The Raczynski Library is one of Poznan's finest neoclassical buildings, fronted by a colonnaded portico that faces Marcinkowskiego Avenue. Founded in 1829 by Count Edward Raczynski as a public lending library — one of the first in Poland — it was an act of deliberate cultural patriotism at a time when Poznan was under Prussian rule and Polish institutions were being suppressed. The count donated both the building and his own book collection to the city.
The library still functions as a public library and the reading rooms are open to visitors. The interior has a dignity that matches the facade: tall ceilings, good natural light, and the atmosphere of a place that has been taken seriously for nearly two centuries. The library has been expanded and modernised in stages while preserving the original neoclassical core. It sits a few minutes' walk from both the Old Market Square and the National Museum.