Wrocław is one of the most beautiful cities in Poland, full of exciting things to do and amazing places to see. Tourists can choose from the great selection of recommended places and attractions such as the Wroclaw Old Town with the Market Square, the Centennial Hall from UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Ostrów Tumski or the Zoological Garden, to name only a few.
I want to share what to do & the best places to see in Wrocław. After reading, you will be well-equipped with more than 27 attractions and things to do in Wroclaw. Let’s explore!
Inside this guide:
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The Market Square in Wrocław, with its area of almost 4 hectares, is one of the most beautiful market squares and a place that should not be missed when visiting the capital of Lower Silesia. Getting to know the attractions of Wrocław usually begins from here. This is the place where crowds of tourists appear every day.
The city’s central square’s most characteristic and main building is the Old Town Hall, with the face of the astronomical clock.
The Old Town Hall is easily recognizable, among others, thanks to the almost 70-meter high town hall tower growing out of it. The Wrocław Market Square is undoubtedly the most popular attraction of Wrocław – hundreds of Polish and foreign tourists come here every day. This is also the place where, next to the Aleksander Fredro monument, the free walking tour starts.
Every Sunday, precisely at 12:00, you can listen to the so-called bugle call of Wrocław. The song entitled “We Wrocławiu na Rynecku” (eng. “In Wrocław in the Market Square”) resounds in the four corners of the world from City Hall tower. As you can see, playing the bugle call is not an attraction reserved only for royal Kraków.
Right in front of the building, there is a copy of the pillory from the 15th century. Nowadays, people who want to spend time in the Old Town area, but do not know the city’s topography very well, meet here. Choosing the “pillory” meeting place, we will definitely find each other in the end. On warm days, dozens of people await their friends here.
Inside the Old Town Hall, the Museum of Burgher Art is located. You can visit it every day except Mondays and Tuesdays.
A visit to the Museum of Burgher Art in Town Hall will allow you to see permanent and temporary exhibitions about the achievements of Wrocław artists and craftsmen over the centuries. By the way, you will visit the oldest, representative part of the Old Town Hall. Visiting the permanent exhibitions is free. Tickets are valid only for temporary exhibitions.
In the basement of the building, there is one of the oldest restaurants in Europe (with a high probability it is the oldest restaurant). Świdnicka Basement operated from 1273, but due to legal disputes between the owner of the premises (the city of Wrocław) and the tenant, it was closed in 2017.
Adjacent to the Old Town Hall building is the New Town Hall. It is the seat of the Mayor of Wrocław and the City Council.
Right in front of the building, there is another contemporary symbol of the city – the Zdrój fountain made of glass. It was established in 1996 on the order of the then president of Wrocław, Bogdan Zdrojewski, as a temporary facility but happily still sprinkles with water.
Exactly 60 tenement houses surround the market square in Wrocław. The tenement houses Jaś and Małgosia are located in one of the corners of the Market Square. They are one of the most recognizable tenement houses (although formally they are already at Św. Mikołaja Street). Many buildings have their own peculiar names: Pod Gryfami, Pod Złotym Słońcem.
The Pan Tadeusz Museum operates in the tenement house Pod Złotym Słońcem. You can find the museum’s opening hours and ticket prices on its website.
One of the townhouses in Market Square is a bit “cheated”. There is a painted window on its facade – without it, it would be asymmetrical and not very pretty. Try to track this window!
The Market Square in Wrocław hosts a Christmas Market (Jarmark Bożonarodzeniowy) known all over Poland during the holiday season. If you are a fan of such events, the Midsummer Night’s Fair (Jarmark Świętojański) is organized at the turn of May and June.
Wrocław’s Old Town is a system of streets intersecting at right angles, where life is vibrant in the historic part of the city. While exploring the attractions of this part of the city, take a walk around them without a strict plan.
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One of the main routes leading pedestrians to Market Square is Świdnicka Street, formerly the main shopping street in Wrocław. I have already reserved time for its attractions later in the article – let’s treat it as the icing on the cake.
In search of interesting places for coffee and dinner, I recommend walking along Igielna and Więzienna Streets. Check also the offer of pubs on Nożownicza and Szewska Streets. However, each of the streets of Wroclaw’s Old Town is worth seeing. Allow at least one hour to walk around this area of the city.
If you are at Odrzańska Street, be sure to turn into inconspicuous Jatki Street. The accumulation of the art gallery is above average. I discovered it only after living in Wrocław for several years! You will find many absorbing photo motifs and art studios that sell their works here.
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In the southwest corner of Market Square, you will find Solny Square – the auxiliary market of the Old Town. The square was historically a place of trade where, apart from salt, many other goods were sold.
Nowadays, you can find here a never-closing flower market where you can buy flowers for your beloved even in the middle of a gloomy night.
The square’s intense life takes place on its main plate, but it also has an interesting underground. There is a shelter that can accommodate 300 people.
Part of it is currently arranged for the MovieGate gallery, where you can find a lot of props from film sets, among others, from Hollywood.
A characteristic building of this part of Wrocław is the Old Stock Exchange, the first seat of the Wrocław Stock Exchange and a representative office of local merchants. The Old Stock Exchange is now an office building that hosts, e.g. real estate offices. A restaurant occupies the basement of the building.
