Best places to see and things to do in Wroclaw (Poland)

If you are going to plan a sightseeing trip to polandI'm sure you know that Wroclaw It must be a stage essential in the same.

In my first trip to poland, a few years ago, I only visited Krakow and its surroundings since it was part of a car route through Czech Republic in which I included said Polish city.

But on the recent occasion that I have had travel to poland, Wroclaw became the first objective of a trip in which I also visited Poznan y warsaw.

Wroclaw It is the capital of the region of the Lower Silesia.

With about 700.000 inhabitants, it is strategically located to be included in a route through Central Europe, about 140 kilometers from the German border.

It is also relatively close to very touristy cities such as Prague or the aforementioned Krakow.

Curiosities of the history of Wroclaw (Wroclaw)

The historical origins of Wroclaw They date back to the year 1000, when on the island of Ostrow Tumski an archbishopric was established.

But if the Wrocław city It is because of the numerous changes it has experienced throughout its history, with different names and reigns, and for having belonged to up to four different countries.

In fact, today it is also known by the name Wroclaw.

After Second World War, Wroclaw had to be rebuilt because the city was greatly affected by the war.

Nowadays Wroclaw It is a very popular city among Spanish university students, as it is in high demand for taking university courses. Erasmus.

Also, as a curiosity, I will tell you that regarding the tourists it receives from different countries, after the Germans, the Spanish are the ones who visit Wroclaw the most.

What to see and do in Wroclaw in one or two days

Wroclaw It is a very manageable city that you will easily visit on foot.

Wroclaw Market Square

 

I had been told that Wroclaw was a beautiful city, perhaps the most beautiful in Poland, but I had not bothered to document myself about it, because I preferred to let myself be surprised by that promise.

And now I can confirm that, indeed, Wroclaw It is beautiful and I was especially fascinated by this market square.

Due to its dimensions, it is already the second largest square in Poland, after the Krakow Market Square, which I visited a few years ago.

Both are huge and have a somewhat similar configuration, with a square shape and a group of buildings in the center of it.

Mi Wroclaw visit It coincided with a sunny day, full of light, and on my first walk through the marketplace I was impressed.

It is true that we entered through the street that led directly to the beautiful Gothic building of the old Town Hall in Wroclaw, one of the most beautiful I have seen in recent times.

It is also true that this building, like the rest of the ones in the square, have been rebuilt behind the WWII.

Know that Wroclaw It was one of the cities that suffered the most from the effects of the bombings during that war, but, from my point of view, that does not detract from its value.

This reconstruction has been done based on the documentation that was available about what the square was like before the war, as is done, for example, in many German cities, highlighting the cases of Berlin o Dresden.

Now on the four sides of the marketplace You can see a succession of colorful buildings, a total of 65, that make up a beautiful architectural picture.

The origins of the Wroclaw Market Square They date back to the 13th century, and the beautiful Gothic town hall building was built from that time until the 15th century.

Its great architectural wealth is the expression of the power that the city achieved at that time, and it became a model for other buildings of the city. Lower Silesia.

This former town hall building now houses the art Museum of the city, and next to it is the building of the current city hall.

On the side of the beautiful building the doors of the brewery open Piwnica Swidnicka, the oldest in the city, and famous for serving the popular beer Swidnicka.

Do not hesitate to enter to see the interior of the establishment.

In the northwest corner of the plaza is the St. Elizabeth's Church, one of the oldest in the city, which shows the tallest tower in the historic center of Wroclaw.

Nearby you can see some of the small metal figures known as the gnomes or dwarfs of Wroclaw, of which there are about 250 distributed throughout the historic center.

The reason for its existence is surrounded by various legends, but I advise you not to stop looking for them in the different corners of the historic center.

La marketplace It has great entertainment at any time of the day and markets and other city events take place there.

And, of course, it is the typical square where restaurants and bars are concentrated with their very busy terraces.

