One of Poland’s oldest cities, Wrocław has many remarkable architectural sites whose history is inextricably bound with that of the city. The city was established on one of the islands formed by the multiple channels of the river Odra near its junction with the Ślęza, the Oława, and the Widawa. As the city spreads over 12 islands connected by 112 bridges, it is known as the ‘Polish Venice’. Its numerous attractions draw tourists from across the world, as well as local inhabitants in their leisure time. The historical monuments mentioned below are but a fraction of the city’s cultural heritage.

Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island) is one of the oldest parts of Wrocław, where traces of the original settlements dating back to the period between the 7th and the 9th century have been discovered. These settlements were initially rural, then urban in character. In the mid-8th century, the so-called Bavarian Geographer mentioned the Cathedral Island settlement as one of the civitates of the Sleenzane (Silesian) tribe. As an island, Ostrów Tumski was suitable for defence purposes and thus an excellent site for a stronghold. With the increasing influence of the clergy, by 1439 the entire island became the property of the Church, Wrocław’s terra sancta. Until the early 1800s, a criminal who crossed the Tumski Bridge could be pursued no further, while the dukes and all lay officials had to take off their headgear to cross the bridge. Cathedral Island ceased to be an island in 1824, when the arm of the river which ran along the east edge of Katedralny Square was filled in. As far back as the 15th century, almost all the church official had gardens planted at the backs of their residences, the most famous being the ‘Garden of Joy’ designed by Bishop Francis Louis. Today, this area is one of the city’s most popular green spaces. Walking around Cathedral Island you are surrounded by unique architectural monuments, particularly the churches, including St. John the Baptist Cathedral, the Church of the Holy Cross, St. Martin’s Church, and many other places of interest.

St. John the Baptist Cathedral is one of the most valuable monuments of Wrocław’s church architecture. It was constructed on the site of an earlier building we know little about; this was probably the first cathedral erected in the times of King Boleslaus the Brave, when a bishopric was established in Wrocław in the year 1000. It was built of stone laid in lime mortar. The second cathedral, partly destroyed after the death of Mieszko II in 1034, was rebuilt under Bishop Jerome (1051–1062). Bishop Walter of Malonne began the construction of a new cathedral (1149–1169), which was completed by his successor, Bishop Zyroslaus II (1170–1198). This was the first building constructed according to the uniform Gothic system, which is reflected in the structure, its aesthetic, and functionalism. Many borrowings are apparent in the construction; for instance, the sculptured decorations of the choir were directly influenced by the Gothic column ornaments in Magdeburg and Naumburg. The fourth cathedral, begun in 1244, still stands today. It was constructed in the Gothic style. Over the centuries, new elements were added to the original basilica, central nave, two aisles, and four towers. St. Mary’s Chapel, also known as the small chancel, and the side chapels were built in the 14th century. The first clock, ordered by the Council and manufactured by Master Swelbelin, was installed on the west wall in 1373. At the end of the 17th century, under Bishop Francis Louis of Neuburg, the interior was redesigned in the Baroque style: new altars were built, as well as a pulpit, balustrades, and four new chapels. A fire which broke out in 1759 caused serious damage to the cathedral; its reconstruction continued until the early 20th century. At the end of World War II, the damage to the cathedral was estimated at 70 per cent, and it was uncertain whether the building could be restored to its former glory. The reconstruction proceeded in several stages, initially under the supervision of Marcin Bukowski, then, after 1968, under Edmund Małachowicz. Excavation works were simultaneously conducted, leading to the discovery of the relics of a Romanesque crypt that was part of Walter’s cathedral, as well as the tombs and remains of many bishops. Today the magnificently rebuilt Gothic cathedral is again open to the public. Since a lift was installed in the north tower in 1995, visitors can also enjoy a view from the terrace of the city and its surroundings.

Church of the Holy Cross was the first two-storey church built in Silesia and one of only a handful in Europe. It was founded by Duke Henry the Righteous to commemorate the end of his long dispute with Bishop Thomas II (1270–1292) and was to serve as a sanctuary where masses would be said for the souls of the deceased members of the dynasty. Construction work on the chancel began in 1288; it was completed in 1295 and consecrated by Bishop Romek of Kraków. The large crypt constructed below the choir was an architectural novelty, splitting the church into two levels, each with its own row of windows: long windows on the upper level and small ones below. Although the section to the west of the chancel is also two-storey, this was added twenty years later. At one time, an excellent piece of sculpture – the sarcophagus of Henry the Righteous – was housed in the presbytery of the upper church. It can now be viewed at the National Museum. The fact that the Church of the Holy Cross was raised to the rank of a collegiate church testifies to its importance.