Nobody likes taxes. Wrocław merchants were also not very fond of them. On the Old Stock Exchange facade, they placed the letter W, symbolizing the founder of the city, Vratislav, but they did not care about the other elements of the Wrocław coat of arms. Such an “unfinished” coat of arms symbolised the reluctance of the city authorities for mercantile money.
While visiting Wrocław, it is worth taking some time to look at the parts of the Old Town from above, from a different perspective. Right next to Market Square, there are two temples with viewing terraces.
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The St Elizabeth’s Church is the dominant point of the Old Town with a tower reaching 90 meters and Roman Catholic Church. Near its top, there is a viewpoint, which you will get to after climbing narrow and winding stairs.
The temple has not recovered to this day after the catastrophic fire in 1976, which consumed, among others, the roof and a large part of the wooden equipment.
The observation tower is open only in the summer, except in heavy rain and intense winds. You can only go up the stairs – the facility is not adapted to the needs of disabled people. There is an admission fee.
The former evangelical St Mary Magdalene Church is on the opposite side of Market Square. Today it belongs to the Polish Catholic Church. Its two towers are connected at the height of 45 meters by the famous bridge, also known as the Mostek Pokutnic. It is one of the most visited viewpoints in Wrocław.
At the end of the 19th century, such a strong party took place on the 90th birthday of Emperor William I that one of the towers burned down due to fireworks. However, it was finally rebuilt. The Mostek Pokutnic connects the two towers and allows you to admire the Wrocław Market Square and the Old Town with its cobbled streets from an unusual perspective.
There are two competing legends associated with the Mostek Pokutnic. According to the first, after dark, the bridge is filled with the penitent souls of people who died in the city while traveling. The second says that the bridge is occupied at night by the souls of vain girls who have spent their lives playing. Who would not repent on the bridge cannot complain about the poor views.
You can climb the bridge every day, all year round. As in the case of the terrace in St Elizabeth’s Church, you can’t count on an elevator. There is an admission fee. You can find the current price list on the website of the facility.
Another vantage point that gives a slightly different view of the city is the Mathematical Tower rising out of the University of Wrocław building.
Heading north along Szewska Street, come to the Ossolineum garden for a moment, and then go to the University Square. If you can see a fountain with a naked swordsman in front of you, then you are in the right place.
The fountain stands right next to the main building of the University of Wrocław from 1739. The interiors of the building hide representative university rooms.
The most impressive is definitely the Aula Leopoldina decorated with 18th-century frescoes. Students have the honour of using this room during important ceremonies, e.g. during matriculation.
Take a look at the Oratorium Marianum of Latin Congregation (Musical Oratory), where Paganini and Ferenc Liszt gave their concerts. In contrast to the Aula Leopoldina, this room was badly damaged during the war and never returned to its original shape.
Entry to the Mathematical Tower is possible as part of visiting the Museum of the University of Wrocław. You will then see Aula Leopoldina, Oratorium Marianum of Latin Congregation, the Mathematical Tower and a museum exhibition. You can check the museum’s opening hours and ticket prices on its website.
After visiting the Oratorium Marianum and Aula Leopoldina, pay attention to the tower rising from the roof of the building. This viewpoint is called Mathematical Tower.
The plans for constructing the building assumed that two more towers would be built next to it. The eighteenth-century wars and financial problems verified these plans. The tower initially served as an astronomical and meteorological observatory. Nowadays, it is only a tourist attraction, which is not used for scientific purposes.
The road to Cathedral Island Wroclaw leads through the Tumski Bridge. The area is a characteristic attraction on the map of Wrocław. The bridge has been a love intermediary for many years of love for those who live in the city. Thus, among the inhabitants of Wrocław, it is more often referred to as “the lovers’ bridge”.
It is said that hanging a padlock with the people’s initials on it guarantees them happiness and long love. The key must be thrown to the Odra River. Cathedral Island attracts those in love who want to combine visiting Wrocław with taking care of matters of the heart.
It was recently renovated in 2019. After that, all the Love Locks have disappeared from the Tumski Bridge. Gas lamps on the bridge have been replaced by LED lights, the shape of which faithfully reflects what they looked like in pre-war times. However, the bridge looks lovely and perfectly fits the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. You can see the church at the end of Katedralna Street. On this street, you can also visit Wroclaw Archdiocese Museum.
Cathedral Island is the oldest, historic part of Wrocław. The structures of this area are currently mainly church buildings.
Is Ostrów Tumski an island? Not any more. The Oder River is visible only in the southern part of this area. Ostrów Tumski used to be an island. During the liquidation of the city fortifications, one of the branches of the Oder River (which surrounded Ostrów at that time) was also filled in. The island suddenly became mainland. You can still find the remains of the former Oder branch in the botanical garden of the University of Wrocław – a small lake.
The most important building of Cathedral Island is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The temple is the first entirely gothic building in Poland.
Its two twin towers are 91 m high and are the tallest church towers in the city. There is a viewing point on one of them. You can check the opening hours on the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist website. You will see there not only Ostrów Tumski but also the panorama of Wrocław.
You can visit the interior of the cathedral and its chapels as well. You will find information on ticket prices on the cathedral’s website.
The illumination of Cathedral Island is provided by gas lamps, which are manually lit and extinguished every day, all year round.
Plan your walk to Cathedral Island when it starts getting dark. You will have a chance to see the city lighthouse keeper dressed in a black cape and bowler hat, who will light 102 lamps himself this evening.
