Wrocław was my final travel destination before this whole COVID thing, and I was so glad that I've saved the most remarkable city for the last. This city in Western Poland is still a bit under the radar for people who are not familiar with this country, making walking around town so comfortable and not as touristy.
Being part of the Polish Kingdom, Czech, Hungary, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Kingdom of Prussia (Germany) in the past, and a city of students now, it for sure doesn't lack cool places to explore. In previous posts, I've talked numerous times about how mixtures of architectural styles in harmony impress me like Mudéjar mixing Gothic and more in Andalucia. Here, from its gorgeous old town to all the eye-opening modernist architecture, it's clear how deeply its history influences its culture. (More on that later)
I took a night train here from Vienna and arrived at Wrocław at 05:00 in the morning. We left the first thing the next morning. In addition to me not feeling my best that day (ironically), I felt like there was still so much I could've done in this amazing city, and I'd definitely suggest leaving more time to spend here. Enough said, here are the reasons I think you need to visit Wrocław.
Only in Wrocław
Let's begin with some of the more family-friendly and unique stuff you can only do in Wrocław (sort of).
[Fun fact: how to pronounce Wrocław] I bet I'm not the only one who struggled with the pronunciation of Wrocław. The "w" is pronounced like English "v" while "ł" is pronounced like English "w", so "Wrocław" is pronounced as "Vrohts-wahf". You're welcome!
Dwarfs hunting
Finding bronze gnomes in different poses around town sounds and looks adorable and lighthearted, but their origin suggests otherwise. With 163 official dwarfs and a total of more than 300 dwarfs around town, it is quite hard to miss, to be honest. Going back to Poland's communist past around the 1980s, Orange Alternative, a movement rebelling against the Communist regime, arose in Wrocław. Similar to the Communist regime we're experiencing now, their anti-communist graffiti was always quickly painted over with fresh paint, preventing people from attempting to resist together. Facing a ridiculous government inspired them to use mockery and absurdity in protest. In this case, they painted thousands of drawings of gnomes over the fresh paint. In more recent years, statues were built in memorial to this movement and became a phenomenon. Over the years, more and more dwarfs popped up and became the icon of Wrocław. We were running short of time, so we didn't look for the dwarfs specifically. Throughout our day, we've bumped into around 30 of them. As they are quite small, around a foot tall, trying to spot as many as you can is a challenging and fun thing to do with your kids. (I'm still a bit upset I missed the orchestra dwarfs. Maybe I'll try getting a map of the dwarfs next time I'm there.)
Kalejkowo, the miniature world
I haven't seen lots of posts mentioning this place, but it was one of the elements that made Wrocław so special for me. Spanning 335 square meters, with train tracks 510 meters long, over 3000 tiny figures and humans and animals recreate the lively city and countryside of Wrocław.
There you would find the iconic and colourful Old Market Square of Wrocław (It was almost Christmas when I was there. They even included the Christmas market in the miniature.), a realistic model of the city of Wrocław, the Karkonosze ski range, Polish countryside, and more. Robert (my boyfriend, who's 22) really enjoyed watching the trains and cars going around the tiny city, while I appreciated its detailed storytelling a lot. Every figure seemed to be doing something hilariously different and had a different story to tell. (I'm not gonna spoil everything here. Spotting the interacting models is the joy I had there.) You could even experience day and night every 9 minutes on the set. With not many people there, it is a place to stimulate kids' imagination and for adults to unleash their inner child in the course of around 1 hour.
Cathedral Island
Formerly an island, Ostrów Tumski is also known as Cathedral Island, as this oldest part of Wrocław houses lots of religious and historical buildings like the Cathedral of St. John Baptist, which I'll talk more about later. Same with Old Market Square, the streets are also lined with gorgeous colourful houses, but with no crowds at all in this tranquil area. Felt like a lovely sanctuary for some peace and quiet, while being merely a bridge away from the other parts of the city.
One of the most unique things about Cathedral Island, though, is the traditional oil lamps that brightly light up the cobblestone streets at night. Every day, around 20-40 minutes before dark, no matter the weather, the lamplighter would walk around the island and light up the hundred-something gas lamps on the island. A rare sight to be seen in the modern world, it is quite fascinating to glance back into the past like this.
