POSEN (Pol. Poznan). The capital of the province of the same name in the eastern part of Prussia, situated at the confluence of the Cybina with the Warte, 90 miles north of Breslau (Map: Prussia, G 2). It is a first-class fortress and has a strong garrison. Its appear ance has been greatly improved by the building of new quarters and the construction of mod ern buildings. Of its numerous churches the most noteworthy are the eighteenth-century cathedral, well known for its golden chapel and for its fine monuments and the bronze statues of the first two Christian kings of Poland, the sev enteenth-century parish church, and the fifteenth century Marienkirehe, the oldest church in Posen. The principal secular edifices are the old town hall, rebuilt after the fire of 1536 and adorned with a slender tower 214 feet high; the adjoining modern town hall in Renaissance; the royal palace con taining the State archives; the Raczytiski palace with the library of the same name; and the Ger man theatre. Posen has a Roman Catholic and an Evangelical gymnasium, a seminary for teach ers. and one for Catholic priests. The old forti
fications are being demolished. The new ones comprise about 12 inner and 20 outer forts. The principal manufactured products are ma chinery of various kinds. spirits, flour, furni ture, and cigars. There is also some trade in wood, grain, wool. and spirits. The population rose from 73,200 in 1890 to 117,014 in 1900, the in crease being due principally to the annexation of adjacent rural communities. The inhabitants are principally Roman Catholics.
Posen is one of the oldest cities of Poland. It became the see of a bisherp in the tenth century and was the residence of the early Polish mon archs. It was a member of the Hansa and at tained great prosperity in the sixteenth century, but afterwards declined, its population at one time having dwindled to about 12,000. The western part of was founded by Germans in 1253 and had a separate administration until the annexation of Posen to Prussia in 1793.