A lighthouse keeper working in the dark, trying to light another lamp and having the illuminated churches of Ostrów Tumski in the background is a rather unreal sight in a modern, thriving city.
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Next to the church buildings of Ostrów Tumski, there is the Wroclaw Botanical Garden. If you are a lover of flora (and fauna – after all, beautiful plants attract equally interesting representatives of fauna), you should definitely visit it!
You will find a significant accumulation of interesting attractions of Wrocław also behind the Old Oder branch. The Centennial Hall and its green park surroundings are located on Oder island, known as the Big Island. You should not miss it while visiting Wrocław!
The district is one of the most peaceful and comfortable housing estates in Wrocław – Sępolno, Biskupin, Bartoszowice and Dąbie. The landscape of this part of the city is dominated by sports and entertainment hall, e.g. the Centennial Hall, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Centennial Hall, appreciated by UNESCO, was built in 1911 – 1913 according to a design by architect Max Berg, who rendered outstanding service to Wrocław.
He was also responsible for the buildings of the hydroelectric power plant next to the building of the University of Wrocław, and the municipal bath (Municipal Swimming Pools) at Maria Curie-Skłodowska street, the children’s hospital at Hoene-Wroński street or the kiosk at the City Moat.
The name “Hala Stulecia” comes from the circumstances of its creation. The construction of the complex was related to the organization of the Centennial Exhibition concerning the historical and economic achievements of Silesia. The event was celebrated on the 100th anniversary of the proclamation by Emperor Frederick William III, in which he called for popular resistance against Napoleon.
The Centennial Hall is a reinforced concrete structure whose cover at the time of its construction had the largest span in the world.
The dome of the building is 67 meters in diameter. The Centennial Hall also housed the world’s largest organ with 16706 pipes. Later, they were partially transferred to the Cathedral of St. John Baptist (although not all of them fit there).
The Centennial Hall survived Second World War unscathed. After that, it hosted one more (this time important for Poland) project – the Recovered Territories Exhibition. A steel spire, 106 meters high and then shortened to 90 meters, was erected in front of the hall for this occasion. Every few dozen years it is repaired. During that reparation, a spire is placed on the square in front of the Centennial Hall.
People interested in art should also visit the Four Domes Pavilion. In the building located next to the Centennial Hall, there is a branch of the National Museum in Wrocław presenting, among others, collections of Polish art.
The Four Domes Pavilion is in the vicinity of the Centennial Hall, a branch of the National Museum in Wrocław. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century in preparation for the Centennial Exhibition. In 1948, he hosted a historical exhibition as part of the Recovered Territories Exhibition. Today, the Four Domes Pavilion hosts the Museum of Contemporary Art.
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If a warm summer evening, a Wrocław citizen sees crowded trams coming from the Biskupin district, which means that the multimedia fountain show has just ended. The facility was built in 2009, making this already popular area much more attractive. Its closest neighbour is the Centennial Hall.
It is the largest fountain in Poland and one of the largest in Europe – its basin measures 115 by 108 meters. Wrocław Multimedia Fountain (Fontanna Multimedialna) gives amazing shows thanks to 300 water jets. It gives amazing performances also because of the synchronization with 800 light sources, sound, projectors and fire nozzles.
The show season lasts about 150 days, usually until the end of September. The show starts at a full hour, and the last special performance begins at 10.00 pm. However, it is worth checking the program online before going to the Pergola. The Multimedia Fountain attracts crowds of tourists on warm evenings, so the tram may be a bit crowded when you return after the show.
There is another Japan in Poland – in Wrocław, right next to the Centennial Hall. The Japanese Garden has been operating here for over a hundred years and appeared here in connection with the Centennial Exhibition.
The renovation of the garden carried out in 1995-1997, which specialists from Poland and Japan carried out, was wasted during the millennium flood in 1997. During that time, the Japanese Garden was underwater for three weeks. In 1999, restoring this place’s splendour was possible, and the Japanese Garden was opened to the public.
The place was created following Japanese tradition and garden art. Two water cascades lead to a pond surrounded by beautiful vegetation, arranged here by specialists from the city of Nagoya. You can cross the pond over a wooden bridge – the most photographed object in the garden.
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If you have enough free time, I also recommend a walk along the alleys of the large Szczytnicki Park and its green spaces, which adjoins Centennial Hall. It is one of the favourite places of Wrocław residents when it comes to relaxing in the bosom of nature in the city’s heart.
When you arrive near the Centennial Hall and Pergola, consider visiting the Wrocław Zoo. The attraction will appeal to children, although adults should not be bored there.
The Wrocław Zoological Garden can boast of the Africarium – the largest oceanarium in Poland, which is also the only facility of this type in the world dedicated to the animals and vegetation of only one continent.
Every day, crowds of tourists appear at the Wrocław Zoo to see the most characteristic place of the Africarium, e.g. the tunnel leading through the huge aquarium.
There are 15 million litres of water in the Africarium circulation. In addition to the oceanarium, the Wrocław Zoo is home to over 1,000 species of animals, some of which are endangered.
If you plan to visit the Wrocław ZOO over the weekend, be prepared for the crowds of visitors. If you can afford it, it would be much better to show up here in the middle of the week. It will be much more intimate.
You can check the prices of tickets to the Wrocław Zoo, its opening hours and visiting details on the website. It will be most convenient to buy tickets to the zoo online. Thanks to this, you will avoid queues at the ticket offices, which can be troublesome, especially at weekends.