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Sand Island is situated on the east end of Wyspa Piaskowa (Sand Island), which is adjacent to Cathedral Island. The construction of an abbey of Augustinian Canons and of the Church of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary began before 1149. Both were founded by Piotr Włostowic; after his death his wife Maria together with his son Idzi Świętosław continued the construction. Due to the generosity of the founder, this became one of the wealthiest abbeys in Wrocław. Originally the church was built in the Romanesque style with a nave, two towers, a transept, a rectangular chancel, a crypt, and side chapels. Of this first structure there remain fragments of the foundations of granite blocks and a very valuable foundational tympanum of sandstone with the image of Mary and her son holding out a model of the church. A monastery, partly built of bricks, was attached to the south end of the Church.
The construction of a much larger Gothic church began in 1334, and was consecrated by Bishop Preczlaus of Pogorzela in 1339. The work proceeded from west to east, contrary to the custom of the time. Its spatial design drew on experience acquired in building other Gothic structures. Three chapels – dedicated to St. Anthony, St. John of Nepomuk, and the Holy Family – were erected along the north aisle. It is six-span hall church with the nave and the two aisles of equal height. Many innovations were introduced, including the use of rectangular spans in the nave parallel to the building’s axis, which meant that the pillars could be set wider apart. Consequently the interior became bright and spacious. It is enhanced by the exquisite decorations, most of them on the vaulted ceiling. In the nave, the stellar vaults combined with the play of light and shadows create an unusual effect. Here and there plant motifs grow out of bowed human heads, while angels stand holding the tools of Christ’s torture, books, and censers. Despite the 75 per cent wartime damage, the church was rebuilt. In the extensive conservation works, preserved fragments of the original interior were used to restore its Medieval décor.

A Selection of Wrocław’s Oldest Churches

St. Elizabeth’s Garrison Church in Św. Mikołaja Street
The beginnings of this church are connected with the city’s foundation charter issued in 1226. Initially it was a Romanesque structure, but by 1245 a Gothic church with a nave and two aisles was erected on the same site and stands to this day. The construction of this church founded by the city council and the local inhabitants continued with intervals from the first half of the 14th century until the late 15th century. With a thirty-metre-high interior, it is one of the tallest churches in Wrocław and in the whole of Silesia. The length of the church is 60 metres; the span of the main nave is not particularly wide: less than one-third of its height. One of the most striking and beautiful elements of the church is a sort of stone canopy created by Jodocus Tauchen in 1455. The 15-metre-high star-shaped base of the canopy rests on a polygonal pedestal and is held up by angels. There are over 100 tombstones inside the church, making it one of the most valuable monuments of sepulchral art. The tombstone of H. Rybisch, a Wrocław patrician, is among the most interesting. On the south wall there is a 1505 epitaph with a representation of the Last Judgment sculpted by Christoph Rintfleisch, which was clearly inspired by Wit Stwosz.
A Gothic spire on the church tower survived until 1529; the Renaissance top which replaced it in 1535 burned down in 1976. When the church passed into Protestant hands, the roof was covered with green and red tiles. A reconstruction of the chequerboard pattern can be viewed today. After World War II, St. Elizabeth’s once again became a Catholic church and has since served as a garrison church. Two fires in the late-20th century caused severe damage. First, the tower burned down, and a year later an enormous fire engulfed the church, destroying much of the precious interior.
The present-day church is a nave-and-two-aisles basilica. It has a chancel with two side aisles and a rib vault ceiling. The height of the reconstructed tower, including the weathervane, is 91.46 metres.

