Walking in Wrocław, Part 2

And walking was what I did most often during my visit. Although I spent a

Wall art

week in the city, I don’t feel as though I scratched the surface of Wrocław’s history; I still don’t know why there are so many churches in such a small area. In this blog you’ll see several of the sites I visited that were around the main square. Wandering around the square is a good way to spend time; the map makes it look as though everything is very far away and Google maps gives walking times that are only accurate if you are dragging your feet. The old town is mostly traffic free and the cars do have to yield to you IF you are in a crosswalk. People are friendly and will try to help you find your way; once you’ve found a particular landmark, it’s an easy city to navigate. Many of tourist areas are closed at odd times. For instance, the Hala Targowa (Market Hall) is closed on Wednesdays while some museums are closed Mondays; and somethings are supposed to be open at specific times aren’t, and vice versa. If you want to do something and it’s available to do right then, do it! Also, don’t be afraid to open what looks like a closed door to a site; it may just be shut rather than closed.



The Old Town Hall in the Market Square has been restored since the bombing during World War II to its former glory as an excellent example of bourgeois Gothic architecture. It was not alone in the restoration

Top L to R: Glass fountain, Second level hall
Bottom L to R: Clock tower, Flail column, Coats of arms

process; almost every building on the square has had some work done. One building that is stupendously un-Gothic is the bank that anchors one corner; its architecture was designed by Max Berg who designed the Centennial Hall. Once the town fathers saw this square, plain, block building they fired him and had the rest of the square restored to the original Gothic architecture. The original Town Hall was constructed over 250 years, from the end of 1200s to the middle of the 1500s. As the needs of the city changed, the floor plan and structure of the building evolved; what had originally been a place for trading became administrative offices for the city. In the 1300s an upper level was added to accommodate a Council room and an Aldermen’s room; and about 100 years later the Burghers’ Hall became the ‘Great Hall’ with an addition for the Treasury. And, of course, the purpose of the actual rooms vacillated from administrative to military and back to administrative as needs continued to change; by the 17^th Century the public were only allowed in the basement, which was fine since that’s were alcohol was served. The original restaurant/pub is still open for business. By the end of the 20^th Century none of the running of the city took place at this Town Hall, but the Museum of Bourgeois Art was opened. I found that the exterior was more interesting than the interior because of the restored clock towers, but I did have a look at the art. This mostly consists of sculptured busts of previous rulers and restored rooms. The ceiling vaults were noteworthy because they were decorated with coats of arms and with images of animals. Out behind the Town Hall is the wonderfully modern Zdrój Fountain. It is built of vertically aligned glass plates, covered with water, and illuminated from below; the pool and rock elements are made of granite. The modern flavor of this fountain is in strong relief to the Gothic buildings that surround it. When it was proposed there was a huge wave of criticism with opposition from both residents and the media; the strongest resistance came from the then conservator of monuments and from art historians. However, the President of Poland at that time, Bogdan Zdrojewski, liked the fountain and approved its construction. It’s no wonder that it carries his name.

The landmark I used to find my way around Wrocław is located in the

Left: Saint Elisabeth's Church
Center T to B: Colorful window, Priests window
Right T to B: Pope window, Beaded Madonna

north-west corner of Market Square. Saint Elisabeth's Church of the Catholic Third Order of Saint Francis has a 300 foot tall tower, with an observation deck about 50 feet from the top. This Gothic structure was commissioned by the city in the 14^th Century. It’s not always been a Catholic church; from 1525 until 1946, it was the chief Lutheran Church of Wrocław and Silesia. Damaged by hail in 1529, and gutted by fire in 1976, the church has been restored to its former opulence. What is curious to me is that there is nothing I can find about the unusual stained glass windows. One window is obviously a representation of Pope John Paul II. Two others seem to have mysterious meanings; one is a swirl of vivid colors while the other seems to be faces of priests with streaks of red. I’d be very interested to learn more about these windows.

Once you get off the square there are more things to see, and as I walked along the river I spotted an attractive building that seemed to have lots of folks wandering in and out. Market Hall (Hala Targowa), one of the largest

Top L to R: Market Hall, Concrete trusses
Bottom L to R: Mushrooms, Flowers

traditional markets in the city, was designed by Richard Plüddemann. It was constructed between 1906 and 1908 to house all of the street vendors in the city. The building’s main claim to fame is its innovative application of reinforced concrete trusses that support the roof. When I first saw it I thought it was an old train station that had been turned into a market. Once inside my eyes were assaulted with the amazingly colorful array of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The offerings made me wish I was a local and could bring home sacks of fresh food and a bouquet of fresh flowers. Going upstairs I had a look at the concrete trusses, and that’s what they were. I didn’t get very excited, but I’m sure that architects would have enjoyed the view. On this second level was a hodgepodge of shops with the most common being cobblers; if you needed your shoes repaired or if you wanted handmade shoes this was the place to come. There were also places to buy clothing, hire a seamstress, get some new dishes, find a handbag, or pick up some used junk. A couple of the stalls sold souvenirs, but we saw the same things on the square for less. Even if you don’t buy a thing, this is a good place to people watch and to get a feeling for what goes on in Wrocław if you’re not a tourist.