Near Solny Square, there is a place that defines Wrocław’s diversity and wide tolerance. Visiting Wroclaw will be more complete if you see this charming and important city corner.
In the area of Świętego Antoniego and Włodkowica streets, there is the Four Denominations District. It is also known as the District of Mutual Respect.
Nearby, there are:
You can visit all temples. An interesting point of the Four Denominations District is especially the White Stork Synagogue, which offers visitors many cultural events every year. Apart from the sacred character of this part of the city, the streets come alive in the evening thanks to numerous pubs and restaurants.
The Four Denominations District is located between Kazimierza Wielkiego, Włodkowica and Świętego Antoniego streets. The Crystal Planet monument distinguishes the entrance to the district.
After visiting the University of Wrocław, it is good to go north, crossing the University Bridge. Behind your backs, with each of your steps, a more beautiful postcard frame will appear, with the University building reflecting off the Odra River in the main role.
After descending the bridge, turn right and go through the characteristic yellow Słodowa Bridge (Kładka Słodowa) to the Słodowa Island (Wyspa Słodowa).
The island’s social life is teeming throughout the year, but it is most interesting here in spring and summer. For the inhabitants of Wrocław, the phrase “let’s go to the island” is unambiguous and means the meeting at Slodowa Island.
On the island’s southern shore, you can find many barge-restaurants, where you can have a snack or drink a beer with a view of the Oder and other river islands.
By the decision of the City Council of Wrocław, the area of the island is not prohibited from drinking alcohol in public places. There are no obstacles to consuming alcohol that is not bought in the restaurants in this area. However, as everywhere, you need to take care of the environment and clean up thoroughly after your presence.
It is best to leave the island via the Sand Bridge (Kładka Piaskowa), passing on the right side a rather peculiar sculpture of the Nave, standing on the small Daliowa Island. Its shape is quite unusual, but I leave the interpretation to you.
When you reach Sand Island (Wyspa Piasek), I recommend walking around it along Piotr Włostowic Boulevard. A walk along this road will provide a beautiful view of Ostrów Tumski.
The Sand Bridge, painted in pink, separates the Sand Island from the Market Hall. A historic building is still a place of traditional trade in exciting goods. The Market Hall (Hala Targowa Market) was built in 1908 in the neo-Gothic style. It is an interesting combination of styles – a neo-Gothic facade and a modernist interior, convenient for traders.
It has been operating continuously since its inception. Today you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, delicious olives, dozens of types of cheeses, and even yerba mate and freshly roasted coffee beans here. It is located close to Dominican Gallery Shopping Mall, located within walking distance.
The city allows tourists to see a large piece of the City Moat that Wroclaw has since the 13th century.
The present shape of the moat was influenced by the great Napoleon’s brother, Hieronim Bonaparte. He did not care about the beauty of Wrocław and the boulevards, which today allow walking along the City Moat.
He simply wanted to weaken the city’s defensive potential. After conquering Wrocław in 1807, he ordered the demolition of the city’s fortifications and put these areas into use by the inhabitants.
Walk along the entire length of Podwale street will allow you to see the vast majority of the remains of the City Moat.
The most important attractions that you will find at the City Moat are:
The Old Town Promenade (Promenada Staromiejska) is one of the favorite places for walks of Wrocław residents. It stretches over the City Moat. On the way, you will pass benches overlooking the moat, which are filled with relaxing pedestrians on warm days.
The Wrocław Główny Railway Station (Main Train Station in the city) performs not only a transport function but is also a significant tourist attraction in Wrocław. With its vibrant atmosphere, you can enrich your sightseeing in Wrocław if you devote some time to Wroclaw Główny.
The building was erected in 1857 according to the design of the royal architect of the Upper Silesian Railway, Wilhelm Grapow.
After years of neglect that led to a disastrous station interior, it was completely renovated in 2010-2012. Since then, visiting the complex has become a must-see place for many tourists visiting Wrocław.
Take the escalator near the ticket offices and visit the station’s top floor as well. This city library works, and sometimes exhibitions are organized.
The renovation was carried out with a high degree of conservation skill. Pay attention to the neon sign above the station ticket office and outside the building. Also, take a look at the ceilings in the station shops and restaurants. You will find stunning decorations in the Session Room. Unfortunately, the room is not open to the public daily.
According to station legends, the building’s vaults hide multi-storey shelters and a network of secret passages, including a direct connection to the Oder or a railway line to Berlin.
The fact is that during the Second World War, impressive bunkers were built here. Then, they were demolished during the modernization of the station in 2012 and replaced with an underground car park.
Initially, the trains ran right through the center of the modern station hall. The increase in front of the ticket offices is a remnant of the only platform at that time. Reconstruction in 1899-1904 led to building a platform hall, which passengers and trains use to this day.
Their liquidation using the blast method was once an attraction that attracted a lot of onlookers to the area of the renovated railway station. Other urban legends could not be confirmed despite research and drilling.
A few years ago, the Nadodrze district of Wrocław was relatively neglected and did not attract the attention of tourists. Thanks to the local activists and an interesting initiative, Nadodrze is slowly becoming a fashionable and attractive city district.
One of the most recognizable attractions of Nadodrze is the Colorful Backyards project. It was created at Roosevelt street due to the collaboration of residents and artists. They decorated the walls of the backyards of several adjacent buildings with colourful paintings. Tourists quickly appreciated the idea of street art.
