A Tropical World in the City

In the middle of Park Wilsona, Poznań has a place where tropical greenery, desert plants and exotic fish come together under glass. Palmiarnia Poznańska has stood here for more than a century and is the oldest and largest palm house of its kind in Poland.

Today, the complex is divided into nine exhibition pavilions, each representing different natural environments. Visitors can move from Mediterranean and subtropical vegetation to tropical forests, succulents, savannah landscapes and aquatic plants. The collection includes more than 1,000 plant species, while the aquariums are home to around 170 species of fish.

From Palms to Victoria Water Lilies

The history of the Palmiarnia began in 1910, when the first building opened with a central palm house and two wings for cacti and tropical plants. In the 1920s, the collection expanded to include Poland's first aquarium and a pavilion with a pool for Victoria regia, the giant water lily.

A new building followed in 1928–1929 in preparation for the General National Exhibition. The Palmiarnia survived the Second World War, but was badly damaged during the fighting in 1945. Much of the plant collection was destroyed.

The building reopened in 1946, but eventually became too difficult to maintain. In 1978 it was closed because of its poor technical condition. A completely new structure was then built around the existing collection, allowing many plants to survive the reconstruction.

A Journey Through Different Climates

The third Palmiarnia opened to visitors in 1992. The present complex covers around 4,600 square metres and includes exhibition spaces devoted to Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical plants, succulents from the Americas, xerophytes from the Old and New Worlds, savannah vegetation and aquatic plants.

The aquarium adds another layer to the experience, with colourful tropical fish and underwater habitats. One of the most distinctive plants is Victoria water lily, whose enormous leaves can become a spectacular centrepiece of the aquatic pavilion.

Today, Palmiarnia is not simply a collection of plants behind glass. It is a place where a walk through Poznań can suddenly turn into a journey through several continents — from dry deserts and savannahs to humid tropical forests.