St. Adalbert’s Church in Dominikański Square One of the oldest churches on the left bank of the Odra, St. Adalbert’s was probably founded by Boleslaus Włostowic, brother of Peter Włostowic. It may have been the first parish church on the left bank, founded before Wrocław received its foundation charter. In 1112, the building was consecrated by Bishop Zyroslaus. At the end of the 12th century it belonged to the Augustinians, but with the arrival of the Dominicans and Czesław Odrowąż in the first half of the 13th century it changed hands. The Dominicans also built a monastery on this site. Next to the church there were shoemakers’, saddlers’ and furriers’ workshops.
From the very beginning the church continued to rapidly expand; the nave was added at the west end, followed by the monastery choir on a rectangular plan, and a transept which created the Latin cross shape still visible today. In 1241, the church was destroyed during a Tartar raid and then rebuilt at the turn of the 14th century, when it was consecrated by Bishop Nanker. It acquired its present shape at the end of the 15th century. It was then that the walls of the nave and transept were raised to the height of the chancel. A narrow western bay and a new gable were added. In the 16th century a Renaissance spire was built, which survived until 1945. The beautiful Baroque chapel of Blessed Czesław, designed by J. W. Weber, is an 18th-century addition. From the 16th to the 18th century it was one of the churches where the Polish language was used during the services.
When Wrocław came under Prussian rule, the Dominican Order was dissolved and St. Adalbert’s became a parish church. The Polish language services continued until the early 20th century. After World War II, it was one of the most severely damaged structures, the damage being estimated at 70 per cent. Almost all the vaults, the spire, the south gable of the transept, and the west gable were destroyed. The reconstruction – supervised by the Dominicans, who returned to the city in 1950 – lasted from 1953 to 1958.
The church as we see it today consists of a nave surrounded by chapels and flying buttresses. Its interior was renovated in the years 1968–1970. The 13th-century elements used in the reconstruction emphasize the changing appearance of the church over the centuries. In the vaults there are crypts containing relics of the original church, as well as Baroque sarcophagi.

Wrocław’s Parks

Wrocław is one of the few Polish cities to have an exceptionally large number of parks. The diversity of the represented species of trees and shrubs is impressive, ranging from 90 to 150, whereas in other cities a park will typically have from 30 to 50 species. The parks are mostly located on the edges of the city and they are the leisure destination for the inhabitants on their days off.

Szczytnicki Park
As far back as the 18th century, Szczytnicki Forest was a popular leisure destination among the people of Wrocław. In 1783, Prince Friedrich Ludwig Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen bought the park from the city authorities and converted it into the so-called Prince’s Garden, which was one of the first English-style parks established in continental Europe. The park’s major attraction, apart from new species of trees and shrubs, were its plaster cast copies of ancient sculptures. In 1806 and 1807, when the city was besieged by Napoleon’s army, and in subsequent years, the park became run down for lack of care. It kept changing hands until 1854, when the municipal authorities bought the park for sixteen thousand thaler. However, the park continued to turn wild until 1862, when it was redesigned in keeping with the English style by Lennés. The lanes, paths, and clusters of greenery which spread over 100 hectares were intended to form a natural landscape.
Currently, besides the indigenous trees the park boasts around 320 species brought from the Balkans, Japan, China, the Caucasus, and North America. These include such rare species as Taxodium distichum, Castanea sativa, Pterocarya fraxinifilia, Pseudolarix amabilis, Tsuga canadensis, and Pinus ponderosa.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, various sections of the park began to take on a unique character, with all parts of the mosaic nonetheless forming a harmonious whole. A number of attractive spots emerged within the park as a result. One of these was the area around the oak tree nowadays known as J. Stanka’s Oak. Another was the birch wood, later named Göppert Park or Strolling Park. Yet the most remarkable is the Japanese Garden, designed and planted with the assistance of the Japanese specialist Mankichi Arai in the years 1909–1912. It is a glorious place with a unique appeal, especially during the spring and summer seasons. The garden suffered damage during the 1997 flood but was restored under the supervision of Japanese specialists and is now more beautiful than ever. It is one of the most popular spots in Szczytnicki Park, visited both by locals and tourists.

South Park
It is smaller than Szczytnicki Park, and its range of tree species is not as wide, yet it is as frequently visited by the people of Wrocław. The park was founded by the landowner Julius Schottländer as a gift for the city and set up in the years 1882–1890. It was designed in the English style by Richter, the contemporary director of the municipal gardens, and it occupies an area of 27 hectares. An interesting element of the park is an artificial lake, where small water fountains have now been installed. One can feed swans and ducks standing on the lakeside or on the small bridges. Near the lake there is a covered bandstand where numerous events take place. The trees in the park are worth seeing. Among the 15 species the most interesting are the northern catalpa, the tulip tree, and the sessile oak growing along designated paths lined with benches.

