Rataje, Poznań
Encyclopedia
Rataje r is a large residential area in the eastern part of the city of Poznań
in western Poland. It contains a number of housing estate
s, consisting mainly of prefabricated concrete panel
blocks, housing a total of approximately 90,000 people (about one sixth of the city's total population).
The former village of Rataje was situated close to the right bank of the river Warta, and was incorporated into the city of Poznań in 1925. The area today referred to as Rataje also includes the former villages of Chartowo and Żegrze, brought within the city boundaries during the time of Nazi occupation in the early 1940s. The area was within the city's former Nowe Miasto district (1954–1990); in the current administrative division of Poznań
it is divided into three osiedle
s called Rataje, Chartowo and Żegrze. (This use of the word "osiedle" should not be confused with the more common one denoting a housing estate.)
Building of the new estates began in the late 1960s, the first block being completed in 1967.
The main estates are as follows:
Some of the estates were renamed after the fall of communism
: os. Armii Krajowej was originally called Osiedle Manifestu Lipcowego ("July Manifesto Estate"), os. Stare Żegrze was Osiedle Związku Walki Młodych ("Estate of the Union of Fighting Youth"), os. Orła Białego was Osiedle Związku Młodzieży Polskiej ("Estate of the Union of Polish Youth
"), and os. Polan was Osiedle Związku Młodzieży Socjalistycznej ("Estate of the Union of Socialist Youth"). These three Unions were successive communist youth organizations in Poland.
The estates were built under the auspices of the Osiedle Młodych housing cooperative
, which was founded in 1958 (its name means "young people's estate"). Today the cooperative has around 40,000 members, and continues to administer most of the buildings and estate infrastructure.
The Lake Malta
recreational area, and the neighbouring Malta shopping and entertainment complex, are situated just north of Rataje. At the south-eastern corner of the Rataje estates, in the Franowo neighbourhood, is a group of several large retail centres and a multiplex
cinema.
Rataje has a number of tram
lines connecting it with the city centre and other parts of Poznań. It is also served by various bus routes, mostly terminating at the bus station on the Rataje roundabout
(Rondo Rataje). The main road out of Poznań in the direction of Katowice
runs through Rataje (between Chartowo and Żegrze), mostly as an elevated road.
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
in western Poland. It contains a number of housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
s, consisting mainly of prefabricated concrete panel
Panelák
is a colloquial term in Czech and Slovak for a panel building constructed of pre-fabricated, pre-stressed concrete, such as those extant in Czech Republic and elsewhere in the former Soviet bloc...
blocks, housing a total of approximately 90,000 people (about one sixth of the city's total population).
The former village of Rataje was situated close to the right bank of the river Warta, and was incorporated into the city of Poznań in 1925. The area today referred to as Rataje also includes the former villages of Chartowo and Żegrze, brought within the city boundaries during the time of Nazi occupation in the early 1940s. The area was within the city's former Nowe Miasto district (1954–1990); in the current administrative division of Poznań
Administrative division of Poznań
Since 2011, the Polish city of Poznań has been divided into 42 osiedles or neighbourhoods, each of which has its own elected council with certain decision-making and spending powers. The first uniform elections for these councils were held on 20 March 2011....
it is divided into three osiedle
Osiedle
Osiedle is a term used in Poland to denote a designated subdivision of a city or town, or of a dzielnica, with its own council and executive. Like the dzielnica and sołectwo, an osiedle is an auxiliary unit of a gmina. These units are created by decision of the gmina council, and do not have...
s called Rataje, Chartowo and Żegrze. (This use of the word "osiedle" should not be confused with the more common one denoting a housing estate.)
Building of the new estates began in the late 1960s, the first block being completed in 1967.
The main estates are as follows:
- In "lower Rataje" (the areas closer to the Warta): Osiedle Armii Krajowej ("Home Army Estate"), Osiedle Bohaterów II Wojny Światowej ("World War II Heroes Estate"), Osiedle Jagiellońskie ("Jagiellonian Estate"), Osiedle Oświecenia ("EnlightenmentAge of EnlightenmentThe Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
Estate"), Osiedle Piastowskie ("Piast Estate"), Osiedle Powstań Narodowych ("National Uprisings Estate") and Osiedle Rzeczypospolitej ("Estate of the Polish Republic"). - In the Chartowo area (the north-eastern estates): Osiedle Lecha, Osiedle Czecha, Osiedle Rusa (named after the legendary brothers Lech, Czech and RusLech, Czech and RusLech, Čech, and Rus is a legend of three brothers – Lech, Čech, and Rus – who founded three Slavic nations: Poland , Bohemia, and Ruthenia...
), Osiedle Tysiąclecia ("Millennium Estate", named for the millennium of the Baptism of PolandBaptism of PolandThe Baptism of Poland was the event in 966 that signified the beginning of the Christianization of Poland, commencing with the baptism of Mieszko I, who was the first ruler of the Polish state. The next significant step in Poland's adoption of Christianity was the establishment of various...
of 966), Osiedle Zodiak ("Zodiac Estate"; a newer estate also containing smaller houses). - In the Żegrze area (the south-eastern estates): Osiedle Orła Białego ("White Eagle Estate"), Osiedle Polan ("PolansPolansPolans may refer to two Slavic tribes:* Polans , in the area of Dnieper river* Polans , in the area of Warta. The tribe unified most of the lands of present-day Poland under the Piast dynasty....
Estate"), Osiedle Stare Żegrze ("Old Żegrze Estate").
Some of the estates were renamed after the fall of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
: os. Armii Krajowej was originally called Osiedle Manifestu Lipcowego ("July Manifesto Estate"), os. Stare Żegrze was Osiedle Związku Walki Młodych ("Estate of the Union of Fighting Youth"), os. Orła Białego was Osiedle Związku Młodzieży Polskiej ("Estate of the Union of Polish Youth
Union of Polish Youth
Związek Młodzieży Polskiej was a Polish communist youth organization, existing from 1948 to 1956...
"), and os. Polan was Osiedle Związku Młodzieży Socjalistycznej ("Estate of the Union of Socialist Youth"). These three Unions were successive communist youth organizations in Poland.
The estates were built under the auspices of the Osiedle Młodych housing cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
, which was founded in 1958 (its name means "young people's estate"). Today the cooperative has around 40,000 members, and continues to administer most of the buildings and estate infrastructure.
The Lake Malta
Lake Malta
Lake Malta is an artificial lake in Poznań, Poland. It was formed in 1952 as a result of the damming of the Cybina River. It is about 2.2 km long, which makes the lake the biggest man-made lake of the city. The water is 3.1 m deep on average with a maximum about 5 m...
recreational area, and the neighbouring Malta shopping and entertainment complex, are situated just north of Rataje. At the south-eastern corner of the Rataje estates, in the Franowo neighbourhood, is a group of several large retail centres and a multiplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
cinema.
Rataje has a number of tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
lines connecting it with the city centre and other parts of Poznań. It is also served by various bus routes, mostly terminating at the bus station on the Rataje roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
(Rondo Rataje). The main road out of Poznań in the direction of Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
runs through Rataje (between Chartowo and Żegrze), mostly as an elevated road.