The Franciscans - wearing their brown habits and commonly called Bernardines in Poland - arrived in Poznań in 1455, building a wooden church at this site shortly thereafter, and eventually a large monastery complex to surround it. After a brick Gothic structure was destroyed here by the Swedes in 1655, a Baroque replacement was built in the years 1661-68, and renovated between 1730-38 to more or less adopt its current appearance. One of Poznań's most beautiful churches, it features two tall towers and 10 large figures of saints in the niches of the facade. Obliterated during World War II, almost all of the original decorations and furnishings were destroyed in the war and have been replaced with replicas. The adjoining monastery features a valuable library of rare books and prints, as well as a museum connected with Franciscan missions that includes over 400 ethnographic exhibits.
Don't miss this amazing nativity scene in Poznań's Bernardine Church during January.
Photo c/o Miasto Poznan.
From Christmas Eve until the end of January, this church hosts one of the largest moving nativity scenes in Europe. Containing over 250 figures, some of which are life-size, the nativity scene occupies over 4600m3. Going to see it is a holiday tradition for local families, so don't miss it if you're in town.