Dumplings!
Unlike Chinese/ Japanese dumplings, pierogi (Polish dumplings) are less moist and oily, and more on the filling side, and I really enjoyed it. I figured I would have so many regrets if I didn't go for pierogi for my final dinner in Poland. And wow, I ended my journey with pierogi on a high note. They were definitely the best ones I've had. We ordered ten dumplings in total between the two of us (boiled because of my sore throat, but I heard their baked ones are one-of-a-kind), and we were so full afterwards. There was a huge variety to choose from: meaty ones, vegan ones, or even sweet ones as desserts. Each of the pierogi is as large as my palm, freshly stuffed with fillings. With a bowl of Polish soup and fresh lemonade, it was a perfect Polish dining experience.
The Views
After introducing all the fun and unusual stuff that everyone would enjoy doing in Wrocław, let's dive into how beautiful this place actually is and where you can admire its charm.
Cathedral of St John the Baptist
And, of course, the quintessential viewing point of a European city- the city's cathedral. The Cathedral of St John the Baptist is one of the highest viewpoints in Wrocław, offering a panoramic view of the area from one of its towers by just an elevator ride up without needing to climb strenuous stairs. For its scenery, in my opinion, Wrocław is also quite unique in this aspect, not reminding me of any other European cities I've been to despite having similar red-bricked roofs everywhere. Having slab-like columns on the buildings' exterior, with ridges of the roofs following the columns at the structures' curves, made them look like origami cardboard houses. Their roofs reminded me of the ones in the movie Jojo Rabbit, especially the scene where the attic windows look like eyes staring at Jojo, who is on the ground. It was an unusual sight for someone like me who lives in skyscrapers to see so many windows for skylights on one roof. From here, you can also appreciate how the various bridges connect the land of Wrocław.
This iconic building in Wrocław was the first brick building in Poland back in 1244. Since then, it was destroyed by fires and World War II and rebuilt four times into the current version you see. To me, the elegant Gothic double spires reminded me of St. Mary Basilica in Kraków, but at the back, its blocks with domes definitely stand out. Interiorly, it was like any typical Gothic cathedral you visit, with the arches and stuff.
Wroclaw University (Mathematics Tower)
The university I'm studying at is pretty and attracts the public to come and enjoy the vast space from time to time, but the charm of Wrocław University is on another level. Walking through astronomical exhibitions and winding stairs, wondering what it's like studying in somewhere so visually satisfying, you would arrive at the top of Mathematics Tower, another viewing point of the city. From here, you can see the Old Town and more of the modernist architecture side of Wrocław. You can also appreciate how various bridges connect the land of Wrocław across the Odra River.
They offer ticket packages to visit 2, 3, or 4 attractions of the Museum of the University of Wrocław: Mathematical Tower, Aula Leopoldinum (under renovation when I was there), Oratorium Marianum (refer below), the Exposition. The deal was okay for me.
Market Square
Finally, we've come to the highlight of visiting Wrocław, its medieval Old Market Square. It was a bit hard for me to take pictures that do justice to this most beautiful market square I've ever been to due to the presence of Christmas market stalls and lights being set up there. But looking around, even though most buildings were rebuilt after World War II, the houses still are decorated in Gothic and Renaissance styles, gorgeous and having some resemblance with Stortorget of Stockholm, Sweden. I really love the various soft pastel colours of the houses, which were quite harmonious when put together, feeling like a fairy tale village. (I really hate it when the internet oversaturates pictures whenever there's a "colourful" tourist spot, making everything look like they've been poisoned.) Apart from walking around, there are also excellent choices of cafes and restaurants in that area. This is somewhere you can't miss when you visit Wrocław.
Architecture
As mentioned before, the architecture in Wrocław has been deeply influenced by its history. Wrocław was under Prussian and German rule from the beginning of the 19th century till the end of World War 2. A lot of the buildings in the city were destroyed during the war. Therefore, you see a lot of modernist architecture here, too. But I'm no expert, below are just my observations~~
Main Train Station
During the late 19th century, the German Empire heavily invested in railway construction, making Wrocław the transportation hub it is today. Hence, it is very likely that Wrocław Główny, the main train station, is where you first arrive in Wrocław. From the outside, this piece of historic architecture looks gorgeous. Probably due to its yellow exterior and castle-like appearance, it kind of reminds me of the Romanticist castle, Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal. (I also enjoy trains in Poland a lot. More on that next time.)
