Wielkopolska Museum of Independence (Wielkopolskie Muzeum Niepodległości)

CC BY-SA 3.0 / Radomil

The Wielkopolska Museum of Independence (Wielkopolskie Muzeum Niepodległości) is dedicated to preserving and presenting the region’s proud tradition of resistance and self-determination, with a particular focus on the victorious Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919. Its main branch is located in the historic Guardhouse (Odwach) in Poznań’s Old Market Square, one of the most outstanding monuments of Polish neoclassical architecture. The building was commissioned by Kazimierz Raczyński, then Starost General of Greater Poland, and likely designed by Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer, a royal architect known for his work on Warsaw’s Łazienki Park and the Royal Castle interiors.

Originally, the Guardhouse served as a base for the Crown Army until the Second Partition of Poland, when Poznań fell under Prussian control. During this occupation, the building symbolized foreign domination, with Prussian troops replacing the Polish guards. The Old Market Square witnessed daily briefings of the garrison soldiers, while the Polish symbols above were overshadowed by Prussian regalia. This changed in November 1918, when the building became a center of Polish resistance once again. During the Greater Poland Uprising, the People’s Guard, a key paramilitary formation, was stationed in the Guardhouse, marking its return to national hands and its new role in the struggle for independence.

The museum’s main exhibition, “Powstanie Wielkopolskie 1918–1919: Droga do Niepodległości,” uses photographs, authentic uniforms, weapons, documents, and interactive displays to chart the road to Polish sovereignty. Beyond this location, the museum manages other branches across Poznań, including the June 1956 Uprising Museum, the Poznań Army Museum, and Fort VII Martyrs Museum, each offering insights into different eras of occupation, protest, and military history. These institutions combine to create a broad and cohesive account of the regional contributions to national freedom, spanning over two centuries.

The Wielkopolska Museum of Independence (Wielkopolskie Muzeum Niepodległości) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Poznań!

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