Ansicht von Posen.

Title

Ansicht von Posen.

Description

Hand-colored panoramic view of the Polish city of Posen (Poznań).

ca. 1880

Artist

Anonymus

Historical Description

Poznań, known in German as Posen, is one of the oldest and historically most important cities in Poland. The city lies on the Warta River and played a central role in the formation of the Polish state as early as the 10th century. On the cathedral island of Ostrów Tumski, one of Poland’s earliest important Christian centres was established. Several of the first Polish rulers were buried in Poznań Cathedral. During the Middle Ages, Poznań developed into an important centre of trade and commerce. In 1253, the city was granted Magdeburg rights. The area around today’s Old Market Square became the economic centre of the city, with its magnificent Town Hall. A turbulent period began at the end of the 18th century. During the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, Poznań became part of Prussia. After the Napoleonic Wars, the city returned to Prussian rule in 1815 and became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Posen. Following the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, Posen became part of the German Empire, while still retaining a large Polish population.