Church of St. John of Jerusalem

Church of St. John of Jerusalem belongs to the oldest temples of Poznań and is one of the first brick churches in Poland. Its history is related to the Order of Saint John, also called Knights of Malta. In the church building, as well as in its decoration, many Romanesque elements were preserved.

Oder of Saint John came to Poznań in 11th century. They settled near the route to Giecz and Śrem, where they were busy with helping the travelers. That's why it was called a church "behind the walls", which means out of the city walls. At the turn of the 12th and 13th century, a new, late Romanesque church was built, which, after many rebuildings, survived until now.

It is a double-aisle building with a built-in baroque chapel of Saint Cross. Next to the western facade there is a small, squat Gothic tower covered with pointed helmet. Church is covered with a steep roof, and aisles are reinforced with massive buttresses. In the presbytery one can see a Romanesque cross vault, while in aisles - later, gothic star vault. Romanesque elements were preserved mainly in the window frames and entrance portals.