Poznań's historic Old Town lies directly between two of Poland’s largest man-made urban recreation areas - Lake Malta (to the east) and Lake Rusałka (to the northwest). While it’s the more developed and commercialised Malta that grabs most of the tourist attention, the largely unheralded area surrounding Lake Rusałka is rich in history (most of it tragic), natural beauty (both tamed and untamed) and opportunities to escape the urban patter of Poznań.
If lakes Malta and Rusałka were siblings (and in a sense they are), Malta would be the sporty, attention-seeking younger sis, and Rusałka the more introverted, hauntingly beautiful older sister. Indeed, the Rusałka’s very name - derived from Slavic mythology and denoting a water nymph or mermaid - belies the area’s natural wonder and allure (and danger, see further down). While Lake Malta is favoured by families and athletes, and characterised by an artificial ski slope, adrenaline rides, mini-golf, a zoo and other diverting amusements and activities, the slightly smaller Rusałka (36.7 hectares) has long been favoured by naturalists and fishermen, hikers, cyclists and photographers , and is characterised by 3,300 metres of largely wooded coastline woven with intimate walking paths , ancient trees (a group of which near the north shore are a designated natural monument), misty streams, and several forgotten war memorials . Like Lake Malta, Rusałka is a man-made reservoir initiated during WWII, but in contrast to her younger sister, Rusałka’s shores are mostly devoid of commercial development and provide a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in a natural setting without leaving the city centre .
Summer - when hot bodies hit the beach, and autumn - when the leaves perform that magical chromatic manoeuvre of theirs, are absolutely the best times of year to visit the area (take your camera). Tourists will also find several other points of interest nearby, including Park Sołacki - which leads directly into Lake Rusałka’s eastern shore, and the Botanical Gardens on the southern shore. For those fascinated by Poland’s painful past, Rusałka also conceals several unkempt WWII-era memorials and mausoleums, and the Wielkopolska Martyrs Museum is also within walking distance of the south shore. If your interests include nature, history or photography, escape the agoraphobic Old Town and explore Rusałka’s unique and natural charms, as well as her dark secrets. You'd be wise to pick up a map of the area from tourist information, wear comfortable shoes (prepare for lots of walking), and off you go.
The Dark Veil of History
Before becoming a picturesque recreational area, the neighbourhoods of Ogrody (literally ‘Gardens’) and Golęcin, between which Lake Rusałka now rests, were preoccupied with protecting the city from invasion as part of the 'Fortress Poznań' ring of defences built in the late 19th century. Bogdanka Battery today lies somewhere in the murky depths below Lake Rusałka, while some traces of larger Fort VIa can be found in the woods north of the lake (the fort was badly damaged during WWII and then demolished).
