Situated on the Warta River, Poznań is the capital of the region, Province and archdiocese, and an important point on the Piast Route.

The exact date the oldest church on St. Adalbert’s Hill was built is uncertain. The church was first mentioned in 1244. It was most probably originally a Romanesque church which was later on redeveloped many a time, into the prevalent gothic forms. Although the consecutive redevelopment projects took place over the ages, till 17th century inclusive, gothic forms did not cease to be observed. The net vault, founded above the southern nave that was annexed in 16th century, is the most interesting and most valuable feature. In the same period, a chapel for the literary confraternity was added above the sacristy, itself located on the northern side of the presbytery. The society grouped people who could read and write – not a common skill at the time at all. Each confraternity member was tasked with teaching three males or one female how to read and write.

The last redevelopment stage took place in 17th century as the main nave was lifted up and provided with a vault; dozen-or-so years later, a chapel funded by Maciej Mydelnik was added on the church’s southern side, gothic architectural forms still remaining observed.

The church’s furnishings as they stand today are composed of an altar, made in 1953, inside which a late-gothic Assumption scene from mid-16th century was fixed (the Mary’s statue itself dating to early 20th c.). This is the only preserved fragment of the altar from the former Literary Chapel. The side naves feature the altars of St. Guardian Angel, St. Anthony and Lamentation of Christ, each assembled using the surviving elements from the 17th- or 18th-century altars. The pulpit, featuring the images of outstanding preachers, was made by Marcin Rożek. The beautiful altars by Stanisław Powalisz and Maria Powalisz-Bardońska are definitely worth the visitor’s attention too.

During World War 2, the church of St. Adalbert was one of the two temples open for the Poles. The history of this church was in much a special way marked by the Rev. Bolesław Kościelski who served as the rector in 1903 to 1925. Fascinated with the art of Krakow, he commissioned with the artist Antoni Procajłowicz a polychrome designed after the Krakow Marian Church decoration. It was due to his initiative too that a Crypt of the Merited was arranged, modelled after the one at the Krakow Skałka sanctuary. The first outstanding figure buried at the church (in 1923) was Karol Marcinkowski, the well-known Poznań physician and social worker. The solemn transferral of his remains from St. Martin’s cemetery turned into a great patriotic manifestation. Once WW2 was over, more outstanding Wielkopolska people have reposed there. Since the existing crypt turned out to be too small against the number of coffins therein exposed, a new spacious crypt was opened in 1997, the entrance to which is at the church’s right-hand side. The inscription set above it reads, “We love our Homeland not because it is grand but because it is ours.”