You can combine your visit at Colorful Backyards with a walk along Prusa street. Next to it you will find an Art Nouveau tenement house with a beautifully decorated facade and Tołpa Park with the Wrocław Hogwarts, i.e. the Faculty of Architecture of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Politechnika Wrocławska).
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On the other side of Modrzejewska street, there is a magnificent building of the Wrocław Opera. After Second World War, the opera resumed its work with Moniuszko’s “Halka”, which had an eloquent, patriotic meaning.
A characteristic feature of the building is the 6-row colonnade that decorates the façade of the building from the side of Świdnicka street. The room with the stage and the audience where the performances take place is also very impressive. There are seats for viewers on the ground floor and three levels of beautifully decorated balconies.
The Opera House also organizes open-air performances. In 2018 it was staged behind Verdi’s “Nabucco” opera house. You can buy tickets for the performances on the opera’s website. Watching a performance can be a great culmination of an active day in Wrocław.
Going further, you will pass the impressive Renoma department store (formerly the State Department Store) on the left. It is undoubtedly the most architecturally beautiful shopping center in Wrocław. The building was built in 1930.
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Monopol Hotel was opened in 1892 as the city’s most luxurious hotel.
In 1958, Jan Kiepura sang for the fans gathered from the balcony above the main entrance to the hotel. Initially, there was no balcony here. It was built in 1937 to create a worthy place for the planned speech of the Chancellor of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler.
Monopoly is still one of the best-known facilities in the city. In 2012, it hosted footballers playing in the EURO 2012 tournament. In the past, in this place stayed, i.a. Pablo Picasso, Marlena Dietrich, Jerzy Grotowski, Stanisław Tym.
At the height of the Monopol Hotel, it is worth paying attention to the surface of Świdnicka Street. The red cube forms the outline of the foundations of the Świdnica Gate (the former city gate) liquidated at the beginning of the 19th century.
While visiting Wrocław, you couldn’t miss dozens of small sculptures depicting various incarnations of dwarfs. Wroclaw Gnomes have become one of the most recognizable attractions of the capital of Lower Silesia. You can spend long days on Wrocław’s Dwarf hunting. 😉
They have been in Wrocław’s public space for over 15 years. They are a remarkable tourist attraction, but their genesis lies in the activities of anti-communist movements in the 1980s and the Orange Alternative movement.
Communist authorities painted over anti-socialist inscriptions. Then, they were often decorated with the figure of a dwarf. He was supposed to ridicule the rulers and peacefully protest against the undemocratic rule.
The first such drawing was made on the night of August 30-31, 1982, on a transformer in the Sępolno district. The dwarf became a symbol of peaceful protest against the rule of the Polish People’s Republic. By the end of 1983, over 1,000 of them had been established, also in other Polish cities.
Their popularity peaked on June 1, 1988, when an estimated 10 to 20,000 participants of the “Dwarf Revolution” passed through the streets of Wrocław. Each of them had a dwarf hat on their head.
On June 1, 2001, Papa Krasnal stood at the intersection of Świdnicka and Kazimierza Wielkiego streets.
Is Papa Dwarf a bulge in the street? With the statue of Papa Dwarf, the Orange Alternative once again proved its opposition to the authorities. The monument was not officially notified to the city authorities. It was reported as a bulge in the street.
In 2005, approx. 30 cm tall statues of dwarfs began to be erected in various parts of the city. In 2008, there were already 100 of them, in 2011 – 200, and in 2014 their number exceeded 300.
Dwarfs have become a Wroclaw tourist attraction, and visiting the city is often done in their footsteps.
While walking around Wrocław, look around – during one-day trips, you should find at least 20-30 of them. My favourite, Świetlik, runs on a Protram 205WrAs tram with side number 2703.
If you do not want to hunt Wroclaw Gnomes on your own, you can also go on the free walking tour, where you will see some of them and learn the interesting stories behind them.
Sky Tower is the tallest building in Wrocław. It is also the tallest building in Poland regarding height to the roof and height to the highest floor. The building was erected in 2012 on the site of the tallest building in the city (at this time), the 125-meter high Poltegor.
The demolition of Poltegor began on June 2, 2007. The day before, extensive exercises of the emergency services were carried out here, and the IRA band played a farewell concert on the top floor.
The Sky Tower was initially supposed to reach a height of 258 meters with a spire (roof at the height of 221 meters). The economic crisis stopped the construction for six months, and the skyscraper’s design was changed, reducing its final size.
The skyscraper in Wrocław is 206 meters (up to the roof) or 215 meters (up to the highest point of the building).
The construction of the skyscraper divided the inhabitants of Wrocław. The building is accused of not being suitable for the low-rise buildings in the city. The next tallest residential building is the Kredka dormitory, more than twice as short (85 meters).
Other skyscrapers were announced in the so-called Southern Center area, but they will probably never appear. So Sky Tower will be the only building with a height of more than 200 or even 100 meters for many years to come.
Is the shape of the Sky Tower really obscene? It sure is quite peculiar. In addition to the over 200-meter tower, there is also building B1, which looks a bit like a fan. However, if you take pictures of the tower and the fan from a distance and then rotate them 90 degrees, you will see… a phallus. At least such are the observations of the opponents of the construction of this skyscraper.
