The historical complex of the city of Poznań - the area of Poznań comprising the historical urban complex with Ostrow Tumski, Zagórz, Chwaliszew and the left-bank Old Town with medieval suburban settlements and the urban and architectural design of the Joseph Stübben project from the beginning of the 20th century, and Fort Winiary, now the Citadel Park.
Ostrów Tumski is an island between two branches of the river Warta in the city of Poznań in western Poland. Poznań Cathedral and other ecclesiastical buildings occupy the central part of the island. Ostrów Tumski is part of the city's former Nowe Miasto ("New Town") district, although it is actually the oldest part of the city, where the rulers of the early Polish state in the 10th century had one of their palaces. The site is listed as one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated November 28, 2008, along with other portions of the city's historic core. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland. In the current administrative division of Poznań, Ostrów Tumski is part of an osiedle which also includes the neighbourhoods of Śródka, Zawady and Komandoria, all on the east side of the river. Ostrów Tumski was formerly one of several adjacent islands formed between branches of the Warta and Cybina rivers close to their confluence. To the south-west were the islands of Chwaliszewo and Grobla; the main stream of the Warta flowed between these. The first known fortified settlement (gród) on Ostrów Tumski dates from the 8th or 9th century. In the 10th century the settlement on the island became one of the main political centres of the Piast domains, which in turn formed the hub of the early Polish state.
Zagórze (in the Middle Ages - the settlement of St. Nicholas) - the southern part of the Ostrów Tumski in Poznań, located in the fork of the Warta and the Ulga channel, which Cybina escapes. In 2008, it was recognized by the President of the Republic of Poland as part of the historical team of the city of Poznań as a historical monument. Zagórze is the area of the former independent settlement. At present, the entire area of Ostrów Tumski, located on the southern side of ul. Stefan Wyszyński, and therefore streets: Zagórze, Nowe Zagórze and Wieżowa. From the beginning, the stronghold at Ostrów Tumski consisted of two parts connected with each other - lying north of today's street of Stefan Wyszynski, in the place where nowadays there is the Poznań cathedral and other church buildings and south of this street. In the southern part of Ostrów Tumski, in the area of the present Zagórze district, there was the second part of the Poznań castle complex, called the settlement of St. Nicholas, like the main part, also surrounded by embankments in which the servants lived. In the settlement there was a Romanesque church of St. Nicholas, which functioned in this place until the nineteenth century.
Chwaliszewo - a small part of Poznań, located between the Warta and Garbarami, within the housing estate of the Old Town. In the years 1444 - 1800 it was a separate city. Once a separate island on the Warta River. Also called Poznan Venice. In 2008, it was recognized by the President of the Republic of Poland as part of the historical team of the city of Poznań as a historical monument.
Chwaliszewo was established as a settlement on the dyke causeway, which is the only road connecting Ostrów Tumski with left-bank Poznań in the 15th century. In 1444 representatives of the Poznań settlement and chapter almost in the town of Wielki Waradyn received a location privilege from King Władysław. A town of approximately 100 inhabitants was established and owned by the Poznań chapter, located on the Magdeburg Law. The city had its own authorities: the mayor, the council, the mayor and their seat the town hall, built on the main street.