I advise you not to visit it once, but to go two or three times during your day in Wroclaw. Especially if you are a fan of photography, you will not get tired of capturing its beautiful corners with the different lights of the day.

Town Hall Square

One of the most impressive buildings I have seen in recent times during my various travels is old town hall of wroclaw

The building that will undoubtedly focus your attention the most is the one mentioned above. old town hall, which is located next to the current city hall building.

It is true that as happens in the main Polish cities, this building was very seriously damaged during the Second World War, so in the 50s it had to be completely rebuilt.

Therefore, it is not the original building from the mid-13th century.

But what you will now see is a very faithful reconstruction of the town hall, during which special care has been taken to respect the great artistic richness of the facades.

To fully appreciate this artistic wealth you will have to spend a long time contemplating its different corners, such as the windows or balconies, as well as the numerous decorative elements.

More than Gothic style, the old town hall of wroclaw shows an eclectic style,

This represents a mix of architectural trends, a consequence of its original construction dating back more than 250 years.

Today, the old town hall building is a cultural activities center, in addition to housing the Museum of Bourgeois Art.

I can tell you that its artistic beauty is such that it is worth seeing it at different times of the day in order to fully appreciate all the combinations of lights and colors.

Wroclaw Cathedral Island

Near this square, walking towards the northeast, you will reach Ostrow Tumski, also known as the Cathedral Island.

It is precisely on this island where the city has its origin and where you can now visit the Wroclaw cathedral.

Built in 1244, with its two very high towers, it was the first building in Poland built with bricks.

In addition to the cathedral, you can see another curious church from 1295, inside which there are two floors, of which until 1997 one was dedicated to the Orthodox rite and the other to the Catholic one.

Currently it is a church of exclusively Catholic worship, and one of the few examples of churches with this curious configuration that you can find in Europe.

On your walk through the city and the banks of the Odra river You will also be able to see several buildings that reflect the character of a university city that it has. Wroclaw.

Raclawice Panorama from Wrocław

Likewise, another curious corner to visit in the city center is the Raclawice Panorama, A large panoramic painting 360-degree view that is displayed in a museum created specifically for it.

This spectacular painting was made to celebrate the centenary of the Battle of Raclawice, which occurred in 1794 after the revolt of the Polish population after the Russian occupiers.

Centenary Hall in Wroclaw

If you have time during your visit, you have the opportunity to see the building that has put to Wroclaw in the list of places Heritage for the Unesco.

This is the Centennial Hall, Centennial Hall, which is located in a neighborhood somewhat far from the center that you can reach with tram lines 2 and 10, or bus 145.

El Centennial Hall, Also known as Hall of the century, is an imposing exhibition center that was built in 1913 to celebrate the centenary of the defeat of Napoleon.

Formed by a huge reinforced concrete dome 69 meters in diameter and 42 meters high, when it was built it was the largest building of its kind in the world.

The dome, made of iron and glass, is 23 meters high, and events with a capacity of up to 6.000 people are organized in the venue.

In front of Centennial Hall There are gardens with fountains in which every hour a multimedia show of light and sound.

Japanese Garden in Wroclaw

You can complete your visit by approaching the beautiful Japanese garden what's next to the Centennial Hall, which was built as a complementary attraction to the conference venue.

It displays up to 200 different varieties of trees and plants from Japan and Korea.

In July 1997 it suffered a major flood, so the garden had to be largely replanted and was reopened for public visits the following year.

In sum, Wroclaw It is a beautiful city whose main attractions you can visit in one day.

Enjoy it!!

Map: how to get to Wroclaw

For get to Wroclaw (Wroclaw) by plane, from Madrid in the summer you have direct flights with Ryanair .

At other times of the year, flights have a stopover in Warsaw or German cities such as Munich or Frankfurt, so you will need about five and a half hours of travel.

You also have the option of fly to Warsaw and then travel from the Polish capital on a fast train which will take you to Wroclaw in three and a half hours.