Work is progressing on an unusual new green space at Poznań’s Cytadela, where the old unused amphitheatre is being transformed into a terraced honey garden designed to provide food and habitat for pollinating insects.
The former amphitheatre, in the north-eastern part of the park, dates from 1968. After years of deterioration and little use, its concrete seating area is now being reshaped into a series of planted terraces.
Construction teams are currently forming the terraces that will eventually be filled with flowering plants. The first staircase linking the different levels has already been installed, with a second, symmetrical flight planned for the opposite side of the former auditorium.
“At the construction site, work is progressing on forming the terraces on which the plants will be planted. The first staircase connecting all the levels has already been installed, while another flight is planned symmetrically on the other side of the former auditorium. At the top, the preserved wall is being retained and renovated by cleaning the bricks and repairing the joints. Water and electricity connections have also been completed.”
Says Tomasz Płóciniczak, vice-president of Poznańskie Inwestycje Miejskie.
From abandoned amphitheatre to flowering terraces
The finished garden will consist of ten terraces, two of which will incorporate a pedestrian path. The planting area will be divided into 14 sections, with the colours gradually changing from lighter, natural shades to deeper and more vivid tones.
The planting scheme is particularly extensive. More than 11,000 perennial plants representing over 80 species are planned, accompanied by shrubs that will provide structure and variety throughout the garden.
Several trees will also be introduced, while additional planting is planned along the surrounding pedestrian routes and around the edges of the terraces.
The intention is to create a succession of flowering plants that can provide a source of food for bees and other useful pollinating insects, while giving visitors a new place to walk and spend time within the Cytadela landscape.
The avenue running along the top of the former amphitheatre seating area has already been uncovered and will form part of the pedestrian route through the renewed space.
Historic elements remain part of the project
The work is taking place within the former Fort Winiary area, a site protected as a historic monument. That means the changes to the landscape are being carried out under conservation approval.
The brick wall at the top of the former amphitheatre is currently being renovated, with the work including brick cleaning and the repair of joints.
A later stage of the project will also include conservation work on the wall of Rawelin IV, a surviving element of the 19th-century fortifications.
This combination of planting and conservation reflects the character of Cytadela itself, where Poznań’s military history sits alongside extensive parkland and some of the city’s best-known public art and recreational spaces.
A new stop for walkers and families
Once complete, the garden will include benches, bins and educational information boards, where visitors can learn about the planting and the insects it is intended to support.
The first trees and shrubs are expected to be planted before the end of this year, with further planting and landscaping following as the project progresses.
The garden is being created on the footprint of a structure that had largely disappeared from everyday use. Its terraces will retain traces of the former amphitheatre while giving the space a new purpose centred on plants, pollinators and public access.
See more: Poznań Civic Budget 2027: 158 projects will go to a public vote
Source: Poznań City Council, PIM
