This open, monumental square is the symbolic heart of Poznań’s Imperial Quarter, and one of the city’s most iconic urban spaces. Laid out in the early 20th century as part of the new German district, it was originally named 'Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz' and dominated by a towering monument to Otto von Bismarck - a clear assertion of Prussian power and pride. After Poznań regained independence in 1919, both the square’s name and its symbolism were changed: the Bismarck statue was removed, and in 1960 a monument to Adam Mickiewicz - Poland’s beloved poet-patriot - was unveiled in its place.

The square is framed by some of the district’s most important architecture: the Imperial Castle to the west, Collegium Minus to the east, and - to the south - the Monument to the Victims of June 1956 to the south: a powerful twin-cross memorial commemorating the first uprising against communist rule in Poland. Though born from imperial ambitions, today the square is deeply tied to Polish identity, memory and public life, hosting ceremonies, protests, concerts and more throughout the year.