Editor's Note: These are courtesy translations of local news provided by the U.S. Army Garrison Poland Public Affairs team for the benefit the military community stationed here. Views or opinions are not endorsed by USAG Poland or the U.S. Army.

Poznań Reigns Supreme as Poland's Best City to Live

Poznań has once again been named the best city to live in Poland in an independent ranking by the Business Insider portal. The capital of Wielkopolska has overtaken Rzeszów and Gdańsk, which came second and third.

Journalists assessed cities in six categories: unemployment, average salary, housing availability, access to a doctor on the National Health Fund, crime and air quality. In each of them, Poznań was in the top nine.

Our city can boast high positions in many rankings. Experts appreciate the pace of development, investment potential and business friendliness. However, for residents, the quality of life is key. This victory is therefore particularly pleasing, especially since the ranking was based on hard parameters - emphasizes Jacek Jaśkowiak, the mayor of Poznań.

The capital of Wielkopolska also took first place in one of the categories: "unemployment rate" - this indicator has been one of the lowest in Poznań or the lowest in Poland for many months.

There is no room for discretion here - write the creators of the ranking. - All statistics come from official sources. They are regularly published by trusted institutions and access to them is universal. We are talking about numbers from the Central Statistical Office (unemployment, average salary, crime, number of inhabitants), the National Health Fund (availability of doctors), the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (air quality) and the Morizon portal (housing prices).

Zamek Courtyard Yields Hidden Treasures

These include coins, fragments of vessels, and the foundation of the apse of a former chapel.

As announced, in March we will enjoy a new space in the heart of the city - the Open Courtyard in front of the Castle. As reported by CC Zamek, during the reconstruction it turned out that this place hides more than one secret.

"Work on the implementation of the project required the postponement of the construction site completion date by almost six weeks. This delay was related to the need to conduct additional research and secure numerous archaeological discoveries, including the foundations of the apse of the former Wilhelm II chapel and the remains of the foundations of the buttress wall of the former Berlin Gate," representatives of the Zamek Culture Center report.

The research was carried out by Ewa Pawlak and Paweł Pawlak. Archaeologists discovered not only permanent elements, but also movable ones, including medieval relics such as a Jagiellonian denarius, fragments of late medieval steel-gray ceramics, as well as porcelain from the equipment of the former Imperial Castle from the 19th century and Prussian buttons.

As added, the discoveries required research and cataloging and also influenced the need to redesign some elements of the courtyard's underground infrastructure, mainly the irrigation system.

"The current planned date for the completion of the construction site is 28.02.2025. We assure you that this additional time does not affect our program activities. We invite you to the debut cultural events in the Open Courtyard with the arrival of spring. In this case, let's look out not for the first star, but for the first green leaf," assures CC Zamek.

Breathe Easy: Poznań Offers Hyperlocal Air Quality Data

The Poznań metropolitan area is one of the best monitored regions in terms of air quality. Thanks to cooperation with the Scientific and Academic Computer Network (NASK) as part of the "Educational Anti-smog Network" project, every resident of the capital of Wielkopolska can check what they are breathing locally. All they need is internet access.

Since 2018, air quality sensors have been installed on school buildings in the Poznań Metropolitan Area. The number of measurement points has increased over the years - today there are 209 (each of the municipalities that make up the metropolitan area has at least two such sensors). In Poznań, air quality meters are located on 83 schools.

The undertaking has primarily an educational dimension. The main role of the system is to provide local information to residents about air quality, as well as to build correct social attitudes among them. The Poznań metropolis is taking part in the "Educational Anti-Smog Network" project. It is aimed at all residents, with particular emphasis on students. The project includes competitions, campaigns, exhibitions, meetings, and workshops - all on the subject of anti-smog education.

Not only students and teachers have access to the data from the sensors, but also to all interested parties. Thanks to the cooperation of the Poznań Metropolis with the Scientific and Academic Computer Network (NASK). Information on the measurements collected from school devices is also available on the project website.

Sensors installed on school buildings monitor the concentration of PM 10 and PM 2.5 dust. They also collect data on temperature, pressure and humidity. The sensors operated by the Poznań Metropolis are low-cost and less technically advanced than the stations of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection. They primarily have an educational aspect. However, they constitute a dense network, thanks to which it is possible to check the air quality at a given moment in the immediate vicinity.

The official measurement tool is the advanced environmental stations (the Poznań Metropolis meters only support them). It is on the basis of the national environmental monitoring (and not low-cost sensors) that decisions are issued to ban burning in fireplaces or to send warning messages to residents.

