WROCŁAW - what's not to WrocLOVE?

RE-ROUTED READS

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

GO IF….

you want to see how various cultures have shaped a modern cosmopolitan city.

DON’T GO IF….

your health and safety phobias extend to gnomes (more on that below).

WROCŁAW - WHAT’S THE ATTRACTION?

How big do you like your paintings? Rubens created some pieces so big they require chunky metal chains to support them. Picasso’s Guernica requires a whole room.

Well, Panorama Racławicka, a gigantic painting that brings the historic Battle of Racławice scene to life, is so huge, it requires its own round building.

It’s a monumental cycloramic (i.e. surrounding the viewer) piece of art by Jan Styka and Wojciech Kossak (supported by a bunch of other talented painters) that is 15 metres tall and just under 115 meters long (roughly, 49 by 374 ft).

Visitors view it from a central circular platform, creating an immersive 360-degree experience that brings the historic battle scene to life.

The whole experience was upgraded a few years ago, and it’s definitely one of a kind.

The occasional comparisons between Wrocław and Venice a somewhat exaggerated. Yes, the River Oder does split in parts forming a few charming islands, but don’t expect serenading gondoliers anywhere.

Do expect however the oldest buildings in the city on its former island called Ostròw Tumski. 

Dating back to the 10th century, Ostrów Tumski is the de facto birthplace of modern-day Wrocław. 

The St. John the Baptist Archcathedral (hence, presumably, the Cathedral Island moniker for the area) is designated a Historic Monument of Poland. Climb up to its tower to see the city from up high.

Then stroll through this romantic part of town with its 13th century churches, romantic cobblestone streets and bridges.

While Ostrów Tumski is the oldest part of Wrocław, the Old Town is where the action is.

It’s here you want to be in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Many people however flock here not just for the Gothic, Neoclassical and Baroque architectural gems, but for the omnipresent…. gnomes.

The gnomes, or dwarves, are proliferating rapidly, approaching a thousand micro sculptures all over the city. And they ARE micro - the smallest ones are barely 8-10cm tall ( 3-4 inches).

These whimsical micro-monuments are quite symbolic - in the 1980s, Wrocław’s young people formed a movement called the Orange Alternative. One of their symbols was an orange dwarf - synonymous with the resistance against Poland’s communist regime and its idiotic rules, pompous language and surreal demands.

Nowadays, the gnomes are no longer associated with the movement, but rather reflect the lives of ordinary people and mirror their habits.

You’ll see them withdrawing cash from an ATM, playing an instrument, driving a bulldozer or reading a book. Not literally - they’re not alive, as you can imagine, but cast from bronze.

And not always easy to spot. So don’t trip over them.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Fly directly to Wrocław (Nicolaus Copernicus airport is roughly 30-40 minutes by car from the centre) or take a train from major Polish and German cities. 

It's about 3 hours by train from Berlin, or a 3.5-hour drive if you're feeling adventurous.

CURIOUS? READ ON:

John Malkovich talks about Wrocław
Downloadable pdf guides
Top places to visit in Wrocław