town Hall]


[[Category:Poznań]]
[[Category:Poznań]]

Revision as of 17:51, 20 December 2006

Loggia of Poznań's Town Hall

The Poznań City Hall is a structure in Poznań that was used as the city's administration building till 1939. The Hall faces west towards the Warta River. Its characteristic loggia is ornately decorated.

History

Poznań's Town Hall (Ratusz) was first documented in Latin in 1310 as Domus Consulum. The building was completed in 1300 during the reign of Wacław II Czeski. It was a one-story building built upon a raised quadrangle. The cellars remain from this period of construction. Renovations were made in the 15th century. The interior was remodeled between 1504-1508.

Between the arcade columns are paired female allegories to virtues:

  • Patience (paciencia) - with a lamb and Prudence (prudencia) with a mirror
  • Charity(charitas) with two children and Justice (iusticia) with a weight and sword
  • Faith (fides) with a chalice and sword and Hope (spes) with a thurible and the sun
  • Courage (fortitudo) with a broken column and (emperancia) pouring water from a vase into a bowl


The last pair is of two famous women from the Ancient World:

  • Lucretia (Lucrecia) with a spear through her own breast
  • Cleopatra (Cleapairi) with snakes twisted around her arms.

Fresco

Between the ground and first floors runs a fresco in Latin text serving as a warning to judges

View of Town hall from ul. Wielka

Below the first floor runs a strip of medallions with famous faces from the Ancient World:

Other features

The attic shows a list of rulers of the Jagiełło Dynasty from Władysław II Jagiełło and Jadwiga of Poland to Sigismund II Augustus. In the middle of the parapet there is a small tower with a clock and a mechanism that controls two goats. Below that is the monogram of Stanisław August Poniatowski.

Internal Description

The town hall currently contains The Poznań Museum of History a subdivision of The National Museum in Poznań.

Cellars

They were built between the 13th and 14th centuries. Initially it was one large room centered around a column. Later this was separated into four different rooms.

Legend of the Crow King

One day Bolko, son of the tower's trumpeter, found a crow whose wing had been shot through. The boy felt pity for the crow, took him to his home and took care of him. One night the boy was awoken by a gnome wearing a crown and purple cape.

The gnome thanked the boy for his kindness and handed him a small gold trumpet. The gnome told the boy to blow it when he was in danger. After these words he changed himself into a crow and flew away. A few years later, when Bolko took the place of his father as the tower's trumpeter, Poznań was attacked by a foreign army.

When the attackers were already climbing up the city walls, the boy remembered the Crow King's present. He ran to the top of the tower and began to play the trumpet. Dark clouds began to gather on the horizon, which turned out to be an enormous murder of crows. They fell upon the attacking army, forcing it into retreat. The golden trumpet was lost as Bolko dropped it due to his astonishment.