There is a public observation deck at an altitude of over 200 meters. A high-speed elevator will take us to the 49th floor of the skyscraper. Guests visiting the observation deck should use a separate entrance to the building, located at Gwiaździsta street (in the back of the building).
The viewpoint is open daily from 9:00 AM (Monday – Saturday) or 10:00 AM (Sunday). The last lifts are at 8:30 PM (Monday – Thursday) or 9:30 PM (Friday – Sunday). Guests are admitted to the elevator every 30 minutes.
You can ticket at the ticket sales point on the skyscraper’s ground floor. You can also buy them online via the website.
Racławice Panorama (Panorama Racławicka), one of the most recognizable Polish paintings, has its museum in Wrocław. The painting is presented in a specially built rotunda located in Juliusz Słowacki Park. Visiting Wrocław will not be complete if you do not see this place.
The Panorama of the Battle of Racławice is a work by Jan Styk and Wojciech Kossak. It was established at the end of the 19th century to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Racławice. The insurgent troops led by Tadeusz Kościuszko clashed with the Russian army. The huge painting is 15 meters high and 114 meters long.
The Racławice Panorama was originally exhibited in Lviv. After World War II, it was brought to Wrocław. For many years it was not shown to the public. Its subject matter (the fight against the Russians) did not match the Polish-Soviet friendship being promoted at the time. It was only in 1985 that the construction of the rotunda was completed and the Racławice Panorama was available to visitors.
Panorama of the Battle of Racławice is a place that attracts crowds of tourists every day. You will see it already in the vicinity of attractions, observing the numerous tour buses with new visitors.
Next to the Racławice Panorama, there is a beautiful, ivy-covered building of the National Museum in Wrocław. On the side of the Oder river, there are sculptures “Birds” created by Małgorzata Abakanowicz.
The National Museum is a huge art museum with over 200,000 exhibits. Many of them came to Wrocław from Lviv after World War II. The National Museum can also boast a collection of artefacts from the former German museums.
The collection of the National Museum includes some images of Polish kings and princes that are part of the Gallery of Polish Kings and Princes by Jan Matejko. You can check opening hours and ticket prices on the National Museum’s website.
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The Depot History Centre is a facility built in the building of the former bus depot at Grabiszyńska street. It has been one of the most famous museum attractions in Wrocław since 2016 when it was opened after renovation and adaptation of the building.
The exhibition of the Depot History Cente tells the story of Wrocław – mainly in the years 1945-2016, as part of the permanent exhibition “Wrocław 1945-2016”. A visit to this place is very informative. It allowed me to learn a lot about the activities of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity” (Solidarność) in Wrocław, the city’s life right after World War II and during the socialist era.
The museum’s collection also includes a lot of city artefacts – historical photos, souvenirs from the times of the past regime, plaques with old names of Wrocław streets. Thanks to the temporary exhibitions, you can visit this place regularly and never get bored.
You can find opening hours, ticket prices and details of visiting the Depot History Centre on the website. You can get here easily by tram, getting off at the “Bzowa (Centrum Zajezdnia)” stop.
The Old Jewish Cemetery (Stary Cmentarz Żydowski) is a graveyard and an open-air art gallery. Between 1856 and 1942, a large complex of tombstone sculptures and cemetery architecture was built here, representing several styles in this type of construction. Nowadays, you can visit this place thanks to the Museum of Funerary Art (Muzeum Sztuki Cmentarnej) activity, part of the City Museum of Wrocław.
Many distinguished inhabitants of the city of Jewish origin – doctors, artists and scientists – are located in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław. Among others, parents of Edith Stein and Julias Schottlander, founder of the South Park (Park Południowy) in Wrocław.
Jewish traditions require an organisation of burial of the deceased no later than one day after his death. That is why some of the tombstones belong to the city’s guests who died suddenly in Wrocław and never returned to their hometowns. Jews from even Boston, Tangier, Morocco and many cities in modern Western Germany were buried here.
It is worth paying attention to the symbolism found on some of the tombstones. A broken tree or flower motif means that the person has died suddenly and unexpectedly. The book symbolizes the rabbi’s burial. The priest’s hands signify that the person served in the temple. On almost 5 hectares, you will find over 12,000 tombstones.
The Old Jewish Cemetery is located a little bit further from center but you can easily get there by tram. It is a hidden gem that not many people know about and it is definitely a must-see place in Wroclaw, Poland.
You can find the details of visiting the Old Jewish Cemetery on the Visit Wrocław website. The cemetery is located at Ślężna 37/39 Street. Get off the tram at the “Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny” stop (“University of Economics”).
Wrocław can be proud of having a one-of-a-kind attraction in Poland. Hydropolis Centre for Ecological Education, located near the Grunwaldzki Bridge, is the only center of knowledge about water in Poland.
It operates on the premises of the Municipal Water and Sewerage Company in Wrocław and allows visitors to understand more the importance of water in our daily lives. Right next to Hydropolis Centre for Ecological Education, you will find the Polinka Cableway.
One of the most exciting attractions of Hydropolis Centre for Ecological Education is the water printer installed at the entrance to the museum building. The exhibition in Hydropolis is devoted to water from a global perspective – its importance for life on earth, the functioning of seas and oceans, life in water, water engineering. After all, it is the center of knowledge about water, so it touches on this topic from different perspectives.
The exhibition explains what steps the water must go through to reach the taps of the city’s residents and shows how this branch of engineering has developed over the centuries.
