Visit fortifications in Poznań
The next edition of Poznan Fortress Days will take place on 26 and 27 August 2017. In the meantime we invite you to visit those of venues that are available during winter.
Fort VII - Museum of Wielkopolska Martyrs
The Museum of Wielkopolska Martyrs is housed in Fort VII – Colomb. Fort VII – Colomb was built in 18761880. Until 1918 it played an important role in Prussian plans for defending the city and the eastern border of the 2nd Reich. In the inter -war period it acted as an ammunition magazine. During Hitler’s occupation, Fort VII became the first concentration camp on Polish soil. Although it was officially a prison and holding camp for civilians, it was in reality a death camp.
Museum of ‘Pozna
ń’ Army
The museum collects historical artifacts and literature related to the participation of the ‘Poznań’ Army in the September 1939 campaign. The permanent exhibition facility entitled "The faithful oath" commemorates the combat route of the army with particular emphasis on the Battle of Bzura (9-16 September 1939), and as its commander Maj.-Gen. Tadeusz Kutrzeba.
Museum of Arms 
The Museum of Arms is located on the premises of the former Fort Winiary (the Poznań Citadel), which was built by the Prussians from 1828 to 1842. The Museum is housed in a Military Laboratory bunker added on in 1872. The bunker, which has survived as it was originally built, houses a display of militaries, documents, photographs, maps and items recovered from the Poznań fortifications. The biggest attraction of its permanent exhibition are its outdoor displays of military equipment.
The Genius Loci Archaeological Reserve
The Genius Loci Archaeological Reserve is the place which showcases early-Piast period fortification and castle relics. The section presented in the Reserve was built at the end of the 10th century as city fortifications and allows to experience its magnitude as well as get to know the engineering thought behind the actions of medieval defence architecture designers. In the area the remains of a 16th century fortification investment can be seen.
The Cathedral Sluice
The Cathedral Sluice as one of the fortress’s first hydraulic structures was a part of Ostrów Tumski’s reinforcements. Completed largely in 1834-1838, it mostly had the function of a weir in the case of flooding danger from the waters of Cybina river. It also enabled communication between Tum and Śródka. Today it became a part of Porta Posnania.
Air raid shelter in Wilson Park
In Park Wilsona (Wilson Park) there are three raid shelters built in 1944 for Germans who lived in the luxurious apartment buildings in Matejki Street at the time. The shelter which is open to the public is by the gate from Matejki side and has two larger entrances as well as one emergency exit. It is made up of a series of narrow, winding passages with a total length of 110 metres. The facility was only discovered in 1998 during the renovation work of Park Wilsona and Palmiarnia ( the Palm House).
