Constructed between 1905 and 1910, this striking academic complex was originally part of the German imperial plan to establish a new university – the Royal Academy of Posen. Like other buildings in the Imperial District, however, the vision of its creators was short-lived, and it was turned over to Polish authorities in 1919. An excellent example of German Historicist architecture, with its symmetrical brick and sandstone façade, elegant arcades, and distinctive clock tower, the building’s true showpiece is the magnificent aula inside. Boasting superb acoustics and an organ ranked among the finest in the country, Collegium Minus’ richly decorated concert hall regularly hosts classical concerts, academic ceremonies, and public events, and serves as the home stage of the acclaimed Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra.

A cornerstone of Poznań’s academic and cultural life, Collegium Minus is today the heart of Adam Mickiewicz University – the city’s premier higher education institution, whose spiritual predecessors were the 17th-century Jesuit College, and 16th-century Lubrański Academy before that. Officially founded in 1919, today UAM (as it’s known locally) enrolls nearly 30,000 students and is consistently ranked among Poland’s top three universities.