“A Tale of Śródka” Mural in Poznań

On the blank wall of a corner house on Rynek Śródecki stands a little street that isn't really there: a green cottage with a butcher in the doorway, a trumpeter perched on a red roof and a black cat creeping along the ridge. The three-dimensional mural “A Tale of Śródka with a Trumpeter on the Roof and a Cat in the Background” was unveiled on 1 October 2015 and quickly became the best-known image of the Śródka district. Every figure means something, and from the right spot on the square the illusion works remarkably well.

History: from sketch to giant wall

The idea dates back to 2012. Gerard Cofta, a local activist and district councillor nicknamed the “Mayor of Śródka”, asked architect and draughtsman Professor Radosław Barek for a sketch that would tell the neighbourhood's story on the house's windowless wall. The painting was based on a photograph from the 1920s. It was carried out by the PUENTA Art and Education Foundation as part of the project “In the Middle of Śródka 2015”, co-funded by the city; a private company donated the paint.

The unveiling took place on 1 October 2015 at 5 pm. A year later the mural received a special distinction as an “architectural event” in the SARP Award of the Year 2016 (the Association of Polish Architects) and came 5th in the public vote “7 New Wonders of Poland”.

What the painting shows

The mural recalls Śródka as a small town of craftsmen and merchants. Read it piece by piece:

• The green cottage with a butcher in a white apron recalls the butcher's stall that stood on exactly this spot.
• The trumpeter on the roof refers to Śródka's lost town hall, from which a bugle call was once played.
• The armoured rider with a white eagle on his shield is Władysław Odonic, Duke of Greater Poland, who granted Śródka town rights in 1231 – before Poznań itself received them.
• The black cat on the highest ridge is the residents' symbol of the district.

Did you know?

The painted chocolate shop is not just a nod to the Goplana chocolate factory that once operated in Śródka. The owners had an advertising contract with a company whose banner used to hang on this wall. Its sign was worked into the picture, so the contract was honoured and the wall got rid of a garish billboard.

Śródka was a separate town until 1800, and its name comes from środa – Wednesday, the day of its weekly market. The mural's designer later created another large historical wall painting, on a sports hall in the small town of Pyzdry.

Tripto tip

Don't stand right under the wall. The 3D effect works best from the opposite side of Rynek Śródecki; then take a few steps sideways and watch the perspective shift. The mural is outdoors, free and always accessible; 10–20 minutes is enough to take it in. The open space in front of it is used as a meeting place and for local events.

It's a good start for a walk: the Bishop Jordan footbridge takes you from Śródka to Ostrów Tumski, Poznań's cathedral island. People live in the building, so keep entrances and passages clear when taking photos.