Nowowiejski Park
It was established in the years 1896–1908 in the old district of Ołbin, between today’s Nowowiejska Street and Prusa Street. It covers an area of eight hectares and is located around a pond that was formed in the 19th century, after one of the arms of the river Odra that flowed from the east was filled in. Initially there were two ponds, but the smaller, western one was filled in. The remaining one, which is still part of the park’s landscape, was once used by washerwomen. Over time, the pond was enlarged, while the soil dug out in the process formed a hill. The hill served as a vista point until higher buildings obstructed the view. In the summer, you can enjoy the beautiful trees and shrubs, including the pagoda tree, the white willow, the grey poplar, and the South American Cladrastis lutea.

Słowacki Park
This park was established on the edges of what used to be the New Town, and embraced a section of the city walls that had been pulled down. The current borders of the park are defined by Słowackiego Avenue, Modrzewskiego Street, Powstańców Warszawy Square, and the river Odra. The oldest part of the park is located east of the former Bernardine Monastery. As early as 1829–1837, the city plans showed that the area, together with the grounds of today’s Polski Square, was planted with trees. The present-day Polish Hill, which is a remnant of the former Brickmaker’s bastion, became one of the favourite spots thanks to the profusion of trees and shrubs planted there. The next stage was the planting of trees in the eastern section of today’s park, which used to be situated on the other side of the moat. The moat, which connected the river Oława with the Odra, was filled in after 1878, yet six years later the Oława formed a new outlet upstream of Grunwaldzki Bridge, where it still joins the Odra today. Despite its rather small size, the park features a variety of tree and shrub species such as the maidenhair tree, the catalpa, and the yew. After World War II the park was redesigned and enlarged, and a rotunda was built in the new part to house the Panorama of the Battle of Racławice painting. The National Museum is not far from the park.

East Park
Stretching over 30 hectares of land at the fork of the river Oława with an entrance in Krakowska Street, the park, designed by R. Konwiarz in the early 1920s, is one of the newest in Wrocław. Its close vicinity to the Oława is responsible for its natural character; the old trees and meadows were retained with careful attention to the groupings of trees and shrubs. Natural green areas were combined with new stretches of cultivated land, especially around the ponds. The park was seriously damaged in the 1997 flood but has been rebuilt since together with a playground for children.

West Park
It is located within the Kozanów and Popowice districts, stretching along the river Odra and occupying 72 hectares. It is visited not only by the inhabitants of the nearby housing estates but also by people living in other sections of the town. Along the eastern border of the park, the Kozanów public swimming pool was built and, not far from it, a skating rink at Wejherowska Street. One can also walk out to a vista point on a meadow in the old channel of the river Odra. The park is a perfect recreation area for elderly people and children.

Wrocław’s Palaces

The Archbishop’s (Bishop’s) Palace
It is located in Katedralna Street. At the beginning of the 12th century, this was a two-storey late-Romanesque bishop’s residence with a rectangular base and two rooms separated by a vestibule. Upstairs there was a larger hall (‘sala episcopalis’) we know little about, and a chapel, one element of which has been preserved to this day: a granite portal in the shape of a pointed arch characteristic of the 1250s and 1260s. Over the years, the palace was expanded and reconstructed. What remains of it is a basement with a low ceiling supported by one pillar, probably dating back to the 14th century. Several additions were made in the times of Bishop John IV Roth, including a north wing facing Katedralna Street and a gateway into a square courtyard surrounded by various ancillary buildings. A passageway at the north-east end of the palace led to the south-west tower of the Cathedral. A fire destroyed the palace in the 18th century. Its reconstruction was supervised by K. G. Langhans, an outstanding architect who designed the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and later by K. G. Geissler, who was involved in the reconstruction and renovation of many buildings located on Cathedral Island and Sand Island. While Langhans intended to pull down the north wing, Geissler not only rebuilt it but made it the centrepiece of the palace, graced by a monumental portico with a niche and Ionic columns; he also widened the passageway between the Cathedral and the palace. After World War II, this was one of the most heavily damaged buildings in Wrocław. Its reconstruction lasted, with brief intervals, from 1954 to 1969, and was supervised by a succession of experts. Certain alterations were introduced in the process: the building line was moved back and the south-east corner was cut in to broaden the passageway. Since 1991 the building has housed the Papal Faculty of Theology.

