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.

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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. Visits are by guided audio tours, departing every half hour. The small rotunda (free admission) behind the ticket office features a model of the battlefield and the uniforms of forces engaged in the battle. The painting came into being when, a century after the battle, it was commissioned by a group of patriots in Lviv (then the Polish city of Lwów). The two main artists, Jan Styka and Wojciech Kossak, were helped by seven other painters who did the background scenes and details. They completed the monumental canvas in just over nine months, using 750kg of paint. After WWII the painting was sent to Wrocław, but since it depicted a defeat of the Russians (then Poland’s official friend and liberator), the communist authorities were reluctant to put it on display. The pavilion built for the panorama in 1967 sat empty until 1985, when the canvas was shown for the first time in more than four decades.
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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. They’re sometimes identified in English as gnomes, as the Polish folkloric character they're based on (the leprechaun-like krasnoludek) resembles a traditional British garden gnome. Buy a 'dwarf map' (6zł) from the tourist office (or view it on the website) and go dwarf-spotting.
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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. Step inside to peruse the Museum of Bourgeois Art.
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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.
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University of Wrocław
Established by the Jesuits in the early 18th century, the University of Wrocław's main edifice was built between 1728 and 1742. While it's very much a functioning seat of scholarship, it is partly open to sightseers – enter through the grand blue-and-gold rococo gate at the western end to start exploring. The principal attraction is the baroque ceremonial hall known as the Aula Leopoldinum.
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Cathedral of St Mary Magdalene
One block east of the Rynek is this mighty Gothic red-brick cathedral, dating to the 14th century. Its showpiece is a Romanesque portal from around 1280 on the exterior south wall, which originally adorned the Benedictine Abbey in Ołbin, but was moved here in 1546 after the abbey was demolished. You can climb the 72m-high tower and cross the Bridge of Penitents.
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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. The 2nd floor holds Polish art, mainly paintings, from the 17th century to the present. The collection covers most of Poland’s big names, including Jacek Malczewski, Stanisław Wyspiański, Witkacy (Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz) and Jan Matejko; be prepared for moody portraits and massive battle scenes. Among the modern painters, Władysław Hasior, Eugeniusz Stankiewicz-Get and Tadeusz Makowski are names to look out for, especially for their humorous takes on war and religion.
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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.
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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.