Wroclaw is the fourth largest city in Poland, as well as being the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. Now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the history of the city dates back over a thousand years, and its long heritage combines almost all the religions and cultures of Europe, making its appearance so unique. At various times, it has been part of the kingdoms of Poland, Bohemia, Hungary, Prussia, Germany, and the Habsburg Monarchy! That’s a lot of historical rule! But in 1945 it was reclaimed by Poland and still remains a part of Poland today. There are numerous historical landmarks to visit in Wroclaw so let’s hop to it!
1.Old Town: Rynek (Market Square)
Rynek is a medieval market square (and one of the largest in Europe) originally founded in the early 13th century and has been the heart of the city since. A few of the buildings are original but the remainder are replicas of how they used to be – I’m so happy they weren’t replaced with modern buildings as the replicas help to keep the cities charm from its earlier history. The buildings around the square were built in different styles, ranging from Art Nouveau to Gothic. Some of the examples here are the Old Town Hall, the New City Hall and numerous lovely colorful buildings. It’s a pedestrian zone so no danger of being struck by a car as you soak in all the beautiful architecture around you. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, and bars – and shopping too.
2. Old Town: Former Jewish Quarter
Walking through the old Jewish Quarter gives you a sense of what it was like walking through the 1800s but the White Stork Synagogue, where the Jewish community was rounded up for deployment to the death camps during WWII, was really what struck me here. Badly damaged, but not set ablaze (thanks only to its proximity to residential buildings), the synagogue was literally left to rot after the war. In 1996, the Jewish community was finally able to recover it from the Polish government and start its restoration. The White Stork Synagogue is worth a visit as there are two exhibition spaces on the balconies (one houses a permanent exhibition about the History of Jews in Wroclaw and the second is for temporary exhibitions). The entire exhibition is in English for those who want to learn more. Many cafes and restaurants are also located near the synagogue. It is a sad part of Wroclaw history but also sends a positive message of perseverance to those that visit it.
3. Old Town “Salt Market” Square (Plac Solny)
Near the former Jewish Quarter is Salt Market Square (Plac Solny) which is today known for having numerous 24hr flower stalls (literally you can buy flowers at any time of day). The Salt Market was built quite early in the city’s history, most likely in 1242, while Wroclaw was being reconstructed following the disastrous Mongol Invasion. Named variously Saltzring (Salt Square) and Polnischer Markt (Polish Market), the square was where salt from Wieliczka (a worthy blog post in itself) and Halicz and goods like leather, honey, and beeswax - mainly from Poland - were traded from the Middle Ages until the 19th century. You will certainly find more beautiful buildings here too!
4. Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall is an icon and symbol of the city as the incredible building itself is certainly recognizable! It is a beautiful Gothic building and its construction began in the late 13th century, however the construction of the building continued for 250 years. The various architectural elements show this lengthy process. The inside now houses the History Museum of Wroclaw where you can see remarkable Gothic interiors, city artifacts, and other interesting exhibits. My favorite was seeing the Great Room where indoor fencing tournaments took place complete with horses! I can’t find any more details about how they accomplished this with horses, but this bit had me fascinated.
5. Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island)
Cathedral Island is the oldest part of the city where the history of Wroclaw actually started. Surrounded by the river Oder, the buildings here contain many of the oldest churches in the area – several from the 13th and 14th centuries. Seven of them are beautiful Catholic Gothic churches. The first was a wooden church, St. Martin, built in 1290. A century later, brick was used to replace wood as the main element for buildings. WWII bombings destroyed many structures which were replaced with more modern looking buildings so the contrasts in architecture make for an interesting sight. The great ones are the Gothic St. John the Baptist Cathedral (see #6) and the Holy Cross Church. Both are pearls of Gothic and Baroque architecture, so definitely go check them out. Each building boasts a long and complex history, so take time to explore them and to stroll along the Oder River as well. Another popular site on the island is the Residence of the Archbishop of Wroclaw. At the beginning of the 12th century, this was a two-story late-Romanesque bishop’s residence, however, over the years, the palace was expanded and reconstructed. The botanical gardens are near-by and lovely to stroll if you are done with seeing churches. Keep an eye out at dusk for the district’s famous lamplighter as he goes about his daily duty of lighting Ostów Tumski’s gas lamps by hand (pretty cool if you ask me)!
6. St. John the Baptist Cathedral (Wroclaw Cathedral)
As mentioned in # 5, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is another symbol of Wroclaw and was rebuilt after WWII. 70% of the building was damaged in the war but was brought back with pure Gothic elements to remain true to its integrity. If you look closely, you can still see damage in the brick walls from artillery shells, making it even more incredible to see the transformation. The stained glass from the 1950s and 1960s are stunning. For a small fee, you may go up to the church tower to get an excellent view of the city from above.
7. Racławice Panorama
Essentially, this building is a large rotunda created to house a painting in which the Poles defeated the Russians at the Battle of Raclawice in 1794. It is huge – 374 feet long and 46 feet high and took the artists (9 in total) nine months to paint. It was unveiled in 1894. There is also a small museum that gives more details of this very important battle. As you study the various elements of the painting (don’t rush), it will be hard to believe it is actually a painting!
8. St. Elizabeth’s Church
This Gothic basilica was built in the 14th century on the site of an earlier church, although the large tower was not built until 1482. It is one of the oldest churches in Wroclaw and the tallest building in Old Town. The inside is absolutely beautiful. You will find impressive Gothic and Renaissance side altars, medieval chapels, and over 100 tombs of once prominent citizens. The carved medieval choir stalls are stunning. Another highlight is the 300 feet (91m) tower but don't underestimate the climb – there are 300 stone spiral steps in a narrow stairwell. I didn’t make the climb but was told by a few that the view was amazing from the top (we had already been walking all day, so I was good with that.). But even if you don’t make the climb, the art, architecture and beauty inside is worth the visit to this interesting medieval church.
9. Go Gnome (krasnale) hunting
There are 500 of these amusing statues to see and find throughout the city center. Not since my time finding Corgis on the Royal Yacht Britannica did I have so much fun searching for these little whimsical dwarfs. These merry munchkins can be seen in alleyways, street corners, dotting doorways, and even up on top of street signs. The most welcoming to me was the Statue of Liberty gnome we spotted.
10. Centennial Hall (People’s Hall)
This interesting round building is constructed with glass outside in an amber-colored shade, which is so fitting as the amber resin is so popular in Poland. It can hold 7,000 people. Construction of the building began in 1913 and took only six months to build – isn’t that remarkable?!? This “Cathedral of Democracy” was really part of German history to signify the German defeat of Napoleon. In 2006, it was declared a UNESCO site. Today it is a multi-purpose forum for things such as concerts, theater, and sporting events. An interesting 316 ft steel needle stands just outside the building, which was erected in 1948. It looks like a rocket ship before such things even existed. Make sure to walk the surrounding park and fountains as they are absolutely lovely as well.
We enjoyed our days exploring Wroclaw and it was hard narrowing the list to ten (the many medieval churches to see alone would exceed 10). I was surprised at the rich and complex history I learned about this city. The town was charming, quaint and fanciful in some cases and the buildings were colorful and beautiful. Stay tuned for some places we visited just outside of this wonderful city!