Wroclaw, the capital of Lower Silesia, I perceptibly remembered how it became our second country destination. The third day in Prague, it was the moment to visit the famous Astronomical clock since we’ve missed to visit it on our first-day tour in the city. To compensate this error I wanted to visit the Old Town Square for the second time.

We took our buffet breakfast then decided to prepare. However, while I was browsing my phone, looking at some photos online. I flounder into these lists of beautiful photos. These photos were actually belongs to the city near Prague, well not that near.

Finally after a brief discussion, (my partner informed me that our flight tomorrow will be at 4:00 pm, so I thought of going to the city center tomorrow morning then directly drive to the airport after)

Wroclaw, “Best City to Live”

Poland’s fourth-largest city indeed has a lot of charm, it was named as “Best City to Live” in 2015. A about 300 kilometers from Prague, that city called Wroclaw (vrots-wahf). apparently, it has a lot of awards make, declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

Presided as 2016’s “European Capital of Culture” having Bohemian, Austrian and Prussian influences. It’s also considered as the “World Book Capital”. As well as “Gamma – Global City” with the ranking of a very high living standard and quality of life.

If you were awe by the Old town and New town of Prague, well you’ll be impressed by the five division boroughs by Wroclaw. It has Old Town (Stare Miasto), Midtown (Śródmieście), Psie Pole, Krzyki, and Fabryczna. It sounds crazy, right?

Our adventure undertakes around 11:00 am in the morning. We first went to a Shell gasoline station to check the tires of the car before getting into almost  4 hours of the drive to Wroclaw.

If you want to know more about what had happened whilst of our road trip you can check the preceding post. You’ll know all the things that we did especially my endeavors.

Virtual Tour in Wroclaw

After arriving in a place walkable to the city center, we took a parking place in Arkady Wrocławskie. A shopping mall near the railway, not too far from the Town Hall, about 1 kilometer away.

We walk til this park where you can see the statue of the famous King of Poland Boleslaw Chrobry.

Next to it is a typical church, personally, I thought it was one of those prominent churches of the city. The style and the architectural designs are impressive.

To be honest, once my partner saw this church he immediately wanted to go inside. I forgot to get the name of the church, hoping that I could find it online, however, no information from finding from this particular church.

As I call it regular church since it’s not that known compared to other bigger churches of the city. Its colorful fine architectural design astounds me, simple yet very charming.

At the moment we entered, there were children with the Priest and Nun having a preaching session. We walk discreetly until we reach the altar part, the kids suddenly stared at me like it was their first time to see an Asian person.

I could understand if it was, cause I haven’t seen any Asians streaming around since we got here. After a couple of minutes, we exited and continued.

The Wroclaw Opera

An opera company and opera house in Wroclaw, one of the leading Opera companies in Europe. The opera is one of the famous who organizes Wagner festivals.

Its current repertoire of the Opera House includes Kotwbutach (Puss in Boots) by Bogdan Pawłowski and Matka czarnoskrzydłych snów by Hanna Kulenty.

Historic Tram Line

The old trams stop provides a spectacular and full of fantastic architecture of the city. You’ll experience a unique experience and be charmed by the city’s features.

The trams run between the centre and Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia). For a part of a day the trams run around the monuments of Rynek and its surroundings.

• on Saturdays, 6 hours, 2 hours with a guide
• on Sundays, 7 hours.

Tickets are from 2 PLN – 6 PLN

Approaching the Market Square

A short promenade til the Town Hall’s site, the street seems to be really colorful. There was a photo exhibition in the middle of the road. Photos of significant people and their stories.

From this street, you’ll start to spot some gnomes around the area. They are super adorable but I will show it to you on the other post.

Square Market

Known as the heart of the pedestrian zone of the city. A square filled with monuments, benches, vendor, and nearby cafés. Normally in Christmas season, there’s more market installed in the square.

