Until the early 1800s the Collegiate Church of St. Mary Magdalene stood in this place. With an almost-100m tower, the church was one of the largest in Poland when it was destroyed by fire in 1773 and the ruins eventually pulled down by the Prussians. Today the square's history is acknowledged by a tall monument at its centre called the 'Clock of History' and glass windows in the surface of the square showing the church foundations and artefacts below. Though a marked improvement on the square's former function as a cramped car park, it has not been without criticism for its minimal green space and the unintelligible nature of the monument, which is ridiculously tall and laden with LED lights, shining like a blinding flagpole at night.
An interesting open-air exhibit about some of the archaeological work undertaken here can also be seen, as well as a charming monument of Poznań's famous billy goats.
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