Bordered by Germany and the Czech Republic, Wroclaw is located in the southwestern part of Poland and sits on the banks of the Odra River. Because of its location Wroclaw is filled with canals, via ducts and 200 bridges, giving the city the nickname “Venice of Poland”.
Wroclaw appears to be right off of a postcard With another one third of the city being wide-open spaces and parks like example Botanical Garden, Szczytnicki Park, spacious Japanese gardens.
The arts also play a very dominant in this city’s culture with scheduled cultural events year round including the international music festival Cream fields, KAN a festival of amateur and independent movies and Wroclaw Non Stop a city wide festival that lasts for a week. Wroclaw also has some of the finest museums in Europe such as The National Museum and Panorama of Raclawica, The Academy of Fine Arts, and The Museum Of Architecture.
Art has always been given great importance in the history of world and this can be seen in the small statues of dwarfs that are visible in the whole city to praise and give honor to the Orange Alternative, which was a resistance movement that caused a fall down of communist government in Poland. The story of the city is visible through the architecture work which can be viewed everywhere in center of Wroclaw.
The historical center of Wroclaw is best known as the Old Town (Stare Miasto) where around every corner a cobblestone street leads from one splendid sight to another. The Jewish Quarter of old town is home to the White Stork Synagogue, which stands proudly as the only remaining synagogue in Wroclaw.
The Salt Market, which is now a days being used as a flower market, contains grand mansions, which were constructed by noblemen during the ancient times when salt trading was done. Now, at this place the most famous landmark St. Elizabeth’s Church can be seen. It is considered to be prominent place of Wroclaw’s. In the center of old town, at Wroclaw’s main square, there lies the most attractive place which is called Old Market (Stary Rynek).
In Wroclaw the Old Market square is the center of Old Town with a size of 175m wide and 205m long and this is the largest square in Europe. Old market is so popular and history shows fabulous architecture from the Gothic Art Nouveau and Baroque periods. The center of square alias Sukiennice has brightly painted buildings which has bars restaurants and stores and a bronze bear statue, which, by belief, will bring good luck if one touches its nose.
Sitting right across from the pillory is one of the most spectacular original buildings, the Town Hall. Until the late 16th century the pillory, which is a stone monument, was used as the place for bringing to task some of the common and small time criminals. Winter is when the Wroclawians gather at this square for some ice skating while in summer the locals can be found enjoying a Piast beer or taking casual and relaxing strolls here.
Cecelia Owens loves travel and she does freelance writing for the top South African travel comparison website, BestFlights.co.za offering Flights to Poland.