Former Palace of the Legnica-Brzeg Piasts
It is estimated that the palace was erected in the first half of the 14th century. This large residence adjacent to Kuźnicza Street was several storeys high. Attached to its north end were living quarters, a kitchen, and ancillary buildings. According to 15th-century sources it had interesting, richly decorated interiors. Around 1600, the palace was completely overhauled in line with Renaissance influences. It underwent another reconstruction in the 18th century. Today we can still see fragments of Gothic walls, a chamber with a rib vault, and an inner courtyard featuring elements retained from the earlier palace. Upon entering, we see the dukes’ coats of arms. The last ruling Duke of the Piast dynasty to live in the palace was George II (1639–1664) of Brzeg, followed by Caroline, sister of George William, the last of the Silesian Piasts. Until 1810, the building served as the dormitory of the Ursuline Order, whereupon it became the property of the state and was turned into the police headquarters. Today it houses the Wrocław University Department of History.

Former Palace of the Polish Piasts
Built in the mid-14th century, the palace was first mentioned in 1393 and 1410. This was a fairly large urban residence build on a rectangular plan. Until 1532 it belonged to the Piasts of Opole. Reconstructed in the 19th century, it has nonetheless retained some Gothic elements on the ground floor and in the basement. Perhaps the most valuable is the beautiful interior of the hall with a rib vault supported by a single central pillar, and a chamber with an equally beautiful ceiling. In 1901 the passage connecting these rooms was rebuilt. Initially there was an audience chamber on the first floor, while the upper floors served as living quarters. In the second half of the 20th century the interiors were renovated. They now house the Pharmacy Department of the Medical School (1 Nankiera Square).

Former Palace of the Wallenberg-Pachaly Family
The palace, a three-storey building in the early Classical style designed by the renowned Silesian architect K. G. Langhans, was erected in the years 1785–1787 in Szajnochy Street. The façade has a portico supported by Ionic columns. Two gateways on the sides of the portico emphasize the symmetry of the façade. In the centre, right past the entrance there is a hallway with an elliptical staircase with three flights of stairs. There is also an elliptical chamber on the ground floor, with a beautiful plafond and niches framed by Ionic columns. Subsequently, the son of K. G. Langhans, Karl Ferdinand, expanded the palace towards today’s Kazimierza Wielkiego Street. The new section with a three-part façade was connected with the older building to form a harmonious composition. Only the upper floors were designed to stand out from the whole. Today the building at 8 Szajnochy Street houses part of the University Library.

Former Spaetgen Palace
The palace was probably built around 1719 for the Spaetgen family, which had come to Wrocław from Bohemia and exerted a lasting influence on the life of the city. Architecturally, the palace ranks very high. Predominantly Baroque, it also incorporates Classicistic elements. When Silesia passed under Prussian rule, Frederick the Great purchased and expanded the south end of the palace, adding a long Rococo wing to the façade facing today’s Wolności Square. The wing was designed by the Dutch architect J. Boumann. Thenceforth the palace was called the royal castle. In the years 1786–1794 the castle was further expanded: two projecting Neoclassical wings designed by K. G. Langhans were built. These were connected at the street end by a Tuscan colonnade with an openwork balustrade, thus forming an open-front courtyard. Although the façades of the royal castle represent a variety of styles, their design merges harmoniously with the Spaetgen palace. During World War II, the building was badly damaged. All but the north wing of the section facing Wolności Square was pulled down in 1969. Between 1963 and 1967 the remaining parts of the castle were rebuilt and converted into a museum, based on the designs of E. Małachowicz and others. Today the castle houses the Museums of Archaeology and Ethnography, which offer two permanent exhibitions – ‘Silesia in the Primeval History of Poland’ and ‘Silesia in the Early Middle Ages’ – as well as seasonal exhibitions.