I’d heard about the 24 hour flower market and I was hunting for it as well

Top: Flower market
Bottom: Dragon fountain

as the Royal Palace Museum when I found a small square just at the south-western corner of Market Square. Salt Market Square was probably built in the mid-13^th Century during another period of Wrocław reconstruction, this time caused by the Mongol Invasion. From the Middle Ages until the 19th century this was where salt along with other merchandise such as beeswax, honey, and leather were traded. During World War II a bunker was built beneath the square that could, in an emergency, house up to 300 people. Currently the square is home to the flower market along with a very nice dragon fountain. Just beyond the flower stalls is the sculpture of the Little Spire that reminds us of the events that played out in the square in 1453. It was on this site that 41 Jewish men, women, and children were burned at the stake.







Since I’m a museum fiend I was anxious to find a place that had examples of local art and a bit of local history. Through the Salt Market

Left T to B: Monstrance, Inlaid wood
Center T to B: Picasso art, Rabbit beer
Right T to B: Jewish prisoner art, Inlaid table,
Palace exterior

Square and across a very busy street is the Royal Palace Museum. This was originally the palace of Heinrich Gottfried von Spätgen, chancellor of Bishop Francis Louis of Neuburg. This Baroque structure was built in the Viennese style in 1717. Forty years later, after the First Silesian War, the palace was purchased by the Prussian king Frederick the Great and was transformed into his residence and the interior was redecorated in Rococo style. A few successors and a couple of wars saw the Palace remodeled and additional wings added in the Classical style. King Frederick William III valued the soldiers he led and wanted some way to show his appreciation for their sacrifice, so in 1813 in the Yellow Living Room of the Palace he declared the Iron Cross, a traditionally religious icon, a war medal (it’s too bad that first the Nazis and then the White Supremacists have turned this into a symbol of hate). By the early 20^th century the royalty had moved elsewhere and the Palace was donated to the city. In 1926 it opened as a museum with displays of Silesian art and original interiors devoted to Frederick the Great. Of course the Palace was heavily damaged in World War II and had to be renovated. At one time it housed the Archeological Museum and the Ethnographic Museum, which may explain the statues in the courtyard. By 2008 it had returned to an art and history museum presenting the 1,000 year history of Wrocław. Although there is quite a bit of history about the town, they also have a nice smattering of exhibits about the plants in the area. Evidently there was an official who enjoyed making gardens with local flora and kept meticulous records. As it is with museums in Germany, Polish historians don’t sugar-coat their past. There is an excellent exhibit about what happened during World War II as well as some informative material about what happened under Communist rule. This is one of those places that you open doors whether you think you should or not.

Top: Panorama segment
Bottom: Panorama section

The tourist attraction that evidently everyone comes to see is the Racławice Panorama. I’d never heard of it until I got to Wrocław. However, once I learned its history, I was keen on going in. The Panorama is a 49 × 374 foot diorama of the Battle of Racławice, during the Kościuszko Uprising. The painting, with its associated artifacts, is one of a very few preserved objet d'art of 19^th Century mass culture, and the oldest example in Poland. As you stand in the center of the painting, the use of perspective, terrain, artifacts, and lighting makes you feel as though you are in the countryside where the battle is taking place. This is a patriotic commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the victorious Battle of Racławice during the Kościuszko Insurrection, an attempt to defend Polish independence against Russia. On April 4, 1794 a small group of Polish insurrectionists along with peasants armed with scythes and commanded by Tadeusz Kościuszko (a.k.a Andrew Thaddeus Bonaventure Kosciuszko who was in the US Revolutionary War) fought against General Alexander Tormasov and a substantially larger Russian military force; the Russian defeat is a tale of independence that is honored to this day. The story this piece of art tells has not always been popular. Under Communist rule, independence was considered a sensitive subject and the Racławice Panorama was suppressed. It wasn’t until 1980 that the work could be restored after it was damaged during World War II and exhibited. In June 1985 the Panorama reopened and has been a popular attraction ever since. It’s good when the underdog wins!

The entire week we were there the Wrocław square was the site of lots of

Spray paint street artist

street musicians and artists, and since there is an art school nearby, I was not surprised to see them. These folks aren’t pushy and they do appreciate your business or donation. However, on Friday and Saturday there were children begging. My feeling is that these were a group of Romi who had come to town for the weekend since we had seen no children asking for money during the week. The kids came inside the restaurants as well as into the sidewalk seating with their cups asking for money. Most were easy to discourage, but one was very aggressive, telling us in Polish, ‘f*** you’, when we didn’t give him anything. I was surprised that the restaurants didn’t tell the kids to leave since the patrons were not happy to see them. We did see a few homeless adults, and several street beggars who were kneeling and praying. The only person we gave money to was an older man sitting on the subway stairs with his dog; the dog was friendly and the guy was extremely grateful.

©2017 NearNormal Design and Production Studio - All rights including copyright of photographs and designs, as well as intellectual rights are reserved.