Building sights in Wrocław
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A
Cathedral of St John the Baptist'
The centrepiece is the mammoth, twin-towered Cathedral of St John the Baptist. This three-aisled Gothic basilica was built between 1244 and 1590. Seriously damaged during WWII – shrapnel scarring is still visible on the exterior walls – it was reconstructed in its previous Gothic form, complete with dragon guttering. The high altar boasts a gold and silver triptych from 1522 attributed to the school of Veit Stoss, and the western portico is a medieval gem. For once you don’t need strong legs to climb the 91m-high tower as there is a lift.
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B
Church of Our Lady on the Sand
The main monument on Sand Island (Wyspa Piasek) is the Church of Our Lady on the Sand, a lofty 14th-century building that dominates this tiny islet. Almost all the fittings were destroyed during WWII and the half-dozen old triptychs you see inside have been collected from other Silesian churches. The wonderful Romanesque tympanum in the south aisle is the only remnant of the original 12th-century church that once stood here.
There's a mechanised szopka (Nativity scene) in the first chapel to the right; make a small donation when one of the assistants turns it on.
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C
Church of Ss Stanislaus, Wenceslas and Dorothy
The massive Gothic affair located just south of the Old Town is the Franciscan Church of SS Stanislaus, Wenceslas and Dorothy, founded in 1351 to commemorate the meeting between Polish King Kazimierz III Wielki (Casimir III the Great) and his Bohemian counterpart, Charles IV, at which they agreed to leave Silesia in Bohemia’s hands. Note the sizable Rococo tomb at the start of the south aisle.
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Church of St Adalbert
The highlight of the single-nave Gothic Church of St Adalbert is the 18th-century Baroque chapel adjoining the southern transept, with its Rococo alabaster sarcophagus of the Blessed Czesław, founder of the original monastery here. Wrocłavians are devoted to this chapel as it remained unscathed during WWII while the rest of the church was almost demolished.
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E
Church of St Giles
In contrast to the enormous Cathedral of St John the Baptist, the Church of St Giles is barely a cupboard. Built between 1218 and 1230, this is the oldest surviving church in Wrocław, and has an original Romanesque portal.
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Church of Ss Vincent and James
The Gothic Church of SS Vincent and James was originally a Romanesque basilica founded in the early 13th century. The largest church in the city, it's now used by the Uniat (Eastern Rite Catholic) faithful.
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G
White Stork Synagogue
The partially restored White Stork Synagogue built in 1829, is a reminder that this city was once home to more than 20,000 Jews.
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