Summer Station (Imperial Station), Poznań

This small pavilion next to Poznań Główny station was built for Emperor Wilhelm II, yet it went down in history thanks to someone else entirely. On 26 December 1918 crowds gathered here to welcome the pianist and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski – and the next day the Greater Poland Uprising against German rule broke out in Poznań. Today the restored Summer Station, once the Imperial Station, serves ordinary regional trains.

History: from imperial waiting room to symbol of the uprising

The first station for the emperor was built in 1902, and it took its present form in 1913, just before Wilhelm II's third visit to Poznań (then the Prussian city of Posen). According to the city website poznan.pl, the builder was the Berlin architect Stendel. The pavilion measures about 15 × 10 m; inside was an imperial salon with oak panelling, mirrors, maple furniture and a chandelier with 60 bulbs, plus a guest room and a lavatory. The platform beside it is about 300 m long.

In 1913 the emperor's children and Empress Augusta Victoria were welcomed here first, followed by Wilhelm II himself. Five years later Paderewski arrived with his wife Helena and members of Colonel Wade's British mission. His arrival stirred patriotic feelings and sparked the uprising. In interwar Poland the station kept its ceremonial role, welcoming among others Józef Piłsudski and President Stanisław Wojciechowski.

Why "summer" station

Between the wars, trains left this platform for summer resorts around Poznań, such as Osowa Góra, Promno and Puszczykowo. The name has stuck ever since.

Restoration and today

As part of its station revitalisation programme, the national railway company PKP S.A. restored the building for PLN 6.5 million: the station's original form was recreated, the platform rebuilt and the canopy repaired. It reopened on 31 August 2011, and from October that year it has been used by the regional operator Koleje Wielkopolskie. The historic platform is now numbered 9 (formerly 4b).

What to see

• The pavilion's facade facing ul. Dworcowa, with its restored details.
• The canopied platform – the very one where the emperor and Paderewski were welcomed.
• The re-enactment of Paderewski's arrival – held every 26 December since 1994, with a steam locomotive and period carriages.

Tripto tip

Looking at the building and platform takes 15–20 minutes and needs no ticket, but this is a working station, so follow the signs and stay off the tracks. The imperial interiors are not open for regular visits. If you can, come on 26 December: the steam-train re-enactment is the best way to see the station in action, but it draws crowds, so arrive early. The station lies between the Kaponiera roundabout and the main station building, right by the Poznań International Fair grounds, so it fits easily into a walk tracing the 1918 uprising.