Museum of Armaments Poznan in Park Cytadela via @fotostrasse

Park Cytadela is a huge park that stands where Fort Winiary used to be. This was the main fort from what used to be Festung Posen, Poznan’s last defensive structure. Now, it is a park and the park is huge. There you can find the Museum of Armaments Poznan, Poznań Old Garrison Cemetery, and a lot more. Here we are going to talk about some of these places, starting with Muzeum Uzbrojenia, Museum of Armaments Poznan in English.

Once we decided to spend a few days in Poznan, our attention was grabbed by the fantastic Park Cytadela. We already wrote something about this beautiful Polish park, but there is a lot more to this place than just a park.

Museum of Armaments Poznan

The Museum of Armaments Poznan, known in Polish as Muzeum Uzbrojenia, is where you can learn more about Poznan’s military history. With a strong focus on the Second World War and the interwar period, this museum is made for those interested in what happened to this part of Poland.

There, you can see several items on display, from old military uniforms to weapons and bullets to newspaper cuttings and lots of photos that tell the history of this beautiful Polish city and how it was scarred by war. But the Museum of Armaments Poznan is not limited to those eras. There, you can see older artifacts that date to 1897. This museum is perfect for those interested in weapons and the army, from bullets and weapons to storage devices.

The only complaint we have is that everything is in Polish. We would be completely lost if we didn’t have our favorite Polish tour guide, Jacek Kubiak.

When you buy the ticket to visit the Museum of Armaments Poznan, it also includes the entrance to the Museum of Armaments, and you will love this museum even more.

When I went to Poznan, the little I knew about the city was focused on the German military past and most of it was centered on Fort Winiary. This is how the old fortified area north of Poznan was called when it was built in the 19th century when the city was still under Prussian rule.

Outside, things start to get bigger and bigger, and this is where you can see the big soviet machines. There, you will see how the remains of this old Prussian fort became the perfect place to store and exhibit a lot of military engines.

At the Museum of Armaments, you will be able to see a lot of war machines that changed the history of Europe and the Second World War. From the famous Katyusha rocket launcher to a MIG-15, from a T-34 tank to bomber planes. This museum is fascinating and must be a fantastic place for every military buff worldwide.

As you can see in the pictures here, you can get close to many military machines that you wouldn’t see anywhere in the world. This place is a must-see.

The admission to those two museums is 6/3zł, which is a little less than 2EUR, and you can get in for free on Fridays.

Where to stay in Poznan?

Once we decided to go to Poznan, we wanted to find a place that would be central but not noisy and where we could walk around the city without worrying about our lack of polish. This is why we decided to stay at Traffic Hotel, a very cozy and nice hotel across the street from Europe’s most beautiful shopping center.

Traffic Hotel has free Wi-Fi that works well, nicely decorated rooms, and a shower that will make you happy that you chose this hotel in Poznan.

What else can you do around the area?

So, after walking around the Museum of Armaments, you can find yourself a little hungry. If this is your case, you should try to find Umberto, a great Italian restaurant and café with a great atmosphere during summer days. We ate a snack and enjoyed the place so much that we had a proper lunch followed by a fantastic tiramisu. You need to try it!

If you still need to see more military history, try the park’s southern part. There, you are going to find a series of military cemeteries. The most interesting one is Poznań Old Garrison Cemetery, which was set up after the First World War and contains graves from, mainly, prisoners of war and airmen who were killed during the bombing of Stettin. Overlooking the cemeteries, you can see the Heroes Monument standing on the top of a long set of stairs that form the main entrance to Park Cytadela.

And, of course, you should explore Park Cytadela and see how beautiful it is. It is ideal for every outdoor activity. There are a lot of alleys where you can ride a bike, walk around, try some roller skates, and even fly kites. This is where you will find the Bell of Peace and Friendship Among Nations, erected in 1986. The bell weighs over 800 kilos and stands more than 10 meters from the ground!

If you are traveling through Poland, you need to stop in Poznan. This city is fantastic and was one of our top destinations in 2014. You need to explore Poznan like we did.