PANEK for the weekend – Magical Wrocław
Wrocław is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Polish cities, abounding in countless attractions. You will find here great architectural monuments, unique natural places as well as interesting culinary and entertainment points. You can reach all of them with safe and comfortable cars from PANEK Rent a Car.
Market Square in Wrocław The Wrocław Market Square is one of the largest in Poland. Its boundaries were drawn back in the 13th century and for years it was the most important fair place in the entire region. Today it is an attractive meeting place for locals and tourists who flock to taste delicious dishes from countless restaurants. Life in the market square does not die out even at night, because there are several interesting clubs and discos. In the center of the Market Square stands the Old Town Hall, which is a unique Gothic monument. It used to be the seat of the city authorities and the court, today it houses a branch of the Wrocław City Museum. The market square is surrounded by 60 colorful tenement houses, once inhabited by wealthy townspeople. The most famous ones are: the Tenement House under the Blue Sun, the Tenement House under the Seven Electors and the Tenement House under the Griffins. You will also find a statue of Aleksander Fredro transferred from Lviv. It replaced the statue of Frederick William III, King of Prussia. Another attraction is the fountain built in 2000. It was called “Zdrój” in honor of the mayor of the city, Bogdan Zdrojewski.
Ostrów Tumski in Wrocław This oldest, historic part of the city is a very popular meeting place, especially for those in love who hung padlocks on the bridge leading to the island as a sign of their love. The oldest evidence of settlement in Ostrów Tumski comes from the 10th century AD, and from 1315 the place was taken over by the church authorities. On the island today you can admire the Archbishop’s Palace, the seat of church authorities, the building of the theological seminary and the Pontifical Faculty of Theology, but the greatest attraction is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The building is considered to be the oldest temple in the Gothic style in Poland. Inside, you can admire, among other things, a silver altar from 1591. There is an observation deck at the top of the cathedral tower.
Penitential Bridge in the Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene A peculiar attraction is certainly the Penitential Bridge, connecting the towers of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. The footbridge is 45 m high and to get to it, you must first climb 247 steps. There is a legend connected with this interesting vantage point, the heroine of which is a young resident of Wrocław, Tekla. The girl spent her time playing mostly and did not want to work or get married. Father upset by his daughter’s recklessness, cursed her, and at night. At night, the dark powers kidnapped the girl and placed her on the bridge between the church towers. From then on, Tekla was forced to constantly sweep the footbridge.
Odra River Wrocław is called the Venice of the North for a reason. The city is concentrated around the Odra River, and within its borders there are 12 islands, which are connected by numerous footbridges and bridges (there are as many as 118 in Wrocław!) The river is beautiful at any time of the year, but the real attraction is visiting the city on one of the excursion boats. During the cruise, you can admire, among others: the building of the University of Wrocław, Ostrów Tumski, the Lovers’ Bridge, as well as the Słodowa Island, Tamka and many others.
Dwarfs Wygodek Swobodek, Lutek, Merclovek, Wandzia, Innowator, Onkoigrzysek, Precluś, Grankoś, Robcio, Galeriusz and Purek are just some of the famous residents of Wrocław. Of course, we are talking about dwarf figures that decorate practically the entire city. It is said that it is good to have your own house elf, so many businesses, shops and restaurants have their own to guard the entrance or invite guests inside. Most of the dwarfs live in the Old Town, but there are also some that can be found far outside the city center. Searching for Wrocław dwarfs is great fun for adults and children.
Panorama of the Battle of Racławice in Wrocław Fast travel in time? In Wrocław, this is not a problem, because thanks to the Panorama of the Battle of Racławice we are able to make a jump to 1794. This real time capsule presents the victorious battle between Poles and Russians at Racławice, and its main creators of the bullion are Wojciech Kossak and Jan Styka. The painting is 15 meters high and 115 meters wide!
ZOO Wrocław Wrocław ZOO is the largest zoo in Poland. Over 12,000 animals representing 1,100 species live here! Some of them, such as buzzard, okapi, manatee, banteng, Sumatran tiger, foggy and snow leopards, Indian rhinoceros and Burmese turtles can be found in several places around the world. The most crowded part of the zoo is Africarium. Several thousand animals live in a specially built complex of swimming pools and aquariums, including open-air pools. It is the only oceanarium in the world devoted exclusively to the fauna of Africa and is divided into several parts: the Red Sea, East Africa, the Mozambique Channel, the Skeleton Coast and the Jungle on the Congo River. Right next to it, there is Hydropolis, a water knowledge center which, thanks to its interactive form, combines educational values with fun.
Railway “Polinka” The Wrocław University of Technology also has an interesting attraction. It is a cable car that runs over the Oder between the campuses. This is an important abbreviation used mainly by students, but also available to residents of Wrocław and tourists. The crossing was established in 2013, allegedly on the initiative of the authorities of Wrocław University of Science and Technology, as a response to the arguments of students who were notoriously late for classes.
The Multimedia Fountain in Wrocław Right next to the Centennial Hall, near the ZOO, there is the Multimedia Fountain, attracting tourists with the largest shows in Poland. There are 8 daytime and 3 evening shows every day, and the play of light and water is accompanied by classical and contemporary music. The fountain was built in 2009, it has an area of almost one hectare, 800 light points, 300 water jets and 3 fire nozzles.