Former Hatzfeldt Palace
In the years 1714–1722 a large Baroque palace was constructed adjoining the Oleśnica Piasts’ townhouse. This was a stunningly beautiful three-story building with an ornate eleven-part façade. It also boasted a grand hall lined with blue-grey Silesian marble.
When Wrocław was besieged by Austrian forces led by Marshall Ernest Laudon in 1760, the city refused to surrender. In response, the Austrians conducted a two-hour-long bombardment. This resulted in heavy human casualties as well as much damage to the buildings, including the palace. K. G. Langhans, who had just embarked on his career, was entrusted with its reconstruction. The project lasted from 1765 to 1775 and made Langhans famous. Drawing on the early Classical style with marked Italian influences, he designed a palace that featured a magnificent three-aisle vestibule with two rows of columns and stairways on either side. In 1776 the music room was completed. The façade had a marble portico with a balcony. At the beginning of the 19th century the building was purchased by the state and converted into the offices of the local administration. When the French army conquered Wrocław the palace served as the residence of the commander-in-chief Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon. Destroyed during World War II, the palace was partly pulled down; only the entrance portico and the main hallway behind it have remained. Today the glass-fronted ground floor is occupied by the Awangarda art gallery.

Wocław’s Bridges

Ever since Wrocław was established, its location on the Odra and its numerous tributaries, as well as the fact that it was a junction of major trade routes, meant the need to construct many bridges. Before World War II, when twelve major roads and nine railway lines radiated out of the city, there were four railway bridges and ten road bridges here. However, when we include the bridges on the tributaries and canals, as well as the railway overpasses, the number rises to 108 road bridges and 115 railway bridges. By 1995 the number of road bridges had risen to 119.

Piaskowy Bridge (Sand Bridge)
This bridge, first mentioned in 1149, is considered to be the oldest in Wrocław. Its construction is probably related to the existence of the ‘amber trail’ running from the Adriatic, through Sand Island, to the Baltic. A landing-place used for rafting timber, originally situated on Cathedral Island, was moved to the left bank of the river Odra, right next to the bridge. In the 15th century, the bridge had a fortified wooden tower in the middle, the span adjacent to the island was designed as a drawbridge, and a gate plastered with clay stood at this end. When the city was fortified in the 17th century, the tower was removed. Only the drawbridge remained. Over the years the bridge had various names, including, ‘the bridge by the Blessed Virgin Mary’ and ‘St. Mary’s’. The present-day iron bridge dates back to 1861 and is the oldest iron bridge in the city.

Młyński Bridge (Mill Bridge)
Like the Piaskowy Bridge, the Młyński Bridge was first mentioned in 1149. It linked Ołbin with Cathedral Island and was once much wider than it is today. At first it was called St. Vincent’s, being situated near the abbey in Ołbin. In the 16th century, what today is one bridge actually consisted of three bridges collectively known as the ‘Long Bridges’. Two fortified towers with gates were built along this stretch. These had rooms on the upper floors above the gateways. Sand Island was connected with Mill Island by the third section of this bridge. It was often called the ‘Corpus Christi Bridge’, like the nearby flour mill (the present-day Maria Mill). Other names used in the 18th and the early 19th centuries included ‘Przedtumski’ and ‘Fortuna’, while the steel bridge constructed on this site in 1885 was named after the Prussian field marshal A. Gneisenau. The two-span steel bridge with a stone terrace designed as a vista-point in the centre still stands. The present-day name ‘Mill Bridge’ was adopted on 19 October 1945.

Uniwersytecki Bridge (University Bridge)
This bridge was constructed around 1200 at the end of Więzienna Street, and was initially used by travellers crossing the river. A written record from 1369 mentions a wooden bridge on this site consisting of two sections – a longer and a shorter one – that spanned the two arms of the Odra. Being the longest in Wrocław it was called the ‘Long Bridge’. The two sections of the bridge were separated by fortifications, which consisted of a defensive gate, a 16th-century guardhouse, and walls with the Młyńska Gate. Between 1866 and 1869 a new iron bridge supported by stone pillars (designed by Kaumann) was constructed upstream of the old wooden one. The old bridge was dismantled in 1870. The present-day bridge is a 190-metre-long steel structure and in fact consists of two bridges spanning the two arms of the river, with a vista point at the east end.

