Lower Silesia

Detached from Germany after WWII and returned to Poland, Lower Silesia (Dolny Śląsk) is fertile lowland country extending along the upper and middle course of the Odra River. Settled since Neolithic times and passed throughout history between Habsburg Austria, Poland, Bohemia, Prussia and other central European powers, it remains full of interesting old towns and villages. Architecture buffs will have a field day with the region's wide assortment of castles and churches, and Lower Silesia's larger towns have more than enough attractions to tempt those with entertainment on their minds.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Lower Silesia.

  • Castle

    Książ Castle

    This impossibly photogenic castle, the largest in Silesia, commands a thickly wooded prominence in Książ. Following the destruction of an earlier stronghold in 1263, the Silesian Duke Bolko I built a castle here in the late 13th century. That fortress passed to the von Hobergs (later called the Hochbergs) in 1509, and was repeatedly assaulted and remodelled until well into the 20th century. Today you'll see a melange of styles from Romanesque onwards, with the oldest section at its heart.

  • Museum

    Panorama of Racławice

    Wrocław’s pride and joy is this giant painting of the battle for Polish independence fought at Racławice on 4 April 1794, between the Polish army led by Tadeusz Kościuszko and Russian troops under General Alexander Tormasov. The Poles won but it was all for naught: months later the nationwide insurrection was crushed by the tsarist army. The canvas measures 15m by 114m, and is wrapped around the internal walls of a purpose-built rotunda.

  • Church

    Church of Peace

    This magnificent building, the largest baroque timber church in Europe, was erected between 1656 and 1657 in just 10 months. The builders were not trying to set any records; the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 allowed the Protestants of Silesia to build three churches as long as they took less than a year, had no belfry and used only clay, sand and wood for materials. The churches at Świdnica and Jawor remain; the one at Głogów burned down in 1758.

  • Museum

    National Museum

    Wrocław's National Museum is a treasure trove of fine art from across the ages. Medieval sculpture is displayed on the ground floor; exhibits include the Romanesque tympanum from the portal of the Church of St Mary Magdalene (which depicts the Assumption of the Virgin Mary), and 14th-century sarcophagi from the Church of SS Vincent & James. There are also collections of Silesian paintings, ceramics, silverware and furnishings from the 16th to 19th centuries.

  • Public Art

    Wrocław Dwarves

    See if you can spot the tiny bronze statue of a dwarf resting on the ground, just to the west of the Hansel & Gretel houses. A few metres away you’ll spot firefighter dwarves, rushing to put out a blaze. These figures are part of a collection of over 300 scattered through the city. Though whimsical, they’re also a reference to the symbol of the Orange Alternative, a communist-era dissident group that used ridicule as a weapon.

  • Historic Building

    Old Town Hall

    This glorious Gothic edifice, Wrocław's quintessential photo opportunity, took shape over more than 200 years. The right-hand part of the eastern facade, with its austere early Gothic features, is the oldest, while the delicate carving to the left shows early Renaissance style. The astronomical clock in the centre, made of larch wood, was built in 1580. The southern facade, dating from the early 16th century, is the most elaborate, with a pair of ornate bay windows and carved stone figures.

  • Architecture

    Aula Leopoldinum

    On the first floor of the main building of the University of Wrocław, this ceremonial hall is Wrocław's most beautiful baroque interior, embellished with elaborate stuccoes, sculptures, paintings and a trompe l'oeil ceiling fresco. The more modest Oratorium Marianum, on the ground floor, is included in the admission fee, as is the Mathematical Tower, topped with a sphere and decorated with allegorical figures.

  • Church

    Church of the Holy Name of Jesus

    Wrocław University's baroque-rococo church is arguably the most beautiful in the city. It was built by the Jesuits in the 1690s on the site of the former Piast castle. Its spectacular interior, painted to give the appearance of white marble, is crammed with ornate fittings and adorned with fine illusionist frescoes of the life of Jesus. See the website for the church's somewhat convoluted sightseeing hours.

  • Sculpture

    The Anonymous Pedestrians

    Also known as Passage, this arresting sculpture depicts seven bronze pedestrians literally being swallowed by the pavement, only to re-emerge on the other side of the street. It was created by Jerzy Kalina and unveiled in 2005 to mark the 24th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. Look for it 500m west of the train station.