While visiting Hydropolis Centre for Ecological Education, you will watch a 10-minute film with Krystyna Czubówna as narrator. Nobody can introduce viewers to the climate of a natural and scientific adventure as much as Mrs Krystyna.
You can find ticket prices to Hydropolis, opening hours and visiting details on the museum’s website. It will be most convenient to buy tickets online and enter Hydropolis without waiting in line.
A symbol of Wrocław is also the Grunwaldzki Bridge – painted in blue, and hanging over the Oder River. The riveted structure was built in 1910 as the Imperial Bridge (Most Cesarski). It is a strong point in the city’s landscape and a place that will enrich your visit to Wrocław.
Despite the turbulent and rich history of this part of the city at the end of World War II (there was a field airport here serving the fiercely defending Festung Breslau), the Grunwaldzki Bridge survived. After the war, it required costly repairs. However, it was successfully carried out.
A walk along the Grunwaldzki Bridge will provide you with a beautiful view of Ostrów Tumski, the majestic building of the Lower Silesian Voivodship Office (Urząd Wojewódzki) and the carriages of the Polinka cable car running across the Oder river belonging to the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
A vital element of this part of Wrocław is the housing complex called Manhattan (also called inelegant as the Toilet Seat). The housing estate was realized in the years 1970-1978, designed by my favourite modernist architect – Jadwiga Grabowska-Hawrylak.
The cosmic-looking blocks were supposed to bring some Mediterranean climate to Wrocław. Vegetation hanging from the façade, rounded window openings in the accompaniment of white concrete and hanging gardens with an observation deck on the roof of each block – this is how Grabowska-Hawrylak designed Wrocław’s Manhattan.
The boiled windows could not be delivered and installed by construction workers. The striking white concrete was replaced with a dull grey. The gardens, which were to symbolize the unity of construction with nature, were never realized, and many shortcomings only confirmed the belief that Manhattan is worth calling the Toilet Seat.
Manhattan has had its façade renovated and gained a white colour, which made it a bit closer to the assumptions of Grabowska-Hawrylak. While walking on the Grunwaldzki Bridge, take a look at the six 55-meter-high white towers, which for me, are one of the most important unusual and non-obvious attractions of Wroclaw.
At the intersection of Piłsudskiego and Świdnicka streets, there is my favourite monument from Wrocław. It is not obvious and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. It has been repeatedly considered one of the most interesting monuments globally.
The Anonymous Pedestrians Statue is an installation that occupies two sides of a pedestrian crossing across Świdnicka street.
The seven cast bronze figures descend below street level to re-emerge on the other side of the street. I have always interpreted this monument as a metaphor for people’s descent to the underground and the subsequent rebirth in changed, better conditions, i.e. the fight against communism. But you can also find more ways of interpreting the Anonymous Pedestrians Statue.
The monument was unveiled on December 12-13, 2005. 24 years earlier, the Polish Council of State imposed martial law throughout Poland the same night.
In the courtyard at Ruska 46 Street, you will find one of the most beautiful, unusual attractions of Wrocław, the best one to visit after dark. The collection of thirty neon signs owned by Tomasz Kosmalski is a trace of Wrocław from the 1960s and 1970s. At that time, dozens of such illuminated advertisements were lit on the city streets at night.
Kosmalski’s collection began to take shape in 2005 when he managed to buy his first neon, saved from a confectionery store from scrapping. Later, he added neon signs from cinemas, railway stations, industrial plants and other Wrocław stores. Some of the obtained neon signs are now displayed in the yard at Ruska Street.
The neon lights, of course, glow, which makes the courtyard bright with a riot of colours at night. Although it is still a non-obvious attraction of the city, more and more tourists learn about it, and there are many photographers there during warm evenings.
If you want to see more of Wroclaw’s neon signs, a few of them are still on the city streets:
This is the last animated neon sign to see in Wroclaw. The thief runs away on it with his prey. The observers of the neon are encouraged to take out insurance at PZU. Neon was built in 1975 according to a design by Jerzy Werszler.
A green neon sign with the words “kasy biletowe kasy” looks like a handwritten letter. It has existed in Wrocław probably since the 1950s. During the renovation of the station at the beginning of the 21st century, the neon was renovated, so you can see it every time you visit the train station.
The inscription means “Good evening in Wroclaw”. The legendary neon sign has welcomed travellers coming to Wrocław’s Main Railway Station since 1962. You will see it leaving Wrocław Główny building from the north side. Originally a man with a hat bows to visitors was 4 meters tall.
It was built by the design of Stanisław Chronowski in 1962. It was damaged for many years and did not shine. In 2009 it was finally renovated and, with minor interruptions, still adorns the entrance to the Wrocław Zoo.
It is the newest neon sign on the map of Wrocław. The inscription was designed by a lecturer at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design – professor Wiesław Gołuch. The neon sign is not on the façade of the building. It is hidden on the wall of the entrance hall. Despite this, it is clearly visible from the street in the evening.
There are many places to see in Wroclaw waiting for you there that you probably haven’t heard about yet. You will find a few hidden gems for those, who are into modernist architecture below.
The Mezonetowiec building is located at Kołłątaja 9-12 street. The building designed by the modernist architect Jadwiga Grabowska-Hawrylak was built in 1960.
The interior arrangement of the building proves its uniqueness, which at first glance looks like a typical block of buildings.