Grunwaldzki Bridge
It linked the new academic and residential district springing up on the right bank of the river Odra with the city centre. Its name changed from ‘Imperial Bridge’ to ‘Freedom Bridge’ and then back to ‘Imperial Bridge’. 2300 tonnes of steel and Silesian granite were used in its construction. The cables of this suspension bridge are 216 metres long, while the suspended deck itself is 112.5 metres long. Weyrauch, Mayer, Dender, and Scholtz were the engineers responsible for its construction. Repairs of the substantial wartime damage began in 1945. During the reconstruction several architectural changes were made to the towers, based on D. Czajka’s design. The engineer in charge of the work was W. Siwiński. The bridge was reopened on 6 September 1947. It was renovated again at the end of the 20th century.

Town Hall
The first structure erected on this site in the 13th century was the Merchants’ Hall, used for commercial purposes. Built on a rectangular plan, it had two aisles, an entrance at the east end, and a tower at the west end. It also served as the seat of the local government. At the turn of the 14th century, new parts were built at the north-east end: the Headman’s Room and the Councillors’ Room (1328). In the 15th century, an extension was added to the west of the Councillors’ Room to accommodate the Town Scribe. These developments reflected both the growing importance and size of the council and Wrocław’s rising economic status. During the annual burghers’ meetings eleven councillors and eight aldermen were elected. The 1570s saw the beginning of remodelling works that would give the Town Hall its present-day shape. It was expanded by adding a third aisle on the south side; numerous decorative elements – including bay windows, buttresses, and spires – were added to give the building a new splendour. In 1580, a huge astronomical clock was installed. During the renovation works carried out between 1884 and 1892 under the supervision of K. Lüdecke, some unfortunate errors were committed; for instance, certain damaged elements were replaced by Neo-Gothic ones. Those, however, were removed during the 20th-century conservation works supervised by M. Bukowski.
Today, the Town Hall entrance is at the west end while the oldest part is the three-aisle Burghers’ Hall located on the ground floor, adjacent to the Headman’s Room, Green Room, and Mayor’s Room, facing the south, as well as the Councillors’ Room and the Chancellery. The grandest room on the upper level is the three-aisle Council Hall, also called the Great Hall or Refectory, where the official functions take place much as they did in former times. Also on this floor there is the Dukes’ Hall. Initially a chapel, it then became the Silesian dukes’ assembly hall. Since 1968, the Town Hall has housed the Museum of History.

Rynek (Town Square)
Initially, a road ran diagonally across the area that is now the Rynek from the south towards today’s Piaskowa Street. The square dates back to the 13th century, when the major thoroughfares and trade routes were redirected there. Gradually the Rynek became the commercial centre. Two streets branched out from each of its corners at right angles. An auxiliary marketplace was established close by to accommodate the salt trade, hence the name Solny Square (Salt Square) used to the present day. Poultry and game were sold in Kurzy Targ (Chicken Market). Wrocław merchants offered a wide array of goods; some were imported from other parts of Poland, some from Scandinavia and other European countries, while silks and spices were brought from the Middle East. The merchants sold their wares in various parts of the Rynek, including the Cloth Hall, which housed 40 stalls selling cloth and imported goods, and 48 stalls at the north end selling hardware, haberdashery, and jewellery. These were owned by wealthy merchants. Thursdays and Saturdays were market days. Farmers from the neighbouring villages brought produce for sale, yet they were not licensed to sell bread and meat and thus could not compete with the Wrocław artisans. One of the oldest fairs in Wrocław, held on St. John’s feast day, drew merchants from Silesia and other regions of Poland, as well as Germany, Bohemia, Italy, and Flanders.
At first, the houses in the Rynek were built of timber, yet by the second half of the 13th century these were replaced by brick structures. Significantly, the number of houses – 60 – has remained unchanged since the square was first laid out. The first Town Hall was erected on the south-east side. In the second half of the 13th century two rows of cloth stalls were set up across from Kurzy Targ, while stalls selling other goods were located slightly to the north. Henry the Righteous permitted the construction of brick stalls, 32 of which soon filled the central part of the square, and survived until 1824. Meanwhile, new houses went up and others were pulled down or remodelled. In the early 16th century, most of the buildings in the Rynek were two or three storeys high. In the 1550s and 1560s, Dutch architectural styles became prevalent but the earlier Italian influences were still strong. The Griffin House built around 1300 is one of the oldest townhouses. It has retained the original Gothic rib vault, though in the 16th century it was remodelled in the style of Dutch Mannerism by Frederick Gross and his assistant Gerard Hendrik. Griffins, lions, pelicans, eagles, and two coats of arms adorn its high gable.
From the 18th century to the Prussian times few innovations were introduced in the construction of buildings even though much more construction work went on. Some buildings were completely overhauled while others were given a facelift; for instance, an ornate bay window was put in on the second storey of The Golden Dog house. At the end of the 18th century, four-storey and higher townhouses began to appear. In the 19th century, shops were opened on the ground floors of the townhouses. Shop windows were first installed towards the end of that century. Horse-drawn trams were also introduced at the time; one of the lines ran from the Rynek through Wita Stwosza Street to Podwale Street. Eventually the horse-drawn trams were replaced by electrical ones, and on 1 July 1976 these disappeared from Rynek Square altogether. Half of the buildings were destroyed during World War II. The façades were rebuilt in accordance with the Renaissance and Classical styles. Other landmarks in the square beside the Town Hall include: the whipping post, the statue of Aleksander Fredro, and the fountain.
The whipping post was erected to the east of the Town Hall in the Middle Ages. It was here that petty criminals, trouble-makers, and hooligans were flogged or put on public display well into the 18th century. The whipping post that was destroyed in 1945 was engraved with the date 1492, yet there had been others before it. At the top of one old whipping post there was a figure of Roland, the Medieval symbol of justice; this was replaced by the figure of a rod-wielding executioner. In 1985, the whipping post was reconstructed according to existing records. Sculpted of sandstone, it stands about ten metres tall and is one of few remaining posts of its kind in Lower Silesia.
The statue of the playwright Aleksander Fredro was cast in bronze by L. Marconi in 1897, and was initially displayed in Lwów (today’s Lviv). It was subsequently transferred to Poland by the authorities of the USSR and unveiled in the Rynek on 15 July 1956, on the eightieth anniversary of Fredro’s death. The playwright sits in a chair holding a quill in his right hand and a scroll in his left.