Old Town Hall
As if the Old Market Square isn't impressive enough, at its centre stands this gothic town hall, which was built from the 13th century to the 16th century. It used to serve as the seat of the city authorities and the court.
Oratorium Marianum of Wroclaw University
Can you imagine having lessons or assemblies in such exquisite Baroque halls? Neither can I. This hall was rebuilt in 1997 after being demolished during the wars, and the reconstruction work is very impressive. I mean, how could you concentrate when there are stunning paintings all around you transporting you back to the past?
Centennial Hall
Moving on to some newer buildings, Centennial Hall, which was built in 1911-1913 by the architect Max Berg, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an iconic landmark in reinforced concrete architecture. This piece of modernist masterpiece consists of an enormous circular dome in the centre and extensive pavilions, fountains, and green spaces around it. Inside the dome, the hall can serve as different social venues, including an assembly hall, an auditorium for theatre performances, an exhibition space, and a sports venue. (As you can see, the fountain was under maintenance when we were there, and with no exhibitions being held inside, there wasn't much to do there. But the park with a moody vibe was comfortable to stroll around in.)
Panorama of the Battle of Racławice
Inside this circular pavilion houses the monumental cycloramic painting from the 19th century, Racławice Panorama, which depicted the Battle of Racławice during the Kościuszko Uprising against Russia and Prussia. While the painting itself attracts numerous visitors to come and visit, in my opinion, the building is extremely fascinating too.
From afar and above, you can see how it stands out yet fits into its surroundings as a brutalist architecture. You can also appreciate its paper-fan-like structured roof and its walls being decorated with green vines.
Wroclaw's Manhattan
From these pictures, you can see that the residential area of Wrocław has no resemblance or whatsoever with the Old Town. Most of these buildings were built post-war, with a higher density and a clean design. One of the more recognized complexes is "Sedesowce", or "Wrocław's Manhattan", which was designed by the celebrated local architect Jadwiga Grabowska-Hawrylak. This clean design of symmetrical units might be something fans of brutalism enjoy.
Muzeum Narodowe we Wrocławiu
Not gonna lie; we randomly passed by the National Museum on our way to Racławice Panorama but thought that this building had a striking facade. During every autumn and winter, the leaves covering the museum building's exterior change into different shades of orange and green, making the building look a bit different every time you visit it. Inside the building are collections of paintings and sculptures of Medieval, Silesian, and Polish art from different periods.
Christmas bonus
If you have been following my Central Europe series, you would quickly realize Wrocław was the final leg of my Christmas journey in 2019. I thought I would be sick of all the Christmas markets by then, so I didn't have many expectations. (Especially when we just came here from Vienna, where Christmas was done so well.) But the decorations in the Old Market Square looked so tempting I couldn't help but take a look around.
The decorations weren't as flashy and large-scale as the ones in Vienna, but in my opinion, the ones here felt much more intimate and charming. I really love how fairy tales like the wooden platform looked against the multicoloured houses of the square.
Other Christmas trees and decorations we saw were very unique and fun as well! I really love how the tree in Wrocław reminds me of the balloon arches we had to make for school events, haha.
Same with most of the European towns I've talked about, most of the stuff I visited was within walking distance from each other. The only time I really did need to rely on public transport was when I was carrying my suitcase or getting to Centennial Hall, and the tram was relatively easy and convenient. You can simply purchase a ticket from a ticket machine at the stop before your journey and hop on. The reliable Google Maps works well here, so you don't need to worry about that.
I didn't have many expectations before visiting Wrocław, but I'm so glad I decided to stop by before heading home. This city is so different from my other travel experiences, and in a good way. (In fact, the whole Poland travel experience was a delight.) Definitely come pay a visit when the travel ban is lifted! I promise you won't be disappointed.
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