The youngest residence of monarchs in Europe, the Imperial Castle was intended for Emperor Wilhelm II during his visits to Poznań. However, since its completion in 1910, the last German emperor visited Poznań only three times. The main purpose of erecting the monumental building was to demonstrate German power in the lands of Greater Poland. The majestic building housed an impressively sized throne room. It was 12 meters / 40 ft high and was heated from the air vents. The two-story windows contained stained glass.
Absolutely nothing has survived from the former neo-Romanesque interior of the castle. What can be seen today are the interiors from the period of World War II, typical Nazi architecture. It was supposed to be Hitler's residence. Inspirations were taken from the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. The castle underwent a thorough reconstruction. The original interior design of the rooms was removed, the throne room ceased to exist. The new balcony for receiving parades had a heated floor. All this to implement the architectural visions of Adolf Hitler himself, who hated rich decorations. His architecture, in its simplicity, was supposed to demonstrate the power and domination of Germany. Hitler never came to Poznań.