 

But this autumn the area is empty of the market but filled with families and children amusing. The square in the Old Town (Stare Miasto), along with

• Town Hall, Salt Square,
• St. Elizabeth’s Church, St. Mary Magdalena’s Church,
• Racławicka Panorama, National Museum in Wroclaw,
• Museum of Architecture.

Town Hall

Located in the eastern part of Rynek, stand at the center of the city’s Market Square. It is unique Gothic building in European architecture, used for civic and cultural events such as concerts held in its Great Hall.

Most of the people say that it’s the most spectacular landmark of the city. As I came here indeed a special feeling. It was a sense of excitement and a pleasant surprise when I step into this square market.

The Town hall building has different sides which are also another significant monuments. On it southern interior side you will find the City Museum of Wroclaw which exhibits housed in the former palace. with recreated royal apartments & a garden. you also will find also restaurants installed and on its west side is the Tourism Office.

Opposite side of the Town Hall

The Late Gothic Town Hall with its 66m tower is the biggest building of this kind in Poland. In its underground functions Piwnica Świdnicka, one of the oldest restaurants in Europe.

 

Zdrój Fountain

As you go ahead walking straight from the square, you will find the famous Zdrój Fountain, made up glasses and quaint stones and the fountain. It is the project of prof. Alojzy Gryt from the Academy of Fine Arts.

There were some tourist around the place but not as much as like other city centers, in the somewhat delightful thought of mine about Brussels Grand Place. well, honestly almost identical, and it’s more beautiful than what I have primary expected.

Tenement houses at Wroclaw Market Square

Situated in Rynek of Wroclaw, tenement houses are one for the pride of Wroclaw. Funded by the patricians of the city, there are more than 60 tenement houses around Rynek.

Including Golden Sun, Griffins, Seven Electors, Blue Sun houses and Barasch shopping center (today’s Feniks).This particular place has made a record of 200 thousand people visitors during the New Year’s Eve in 2013.

Jaś I Małgosia(Hansel and Gretel)

Two last remaining tenement houses of the altarists from the 1400s that used to surround a church and small cemetery where present-day Church of St. Elizabeth now stands. Situated in the north-western part of Rynek. 

Church of St. Elizabeth

St. Elizabeth’s dedicated to the servicemen and women of the Polish Armed Forces. Panorama seekers will appreciate the church’s high bell tower, visitors can ascend nearly 90 m up a spiraling, narrow medieval staircase for some of the most spectacular views of the entire city.

Residents Tenement Houses

As we continue walking further from the St. Elizabeth place, five minutes after we noticed these unusual colorful apartments.

These are apparently considered as tenement houses as you have seen in the Square Market. Yes! these are current houses where people lives. How cool is that? It reminds me of a game that I used to play online. wherein you’ll create your own town using bricks to make tenement houses.

I forced my partner to stroll further, I’ve wanted to see the river bank surrounding the city. However it wasn’t the best side of the river, it was brimming with construction sites.

Wandering back to the center, we entered in an Ice Cream Shop. It was just beside a dwarf statue holding an ice cream willing to share to us.

I’m excited to share with you the next chapter of our adventure. Don’t miss it!

Other Places to visit

• Royal Palace (Pałac Królewski)                                                                         
• Wroclaw Zoo (Ogród Zoologiczny we Wrocławiu)
  
• Neon Side (Neon Side Galeria Neonów)                                                       
• Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia)
  
• Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski)                                                                    
• Wroclaw Main Station (Wroclaw Główny)
  
• Wroclaw Fountain (Wrocławska Fontanna)                                                 
• Tumski Bridge (Most Tumski)
  
• Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Kościół św. Marii Magdaleny)             
• Church of St. Giles (Kościół św. Idziego)
  
• National Museum in Wroclaw (Muzeum Narodowe we Wrocławiu)    
• Hydropolis
  
• Museum of Bourgeois Art (Muzeum Archeologiczne) and many more.

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