According to tradition, the hill known today as św. Wojciecha (St Adalbert) Hill was where bishop Adalbert preached in 996-997 before becoming a martyr and the first church was built here in 1222. Today's church was built in the 15th century as a single nave Gothic edifice and the side naves were added in the next century. At the turn of the 16th century the church was provided with Renaissance gables and extended by St Anthony Chapel in the south. During WWII it was one of the two churches (the other one being Our Lady of Sorrows Church in the borough of Łazarz) where Polish people were allowed to worship. It was destroyed during the fighting to liberate the city in 1945 and rebuilt shortly after.
It is a three - nave church with stellar vaulting. The interior is adorned with secessionist polychromy by Antoni Procajłowicz from 1911-12. The high altar - stylised to make it look Gothic - dates from 1953. In its central compartment there is a 15th century Gothic relief of Ascension of Virgin Mary, attributed to a Wit Stwosz disciple. In the side naves there are three late Renaissance altars; the one in the south nave features a 16th century Italian school painting Mourning Christ. The imitation - stone pulpit, adorned by reliefs depicting outstanding Polish preachers, was made in 1925 by Marcin Rożek. In the south nave there are four coffin portraits from the 17th century and a marble sarcophagus of Karol Marcinkowski, also created by Marcin Rożek. In St Anthony's Chapel on the south side (the passage has an impressive 17th century lattice) there are numerous epitaphs for national heroes and distinct Great Poland citizens. One of the attractions of the church is the Nativity with the crib from Bethlehem and 102 statues featuring Polish kings and heroes, eminent scientists, writers and musicians.
In 1923 a Memorial Crypt was created in the church vaults, popularly known as "Skałka Poznańska". There are the mortal remains of many famous and important Poles, among them Józef Wybicki (1747-1822); cofounder of the Polish Legions in Italy and author of Polish national anthemn.
On the outside walls of the church and on the perimeter wall there are many commemorative plaques of eminent Great Poland citizens, including those of Klaudyna Potocka, Emilia Sczaniecka, Aniela Tułodziecka, and the Divisional Commander of Polish National Army, Colonel Henryk Kowalówka. In front of the church there is a wooden 17th century shingled belfry with three bells.