The former residence of Emperor Wilhelm II now has a variety of functions - it also houses a gallery, cinema and concert hall. "The Castle" is also counted among the most important monuments of Poznań.
The Imperial Palace was the most important and largest structure built in the early twentieth century in Greater Poland. It was built under the initiative of the Prussian authorities to raise the importance of Poznań. In 1910 Emperor Wilhelm II officially handed over the keys to the castle. At the end of World War I, the castle became the property of the Polish state. In the interwar period it was one of the official residences of Polish presidents and the seat of newly created University of Poznań. During World War II, the castle was rebuilt for the purposes of Adolph Hitler. During the liberation of Poznań the castle, like other downtown buildings, was seriously damaged. This fact, but above all the experience of the occupation, has resulted in proposals for demolition or rebuilding. These events caused the lowering of the tower by about one-third of its original height. During the early post-war years the castle continued to serve the University and later became the seat of the city authorities. Since 1962 it has acted as a cultural centre.
Visiting castle
The building is open to visitors all year round in the hours: from 11:00-19:00 it is possible to see the courtyards and halls and antique furniture exhibited there. Guided tours of the castle are held on one Sunday of each month (except in July and August) and during the night there is also a sightseeing tour.
"The Castle" is a cultural centre
In "the Castle" around 700 events take place every year: exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, theatre performances, meetings, educational workshops. "The Castle" pursues a variety of outdoor events: the "Days of St. Martin Name Street", "St. John Fair", City New Year's Eve and the final of "The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity". All this makes the "The Castle" Cultural Centre today the largest institution of dissemination of culture in Poznań, directing its program to a wide audience.