It consists of 56 two-level apartments (the so-called mezonet – duplex apartments). The lower level is intended for daily living (living room, kitchen), and the upper level houses a bedroom and a toilet. The building was the first apartment block in Poland with two-level flats.
Each apartment has an exterior loggia with a small balcony on each upper floor. The apartments on the top floor are single-level, but part of the roof is arranged as an adjoining terrace.
The Trzonolinowiec building (also called by inhabitants of Wrocław as “the house with chicken leg”), standing a few hundred meters away from Mezonetowiec, is in bad condition. Its construction was an attraction in itself. It was built against common logic, starting from the highest floor and ending with the lowest. The next floors were raised using actuators.
The heart of the Trzonolinowiec is a reinforced concrete core located in the center of the building. This structure is supported by square ceilings of the next floors, hanging on 12 steel ropes. The construction of the following storeys was done from prefabricated elements outside the construction site. When they were ready, they were lifted to their destination and fastened.
The building was put into use in 1967. Then, in 1974, it was rebuilt, taking away its unique character. The structure was stiffened by encasing the ropes with concrete and supporting the ground floor with steel pillars. It was explained by reports that the structure swayed during high winds.
The building has become a legend in the city. In 1967, he was awarded the title of the House of the Year. The inhabitants of Trzonolinowiec were, among others, famous Polish actors Bogusław Linda and Krzysztof Globisz.
The floor heating in the building was supposed to lead Linda to… radiculopathy.
The WUWA House Exhibition was established in Wrocław in 1929 as one of six experimental architectural projects located in various European cities.
WUWA is an architectural exhibition and a social experiment at the same time. The buildings inhabited by artists and engineers were a testing ground for new construction methods (e.g. quick construction of prefabricated structures). It was also a test field for a new way of arranging the space of apartments, common areas and building surroundings.
Start your tour of the WUWA House Exhibition near the “Tramwajowa” tram stop. Next to it, there is a coffee gate for walking around WUWA estate – WuWa Cafe.
You can add a few places to your sightseeing plan:
Since you have already learned about all the must-see attractions and Wrocław things to do, it is worth considering the choice of the place where you will stay for the night.
You can find a wide offer of accommodation on Booking.com. The closer you stop to the central station or the Market Square, the less time you will spend commuting to the city center during your stay.
Where to stay in Wrocław?
Wrocław is a city full of trendy restaurants and atmospheric cafes, so it was difficult for me to choose some of the most interesting places for you. But as I already live in this city, I finally made a compilation of best restaurants and cafes in Wrocław.
Restaurants in the center of Wrocław that are worth visiting:
If it turns out that you would like to locate yourself in an atmospheric place and drink a cup of good coffee, the Wrocław cafe arena has a lot to offer.
A list of best cafes in Wroclaw:
Every month, new, exciting places open in Wrocław. So you will have the opportunity to explore. I wish you successful culinary and coffee discoveries.
See all available hotels & hostels in Wrocław
There is an efficient network of the city bus and tram connections in Wrocław.
If you plan to move around the city by public transport, 24-hour tickets and tickets valid for 2 days (48 hours) should be an interesting option for you. You can check the prices of other types of tickets on the website of Wrocław.
Tickets purchased in a vehicle (tram, bus) are paid for by card only. The ticket is not printed! During the inspection, you must show your payment card. The controller will check if your ticket is encoded on it (don’t worry – it’s safe).
The jakdojade.pl will help you move around the city. This is the website where you can check connections and timetables. On this website, you will also be able to check how to move from Copernicus Wroclaw Airport to the city centre by public transport as well.
If, after reading the entire article, you are still not convinced to visit the capital of Lower Silesia, check out three reasons why you should visit Wroclaw.
Wrocław is a mix of various architectural styles, tourist attractions, and various types of cuisine. Lovers of classic shapes and those who love modernism and brutalism can live in harmony in Wrocław – everyone will find something for themselves here.
A trip to different parts of the city has completely different feelings and a completely different experience. If you do not like monotony and want every sightseeing moment to be a new adventure, visit Wrocław necessarily.
It sounds like a cliche, but I associate Wrocław with tolerance and acceptance of difference. This city is home to dozens of nationalities from all over the world. Multinational history is a great background for contemporary Wrocław.
Representatives of various nations, who have different skin colours and a different attitude to the world, work side by side in office buildings and cafes. These people live in great respect, and the city gives a good environment for it. Everyone in Wrocław can feel at home.
Wrocław owes its fantastic location to the Oder River and the surrounding rivers. Dozens of bridges will take you to different parts of the city, e.g. centrally located party Słodowa Island, Tamka Island (my favourite one) known for alternative concerts or the green and peaceful Big Island. This island is famous for the Centennial Hall and the beautiful districts of Biskupin and Sępolno (which looks like an eagle from a bird’s eye view).
Wrocław is a great city that you can visit on foot, during cruises on the Oder River, and during your kayak adventures. And if that’s not enough, there is also a cable car in the city centre and Ślęża – the favourite mountain of Wrocław residents, located 30 minutes from the city. The city also has many places to relax, e.g. Szczytnicki Park.
Wrocław is one of Poland’s most beautiful cities and a place you shouldn’t skip. From the article, you know the must-see attractions and amazing things to do in Wroclaw, Poland. This does not mean that the list is closed – Wrocław has much more to offer. I am sure that after visiting Wrocław you will have similar feelings. Have a great trip to Wrocław!
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