1. THE FORMER KAISER'S CASTLE

The neo-Romanesque Castle of Wilhelm II follows a design by Franz Schwechten. Its western wing originally served as the living quarters of the imperial family while the eastern one housed their grand throne room. The large tower with the Emperor's entrance served as Castle chapel. The Castle adjoined a garden, today serving as a park with a monument commemorating Katyń and Siberia victims. The neighboring Rose Courtyard holds a fountain modeled after the Granada Fountain of Lions. The Castle was officially handed over to Emperor Wilhelm II in 1910. During the time between the two world wars, the building served as a residence of the President of Poland. Some of its premises were taken up by a university, the Alma Mater of the three mathematicians who cracked the Nazi Enigma code (a monument to their memory stands in front of the Castle). During World War II, the Castle's interiors were remodeled extensively to serve as a residence to Hitler (who never set foot there). After the war, the tower was shortened while the neo-Romanesque style of the building was preserved. Today, the building's main tenant is the "Zamek" Culture Centre.

2. ADAM MICKIEWICZ SQUARE

The Square was once a common venue of official events and a center of local community life, its significance reflected in the monuments erected on its premises. These included the statue of Otto von Bismarck set up during the Prussian time and the Monument of Gratitude for Regained Independence unveiled after World War I. Today, the Square is graced by Adam Mickiewicz Statue and a monument commemorating the events of June 1956. It was in Poznań in June 1956 that the local workers staged Poland's first protests against the communist rule demanding "God, freedom, rule of law and bread". It is also the place where Pope John Paul II met Polish youth during his 1997 pilgrimage. The Square abuts on Adam Mickiewicz Park featuring an impressive fountain and a sycamore tree alley.

3. COLLEGIUM MINUS AND ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM (the former Royal Academy)

Established in 1903, the Royal Academy of Poznań was an institution of higher learning without university rights set up to educate German youth. Its grand auditorium and the adjoining school building were built in the German Renaissance style. It now houses the Rector's Office of Adam Mickiewicz University (established in 1919). In front of the Office is the monument called Heliodor Święcicki's Bench in the memory of the University's first president. Known for its superb acoustics, the Auditorium is a frequent venue of academic events and concerts, including those by the Poznań Philharmonic, the Stefan Stuligrosz Poznań Nightingales Choir and the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio. Held every five years is the world's oldest international violin competition, this one Named after Henryk Wieniawski.

4. COLLEGIUM IURIDICUM OF ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY (the former Raiffeisen Cooperative Bank)

The building bears distinctive features of the Renaissance style. Other than the Bank, the building has housed a restaurant, a beer house, a wine bar and a casino. Its agricultural origins are brought out by the sculptures in the main portal representing a stack of cereal hay, poultry and a bee hive.

5. IGNACY JAN PADEREWSKI MUSICAL ACADEMY (the former Evangelical House)

This Evangelical Municipality building once housed grand meeting rooms, a hotel with a kitchen, a library with a reading room, a number of stores and a bank. The building was expanded towards the end of the 20th century. Adjoining it today is Aula Nova, a state-ofthe-art concert hall constructed in 2006.

6. FORMER CREDIT SOCIETY AND POSTAL SERVICE BOARD

The neo-Romanesque buildings of the Credit Society and the Postal Service Board stylistically complemented Kaiser's Castle. The personified post office in the Kościuszki Street portal and figures of postal-trumpet- and rake-toting boys on the side of Św. Marcin Street serve as reminders of the designated use of the building which to this day houses a post office and a bank.

7.    THE GRAND (WIELKI) THEATRE (formerly the Municipal Theatre)

The German Municipal Theatre was officially opened in 1910. A decade later, after the revival of the Polish state, it was launched with the performance of Halka (Helen) by Stanisław Moniuszko. Within The space of a century, the Theatre staged hundreds of opera, ballet, operetta and musical productions, including the Polish world premiere of Harnasie (The Highlanders) by Karol Szymanowski and Czarna maska (The Black Mask) by Krzysztof Penderecki. The facade of this neo-Classicist building is adorned by a portico with six columns topped with a sculpture of Pegasus. Flanking its front
entrance are figures of a woman seated on a lion and a youngster walking by the side of a panther.

8. COLLEGIUM MAIUS OF ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY (the former seat of the Royal Colonization Commission)

The Settlement Commission was established in the 1880s to buy out farms from Poles and pass them on to German colonists. The building erected to house it took the form of a neo-Baroque palace. Its decoration was to stress the role of German settlements on Polish land whose agricultural nature is reflected in the sculptures of a harvester woman and a plower on its western portal. Today, the building houses the Department of Polish and Classical Philology of Adam Mickiewicz University and the Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences.

9. CHURCH OF THE HOLY SAVIOUR (formerly Church of St. Paul)

This neo-Gothic church was designed for Evangelicals in the western part of town. Although erected before the construction of the Castle Quarter began, it fits well into its overall scheme. In keeping with the intention of its founders, it was to dominate the surrounding area and dwarf Polish churches with its slender tower. After World War II, the temple was surrendered to the local Catholics.