The mechanical goats were added to the clock mechanism in 1913 as a replacement for a 16th-century device.
The attic of the building is crowned with a 3-meter tall eagle holding the Polish state coat of arms, restored in the 1990s.
The Renaissance sgraffito decorations on the facade represent the kings of the Jagiellonian dynasty and various allegorical virtues.
The building's basement walls contain fragments of the original 13th-century Gothic structure.
The Great Hall features a unique 16th-century vault covered with paintings of saints and coats of arms.
It is the only Town Hall in Poland that has remained structurally preserved in its Renaissance form for over 450 years.
The Poznań Town Hall, or Ratusz, is a Renaissance-style building located in the center of the Old Market Square. It currently houses the Museum of the History of the City of Poznań, a branch of the National Museum. The structure was reconstructed in the 16th century by Italian architect Giovanni Battista di Quadro after a fire. Its façade is characterized by a three-story loggia decorated with sgraffito ornaments depicting legendary, historical, and mythological figures. The building is famous for the mechanical goats that appear above the clock at midday to butt heads twelve times. The Great Hall on the second floor retains its original 16th-century Renaissance vaulted ceiling. The building serves as the anchor of the Stary Rynek, the city's historical focal point.
From the west side of the Stary Rynek, framing the goats and the clock tower against the sky.
Position yourself directly facing the main clock 5-10 minutes before the goats appear to get a clear view through the crowds.
Visit the interior museum floors to see the Renaissance vaulted ceilings, which are often overlooked by people waiting outside.
Walk around the perimeter of the building to view the varied architectural details and historical stone inscriptions.
Do not leave before the clock finishes its full cycle of twelve head-butts, as many tourists leave too early.
Closed on Mondays.
