Wroclaw Things to Do

I'm not a big fan of art but battle of this panoramic painting (15 × 114 meter) captured me!
It's not only a painting but also lights and other efects.
It takes about 30 minutes to listen to the story of the battle and if asked me, it was very fascinating (even if it's about a battle).
You can choose headset with several languages.
Panorama is very popular so you should come early or buy a ticket in advantage.

Ticket was 20 zl back then but now it seems to be 25 zl.

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About 3km to the east of the Rynek you can visit the Centennial Hall and the beautiful Japanese Garden in Szczytnicki Park. The reinforced concrete hall was constructed in 1913 and the architect was Max Berg - the hall was included in the UNESCO World Heritage of Culture List in 2006. next to the hall is a large lake with water fountains and it'a a very pleasant place to wander around. If you go, do go into the Japanese Gardens (3zl entrance in 2011) and walk along the many paths amongst delightful flowers and trees and cross the wooden bridges over the lakes.

To get there you can take a tram and get off at HALA LUDOWA (STULECIA) stop - it takes about 20 minutes from the city centre :-
from Galeria Dominikanska tram nos: 2, 4 and 10 towards Biskupin

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Ossolineum is a beautiful Baroque palace, built between 1675 and 1715, that once housed the Jesuit school, part of the Leopoldine University. Today, this red building on the Odra hosts the National Library, founded by Count Ossoliński in L'viv.
You should not miss it! I think it is one of the most beautiful buildings apart from those of the Rynek.

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Wyspa Piaskowa or Wyspa Piasek ("Sand island") isthe most important island in the Odra and one of the most ancient parts of Wrocław, today linked up by Most Tumski (see tip "Bridges").
Ostrów Tumski was the most ancient human settlement in what is today Wrocław. They were the centre of the medieval life, so don't wonder if all the main churches are located there. The most relevant of them are Katedra św. Jana Chrzciela ("Saint John the Baptist's cathedral"), Kościół św. Krzyża św. Bartłomieja ("Holy Cross of Saint Barthelemy", both on Ostrów Tumski) and Kościół Najśw. Marii Panny na Piasku ("Church of Holy Virgin Mary on the Sand"). See the following tips for more information about these and more churches.

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Kościół Najświętszej Marii Panny na Piasku (or Holy Mary on the Sand's church) is located on Wyspa Piaskowa, Sand Island, the largest island in Wroc³aw, close to Most Tumski, which you see in this photo.
The first Romanesque church was built in 1150, but little remains of it; a new church was rebuilt between 1334 and 1425 (almost a century!), obviously in Gothic style. That's how we see it today. One of its two towers has been left unachieved.
The interior consists of a nave with two aisles with Gothic altars coming from destroyed Silesian churches. Look at the statue of Mary holding the church: this kind of sculpture can be found in many European churches.

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Saint Martin's church lies near the Holy Cross church. It was erected in the 13th and 14th centuries; originally, it was the chapel of the Piasts' castle, that doesn't exist any longer.
My guidebook says this church was built in Gothic style, which is not correct in my opinion: I would rather call it "late Romanesque" or "early Gothic", since the only Gothic feature I see outside is the arch of the entrance, halfway between a round and an ogival arch. However, there may be more Gothic elements inside (the church was closed when we went there).
The plate you see in the third photo is a declaration. It says:
"- WE ARE POLISH WOMEN
- OUR ANCESTORS' FAITH IS OUR CHILDREN'S FAITH
- THE POLE IS BROTHER TO THE POLE
- THE POLE SERVES ITS NATION EVERY DAY
- POLAND IS OUR MOTHER(LAND), IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK BADLY OF THE MOTHER

The truths of Poles - As a sign of patriotic remembrance
The company of the lovers of Wrocław - May 1995".

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Saint Giles' church, the most ancient church in Wrocław, lies between the Archidiocesan museum and the cathedral. It was built in early Gothic style in 1218-30, where a Romanesque church previously existed.
Outside, it is mainly Romanesque. Inside, you can see a copy of the Christ of Mercy, according to the vision that had Sister Faustina Kowalska.

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When we went there, the Holy Cross church was closed: this is not unusual, as many churches are opened only for celebrations. However, we took a photograph through the glass door at the entrance. The cross-shaped church has a nave with two aisles and a polygonal (not semicircular) apsis.