The original clock mechanism created by Bartłomiej Wolf was destroyed during a lightning strike in 1675.
The goats were officially adopted as the official city emblem of Poznań in 1993.
The current mechanical goats date back to a 1994 renovation of the clock tower.
The trumpet signal accompanying the goats is played by a live bugler positioned in the tower window.
The Town Hall facade features a series of Renaissance arcaded loggias designed by Giovanni Battista di Quadro.
The goats have their own dedicated digital archive and display within the Museum of the History of the City of Poznań.
The Poznań Goats are two mechanical, bronze billy goats that emerge from the clock mechanism of the Poznań Town Hall. This performance takes place daily on the building's facade, located on the eastern wall of the Stary Rynek. The mechanism was originally installed in 1551 by Bartłomiej Wolf, though it has undergone multiple reconstructions over the centuries. Legend links the goats to a 16th-century banquet where a cook attempted to hide a burnt deer roast by stealing two goats. The goats escaped to the tower, eventually revealing their presence by butting heads before the city officials. The current animation cycle features the two goats striking their heads together twelve times to the sound of a trumpet call. The performance is a major cultural symbol of the city and a focal point of the Old Market Square. The mechanism is housed within the Renaissance-era Town Hall, which currently serves as the Museum of the History of the City of Poznań.
From the center of the Stary Rynek, directly in front of the Town Hall clock tower.
Arrive at least 15 minutes early to secure a clear line of sight in the crowded square.
Position yourself directly facing the town hall clock tower to ensure an unobstructed view of the mechanism.
Combine the viewing with a visit to the Museum of the History of the City of Poznań located inside the building.
Do not wait in the center of the square away from the building, as the goats are high up on the wall and easily missed from a distance.
The mechanical show occurs daily at noon; occasionally suspended during severe weather or major structural maintenance of the clock tower.