The Racławice Panorama
Wrocław is one of the few places in the world to possess a relic of 19th-century popular culture: an enormous painting 120 metres long and 15 metres high. Various painting techniques were used in its execution, including a special type of perspective, and such special effects were added as artificial terrain, lighting, and a dark, spiral-shaped entrance passage. As a result, when viewing the Panorama we have the illusion of being in the midst of the represented events.
The Panorama was painted in late 1893 and early 1894 in Lwów (today’s Lviv) to commemorate the centenary of the Kościuszko Insurrection and the victory at the battle of Racławice on 4 April 1794. It was there that the insurgent troops assisted by the scythe bearers led by Tadeusz Kościuszko defeated the Russian army under the command of general Tormasov. Both the battle and the victory had great significance for the stateless Poles under foreign rule. A second circumstance that gave rise to the Panorama was the National Exposition to be held in Lwów in 1894. J. Styka initiated the entire enterprise by inviting many renowned painters to contribute. These included W. Kossak, a painter of battle scenes, L. Boller, a landscape artist from Munich, Z. Rozwadowski, W. Tetmajer, T. Popiel, M. Sozański, T. Axentowicz, and W. Wodzinowski. The materials for the project were imported from various parts of the world: the canvas was specially woven in Brussels, the iron structure of the rotunda designed by Ludwik Ramułt was imported from Vienna. July 1893 saw the completion of the rotunda in Stryjski Park, on the grounds of the National Exposition. Work on the painting began on 26 August 1893 and the official opening took place nine months later, on 5 June 1894, presided over by the Austrian Prince Charles Louis.
A stream of visitors travelled to the Panorama in organized tours. Many of them came from the former Polish territories then under Prussian rule, despite the fact that the imperial authorities declared organizing such tours illegal. At the end of the 19th century the Panorama was put on display in Budapest, where it was viewed by over 800,000 visitors.
During an air raid on 9 April 1944, the Panorama was badly damaged; the remains were wound around a cylinder and stored in a Bernardine monastery. After World War II the painting was brought to Poland, where it waited for many years to be renovated and put on public display once again. In 1966 the construction of a rotunda was begun in Purkyniego Street, only to be discontinued after 4 years. The construction site was not reopened until 1980. Only after the painting was brought to Wrocław from Warsaw, did its renovation begin. S. Filipiak headed the conservation team. On 14 June 1985 the Racławice Panorama was opened to the public under the auspices of the National Museum.