Situated on the River Oder, former capital of Silesia and present capital of Lower Silesian Voivodeship and a major city in southwest Poland, Wroclaw is one of the most urbane cities in the country. Established as a Bohemian stronghold in the 10th century, Wroclaw became a part of Bohemia, Poland, Austria, Germany or Prussia over the centuries, making it a historically rich city. Owing to its network of canals and waterways, Wroclaw is nicknamed “The Venice of Poland”.
Due to its diverse cultures resulting from a varied race of people, the city is a perfect example of a mixed heritage. This is also visible in the architectural buildings in Wroclaw that have been highly influenced by these cultures, like the Silesian Gothic and Baroque style used by the court builders of Habsburg Austria. One of the most eminent buildings of German modernist architecture is the Centennial Hall created by Max Berg and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The old town with its Market Square is a pleasure to walk through. Other places of interest include the 14th century Town Hall or Rynek, St Elizabeth’s Church, the Wroclaw Multimedia Fountain comprising of 300 jets that shoot up with a psychedelic display of 800 colorful lights. Szczytnicki Park with its Japanese Garden, Botanical Garden, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw Cathedral, Wroclaw Palace, Wroclaw Water Tower, White Stork Synagogue, Plac Grunwaldzki or Grunwaldzki Square, Wroclaw Main Station and the Museum of Architecture are also worth a visit. Get some breathtaking views of the city from atop St John’s Cathedral and be sure to see the Panorama Raclawicka, a panoramic painting of the Battle of Raclawice, a preserved artifact.
As for getting to the city, the A4 Motorway connects Wroclaw with Upper Silesia, Krakow and to Ukraine in the east and Dresden and Berlin in the west. At present a motorway and express road are under construction that will connect the city to Warsaw. The Wroclaw International Airport along with a river port serve Wroclaw while local transportation includes a huge fleet of buses and a good network of tramlines.
Photo by arturo1 provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
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Photo by arturo1 provided courtesy of Panoramio.com