In Poznań, there are 2 automatic environmental measurement stations presenting data online (which means that the readings of selected parameters can be checked on an ongoing basis on the Internet ) - at ul. Dąbrowskiego 156 and ul. Szwajcarska, and 2 manual ones - at ul. Szymanowskiego 17 and ul. Spychalskiego 34.

Poznań Peaks Conquered in Record-Breaking Time!

It turns out that you don't have to leave Poznań to conquer the peaks.

Members of the Leon Mroczkiewicz and Tadeusz Perkitny Tourist Club from the IX High School in Poznań have conquered the "Crown of Poznań" under their belt. On Thursday, February 20, they went on an expedition to 5 peaks in our city. - "All 5 peaks were conquered in a fantastically short time of 2 hours and 43 minutes, which is 1 hour and 1 minute better than the previous record set by members of the Tourist Club in 2017" - explains Piotr Ciesielski, the club's supervisor.

As Ciesielski recalls, the first to climb the Crown of Poznań were journalists Radosław Nawrot and Jacek Łuczak. They came up with the idea of ​​calling the peaks in the city the Crown. - "The Crown includes Kopiec Wolności (100 m above sea level), Góra Przemysła (76 m above sea level), Wzgórze św. Wojciecha (73 m above sea level), Dzwon Pokoju na Cytadela (84 m above sea level) and Góra Moraska (154 m above sea level). The first winter ascent in 2010 was made by scouts from the 11th PDH 'Tajga'. During the expedition in 2017, our Branch set a winter record for the ascent time (at that time it was 3 hours and 44 minutes) and made the first ascent in history by women" - he adds.

"We were well prepared both in terms of fitness and logistics. We came across a weather window that provided us with wonderful winter conditions for climbing - reports Piotr Ciesielski, a geography teacher and the supervisor of the Tourist Club. - We simply wanted to break the record from 8 years ago, and we didn't even dream of breaking the 3-hour barrier. Our ascent is all the more valuable because we did it in the classic Alpine style, without the use of oxygen. We are very happy and very tired. It was a fight against time, against winter and against our own weaknesses... and great fun" - he emphasizes.

Calling All Animal Lovers: Poznań Zoo Needs YOU

Waiting for applications.

"Do you want to become a volunteer at the New ZOO? We invite you to an organizational meeting, where you will learn everything about volunteering!" - we read in a post on social media.

The meeting will take place on February 28 at 1:00 p.m. at the New ZOO, ul. Kaprala Wojtka 3 in Poznań.

"During the meeting, we will talk about the possibilities and benefits of volunteering, our expectations, principles and training, what cooperation with us looks like" - it was added.

Meeting will be with English speaking person provided.

After the training, those willing will be able to sign an agreement and start their adventure at the ZOO! " Sign up and find out more: wolontariat@zoo.poznan.pl " - encourage representatives of the Poznań ZOO.

Fat Thursday Face-Off: Where to Find Poznań's BEST Doughnuts?

On February 27, we will be feasting on doughnuts and angel wings. Right after Fat Thursday, those who want to have fun at the last carnival parties will be having fun. On March 5, Ash Wednesday falls, after which we will have Lent ending with Easter. This year, it does not fall until April 20.

Although we eat doughnuts in Poland all year round, they become much more popular on Fat Thursday. On this day alone, we eat an average of 2.5 doughnuts per person, We traditionally ask our readers where to buy the best doughnuts in town. Last year, almost 4,300 votes were cast in the contest. The number one place went to the Fawor bakery with 26% of the votes. The second place went to the Pączek w maśle with 13% of the votes. The third place went to the Elite confectionery with 11%. The other places with more than 5% were taken by Zagrodnicza (9%), Dobra Pączkarnia (6%) and Cukiernia Błaszkowiak (6%).

How long did it take the winner to eat 10 doughnuts? Poznan doughnuts competition

The rules have been the same for years. Several dozen volunteers meet in one place to eat 10 doughnuts as quickly as possible without drinking anything. This year, the fight for first place was particularly fierce. Ultimately, the fastest competitor, Jędrzej Adamczewski from Kalisz, achieved a great time of 4 minutes and 52 seconds. In second place was Tomisław Drzazga, who was only one second behind.

This result is definitely better than the one from last year, when the winner ate 10 doughnuts in 5 minutes and 38 seconds. The absolute record of Poznań is the time achieved in 2011. At that time, the winner devoured the contents of the plate in 4 minutes and 12 seconds.

The Championships are organized every year just before Fat Thursday. They take place at the Confectioners' and Bakers' Guild in Poznań. We remind you that Fat Thursday is this week!