Leszno Town Hall

Leszno Town Hall (Leszno is pronounced roughly "LESH-no") stands in the middle of the market square of this small city in western Poland. With its tall clock tower and pale classical façades, it is the town's best-known landmark – a building that burned and was rebuilt several times after 1639 and is tied to the stories of the Leszczyński family, the Czech educator John Amos Comenius and the Sułkowski princes.

Where is Leszno?

Leszno lies in the Greater Poland region (Wielkopolska), about 70 km south of Poznań and roughly 90 km north of Wrocław. Both cities are linked to Leszno by the S5 expressway and by regional trains, so the town makes an easy half-day trip or a stop between Poznań and Wrocław.

A history of fires and rebuilding

The first town hall went up in 1637–1639, probably designed by Krzysztof Bonadura the Elder. It was a late-Renaissance building with a tower, housing the council chamber and court upstairs and the town guard and jail below. Comenius, who led the local Czech Brethren community, compared it with Poznań's famous Renaissance town hall.

Then came the fires:

• 1656, during the Swedish wars – rebuilt by about 1660 with a new tower by Martin Woyda;
• 1707, burned by Russian troops – quickly rebuilt;
• 1767 and 1790 – further great town fires.

The present classical design with late-Baroque touches dates from the rebuilding of 1786–1789, most likely to plans by Dominik Merlini, who also worked for the Sułkowskis at nearby Rydzyna. The tower was only finished in 1817, the date on its weather vane. Note that other sources credit Pompeo Ferrari with an earlier rebuilding, so sources differ on attribution.

Before World War I the city even considered demolishing the damp old building, but the provincial conservator in Poznań blocked the plan.

What to look for

• The clock tower with an octagonal lantern and onion-like dome.
• Paired composite columns on the corners.
• The entrance portal with coats of arms and a figure of Justitia (Justice), including a Sułkowski cartouche dated 1738.
• Memorial plaques, including ones for King Stanisław Leszczyński and Leszno's 1939 garrison.

A walk around the building takes 20–30 minutes. In 2020 the façades were renovated and recolored, so older photos showing a pink-and-red building are out of date.

Can you go inside?

The town hall is a working seat of city authorities, not a museum, and has no regular opening hours for the interior or tower. Tower visits have been organized for special events. Viewing it from the square is free. For current options, ask the city's tourist information; English may be limited, so a translation app helps. Payment in shops and cafés is in Polish złoty (PLN).

Getting there and nearby

The town hall is at Rynek 1, a 10–15 minute walk from Leszno railway station. Drivers should park on streets around the old town and walk in. Nearby you can see the rebuilt townhouses on the square, the Regional Museum and, 10 km away, the Baroque palace at Rydzyna.

Is it worth visiting? If you are traveling between Poznań and Wrocław, yes – Leszno's compact square and its tower make a pleasant, uncrowded stop.