My previous post covered the Christmas Market in Wroclaw. In this post we will explore other areas of the city.
Let's start with something tasty. If you have been to Poland you will most likely have heard of paczki. Paczki are deep-fried Polish doughnuts filled with fruit preserves or custard. The outside is dusted with powdered sugar or glazed. Any way you have them, they are delicious! We had some for breakfast and as an early evening snack.
Hala Targowa is a huge indoor market. The many stands offer produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods and a wide variety of other items. We grabbed lunch from a food stand that had an extensive menu and reasonable prices. Long tables and chairs were set up, and despite the busy crowd, we found seats and enjoyed a hot meal of golumpki and pierogies. We returned there on another day and had golumpki and zurek, a rich soup soured with fermented rye starter with other ingredients such as kielbasa and hard boiled egg added. The food was hearty and filling.
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| Entrance to market |
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| Inside market |
The Bridge of Penitents (also called the Witches' Bridge) is a footbridge between the two towers of St. Mary Magdalene Church. There is an interesting story about the bridge and the sculpture of the two little dwarfs or witches that are on the railing. This is a shortened version of the story - Tekla, a vain and lazy girl from Wrocław, was cursed and forced to sweep a bridge forever. She was eventually freed by a kind witch, and the bridge remains as a warning against idleness. To read the full story, click on this link - http://www.katedramm.pl/mostek-pokutnic/).
To get to the top there is a fee of approximately 15 PLN and 247 steps to climb. Since I was not in the best shape, I had to stop and rest a few times along the way. Fortunately, there are breaks in the stairs with small platforms making it easy to step aside for a breather. But the breathtaking views you are rewarded with make it well worth it.
Another point of interest is the Wroclaw City Hall. The oldest part of the building was constructed in 1299 and over the centuries it underwent numerous expansions, additions and renovations. Today the interior is occupied by museums as well as the Swidnicka Cellar, Poland's oldest and one of Europe's oldest restaurants, which dates back to the late thirteen century. Remarkedly, the town hall has survived through the years, including World War II.
The University of Wroclaw is located by the Odra (Oder) River. The Baroque style architecture is ornate and beautiful. There is a museum in the main building that focuses on the university's cultural and scientific history. At the top of this building is the Mathematical Tower with a viewing terrace, which can be seen from the street below. We did not have a chance to go inside, but the photos will show the impressive features of the exterior of the building.
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| An unusual and interesting fountain in front of the University |
The story of "The Swordsman" is amusing. The Swordsman is said to represent Hugo Lederer, who, after arriving in Wrocław, lost all his possessions in a drunken card game, keeping only his sword—a symbol of courage and manhood.
For more details click on the link below.
This little guy is Professor Dwarf and he also sits in front of the main building of the University. He is one of the many dwarves located throughout the city. We will discover more about them next time.
