Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Street art in Cartagena.
Colombia • 10 days, 9 nights
Colombia Discovery: Coffee, Art & Music
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Carlos Calderón Yruegas calls the villa his personal playground.
Villa Tabaiba
Apples and pears, Spitalfields Market.
Brick Lane Roundels
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
USDA and Washington State agriculture officials tagged this Asian giant hornet. Sept. 10, 2021.
What Ever Happened to the Murder Hornets?
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Poland Poznań Medieval Execution Pole
AO Edited

Medieval Execution Pole

This 16th-century pole was once used in brutal public executions.

Poznań, Poland

Added By
Bird Bones
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Medieval torture and execution pole   Bird Bones / Atlas Obscura User
Criminal justice room in town hall museum   Bird Bones / Atlas Obscura User
Medieval torture and execution pole close up   Bird Bones / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located in the Polish city of Poznań, about 180 miles west of Warsaw, the Museum of the History of Poznań (or The Town Hall Poznań Museum) traces the city's history from the 10th century until today. The museum is housed in the city's historic town hall, which can trace its earliest origins to the early 14th century.

Some of the most important objects housed in the museum are 13th-century Limoges pastoral porcelain, a 1651 goblet that belonged to the shoemakers' guild, and a 1575 table clock with the Poznań emblem. Additional exhibits feature ancient coins, city documents, important portraits, furniture, and more.

One of the museum's rooms is dedicated to medieval criminal justice. Here visitors can view the city's pillory and torture and execution pole, which was used to hang criminals. There are also descriptions of how trials and punishments were carried out in medieval Poznań.

Related Tags

Execution Medieval Cities Museums And Collections Museums Torture Torture Museums

Know Before You Go

The museum is currently undergoing renovations. Please check their website for the most up-to-date hours.

Community Contributors

Added By

Bird Bones

Edited By

europafox

  • europafox

Published

May 9, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.poznan.pl/mim/turystyka/en/-,p,37,51,102.html
Medieval Execution Pole
25 Stary Rynek
Poznań, 61-772
Poland
52.408565, 16.934057
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Fighting Goats of Poznań

Poznań, Poland

miles away

St. Martin’s Croissant Museum

Poznań, Poland

miles away

Poznan June 1956 Monument

Poznań, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Poznań

Poznań

Poland

Places 6

Nearby Places

The Fighting Goats of Poznań

Poznań, Poland

miles away

St. Martin’s Croissant Museum

Poznań, Poland

miles away

Poznan June 1956 Monument

Poznań, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Poznań

Poznań

Poland

Places 6

Related Places

  • The shame masks.

    Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

    Medieval Crime Museum

    Horrifically creative torture devices and shame punishments line the walls of this chilling museum.

  • Medieval torture devices including a maiden on the right.

    San Gimignano, Italy

    The Museum of Medieval Torture

    Medieval torture techniques with a modern conscience.

  • Interrogation seat

    Toledo, Spain

    Museo de la Tortura

    A display of torture devices used in the Spanish Inquisition and other scourges of medieval Europe.

  • One of the rooms in the Museo de la Inquisición.

    Granada, Spain

    Palacio de los Olvidados (Palace of the Forgotten)

    This 16th-century building features a flamenco stage on its ground floor and a torture museum on its upper floors.

  • A man being tortured on a wooden horse (also called a Spanish donkey).

    Mdina, Malta

    Mdina Dungeons Museum

    See Malta’s history through the recreation of scenes of torture using life-sized mannequins in a former medieval dungeon.

  • Some of the museum’s giants.

    Lleida, Spain

    Casa dels Gegants

    Discover everything there is to know about Catalan giants and "Big-Heads."

  • A strange octopus specimen

    Norwich, England

    Norwich Castle Museum

    This medieval castle is filled with an eccentric collection that ranges from ancient Egyptian artifacts to taxidermy to a mummified hand that was cut off during a duel.

  • West Terrace

    New York, New York

    West Terrace at the Cloisters

    This hidden oasis features a stunning view of the Hudson River and the Palisades from a castle-like museum.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.