About Poznan
Poznan has been an East - West market place for a thousand years. Medieval merchants made a great point of bringing their wares here each year on St. John's Day (24 June) and the tradition has continued. The important International Trade Fair, held here since 1922, has become in recent years one of the most prestigious events of its kind in Europe.
Poznan (population of 581.000) began as a small settlement clustered around a wooden castle on the island, which was subsequently, called Ostrow Tumski early in the 19th century. During the formation of the Polish State in the 10th and 11th centuries the city played a significant role in Poland. The first bishopric in Poland was founded there in 968. The new town was founded on the left bank of the Warta River in 1253. Thanks to its excellent geographical position in the 15th and 16th centuries Poznan became one of the most important commercial centers in Europe. Following the partitions of Poland and the Congress of Vienna (1815) Poznan was annexed by Prussia, and became a center of opposition against the ruthless Prussian policy of Germanification.
