The Royal-Imperial Route, one of the most significant heritage interpretation projects in Poland, will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2026. It was established as a network of routes leading through key areas of Poznań: Ostrów Tumski, the Old Town, the City Centre and the Imperial District. Over time, it has become not only a signposted route but also a tool for building urban identity. Two decades of operation have confirmed that the Route can serve as a space for meetings, education and the shared discovery of history.
The Poznań Heritage Centre is responsible for its development – an institution that has for years promoted the idea of heritage interpretation. This approach assumes that history only takes on meaning when the audience can relate it to their own experience. The Trakt, as the city’s narrative axis, leads through over a thousand years of history and forty generations of residents. The anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on how the way we talk about the past is changing within the contemporary urban landscape.
A line of light over the Cybina
To mark the 20th anniversary, a light installation marking the start of the Trakt was created on the banks of the Cybina, near the Poznań Gate. It is a horizontal, linear composition inspired by the aesthetics of public transport maps. The design synthesises the Trakt’s key landmarks, reducing the city’s complex structure to a single, continuous line. Simplified architectural outlines and symbolic signs create a visual record of the route that can be read intuitively.
The installation does not reconstruct the architecture literally. It focuses on the idea of movement – the line accelerates, slows down, changes direction, and its looped form suggests continuity and the absence of a clear beginning or end. It is a metaphor for the journey that is both a walk along the Trakt and life in the city. After dark, the light composition is reflected in the surface of the Cybina, reinforcing the impression of existing outside of time and creating a new landmark in the landscape of this part of Poznań.
The anniversary neon sign serves a dual purpose: it is an element of the public space, but also a contemporary tool for interpreting heritage. It reminds us that the city’s history remains a process that evolves thanks to its residents and their daily choices.
Design rooted in context
The installation was created by the Poznań-based studio WE MAKE THINGS, founded by Michał Kościuk – an architect and designer working at the intersection of architecture, interior design and art in public spaces. The studio specialises in projects that combine clear form with a distinct conceptual foundation, and their starting point is always the context of the location.
Michał Kościuk, a graduate of the University of Arts in Poznań, develops a design practice based on the belief that good space should be functional, emotional and responsible. In his projects, he explores the relationship between light, movement and spatial narrative. The installation on the Cybina is an extension of this exploration – a synthetic yet evocative form that interprets the city’s history through a contemporary visual language.
A symbol of a new approach to heritage
The light installation marking the opening of the Royal-Imperial Route is an expression of modern thinking about heritage. It is a project that connects the past with the present, whilst inviting visitors to explore the city further. In this anniversary year, the Route gains a new symbol – subtle yet significant, emphasising that the story of Poznań is still unfolding.
design: WE MAKE THINGS
photos: Łukasz Gdak/PCD
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