The city lies on the Warta river. It is the capital of Wielkopolska Voivodeship and the see of the Archdiocese of Poznań.

There used to live a watchman in the Poznań town hall tower whose job it was to keep a lookout for fire and any foreign armies that might be approaching the city. His son Bolko, a boy who loved animals, lived with him. One day, a wounded crow fell at his feet. The boy carefully nursed the bird and bandaged his broken wing. One night, he noticed an elf in a long royal mantle with a crown on his head in the bird’s bedding. The elf addressed him in a human voice.

“Dear Bolko! You came to my aid when I was weak and ill. You ought to know that I am no ordinary bird, but the crow king. We birds never forget a good turn done to us. I leave you this silver trumpet, which has magic powers. Should you ever be in need of help, play it and I shall come to you with my subjects. And now, farewell!”

With these words, the elf changed back into a crow, jumped onto the window sill and flew off. The years went by. Bolko took over from his father as watchman. One day, a hostile army approached the city walls. He thereupon took the crow king’s trumpet and played as beautifully as he could. After a while, birds began appearing in the city in such numbers that it soon turned dark. The enemy was defeated with no effort at all and Poznań was free once more! The same melody that summoned the crow king is still played from the town hall tower every day to mark this event.