Szachty Observation Tower in Poznań

On the border of Świerczewo and Fabianowo-Kotowo, above former clay pits in the Junikowo Stream valley, stands a 25-metre steel observation tower. Its deck is the best place to see how large Szachty park is: a patchwork of about 40 ponds, reed beds and copses over 57.5 hectares, with Luboń and central Poznań in the distance. Access is free at any time, making the tower a good goal for a walk or bike ride.

History: from brickworks to a citizens' budget

The name Szachty comes from the German Schacht – a shaft or pit – and the local dialect word "szachtować", to dig. Around 1900, during a building boom after parts of the Poznań Fortress were demolished, more than a dozen brickworks linked by narrow-gauge railways operated in Rudnicze, Kotowo and Świerczewo. The last ones were still working in the 1990s. The flooded pits formed about 40 ponds of 0.2 to 12 ha, among them Staw Rozlany. As early as the 1970s the area was recognised as one of the city's most valuable natural sites and protected as ecological areas, and from 2014 paths and benches were built.

The tower was funded by the Poznań Citizens' Budget, proposed by local district councillor Tomasz Wierzbicki. In the vote for 2016 the project won 3,487 votes and PLN 500,000 of funding. The tower and a boardwalk opened in 2018.

What to see

• The tower – a steel structure on a triangular plan with wood-effect cladding; about 120 steps lead to the deck. At the top, signs help you identify landmarks of the Poznań and Luboń skyline. It is lit and monitored.
• Ponds and boardwalks – from above you can see how densely the old pits are packed; below, paths and a boardwalk lead to the water's edge.
• Kindler House from around 1910 by the Leszczyńska Street entrance – built of locally made brick, a reminder of the brickworks era.
• Near the tower are benches and tables of jatoba wood, and there is a larch-wood playground for children.

Tripto tips

• Admission: free, with no time limits.
• Access: the tower is on the Fabianowo-Kotowo side – reach it from Mieleszyńska, Leszczyńska or Wykopy streets. There is parking on Mieleszyńska and Leszczyńska. From the Świerczewo side, bus 175 stops at Koźmińska, Buczka and Okulickiego.
• Time: allow 1–2 hours for the tower and a loop around a few ponds.
• The tower has stairs only, so it is not wheelchair-accessible. This is a protected area – keep off unsecured banks and do not swim in the ponds. A designated fire spot with benches and tables is at Leszczyńska/Kocha.