Wroclaw Poland - Part 3

  Cathedral Island 

View of Cathedral Island from across the river

Crossing Tumski Bridge with view of
two towers of Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 

Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski) is the oldest and most historic part of Wrocław. Located on a quiet island in the Oder River, it is home to beautiful Gothic churches, including the towering Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Cobblestone streets, peaceful courtyards, and glowing gas lamps give the area a old-world, romantic feel—especially in the evening when darkness is approaching. All of the lights - the buildings, the bridge and even the lights on the trees make it an awesome sight.  Cathedral Island is like stepping into another world, isolated from the normal chaos we usually see.   

Tumski Bridge

Tumski Bridge over Oder River

The Bridge at Nighttime

                                                                     

Tumski Bridge was (and still is) a popular place for couples to place "love locks". Around 2015 the city removed the locks because of the excessive weight. But locks keep appearing and they are removed regularly to maintain the bridge's structural integrity. The photo below shows some locks on the railing along the Oder River leading up to the bridge.                                        

       

       

  

   

     The Churches of Cathedral Island

This section contains a glimpse into the rich history of this area and of Poland itself. I hope you will find it as interesting as I did.

                       

                          Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Cathedral Road towards Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

                                               

The beautiful stained glass window with the altar below are an impressive sight. The church is beautiful as are most Catholic churches in Poland, but this added something unique.

The silver altar was commissioned by Bishop Andreas von Jerin in 1591. During wartimes it was deconstructed and hidden along with other treasures. In 1945, during World War II, it was hidden before the siege of Breslau. The cathedral was destroyed, gradually it was rebuilt. Parts of the silver altar were discovered and it was reinstalled in 2019.   

                                               

I found the architecture of the church so amazing, I could have snapped pictures forever. These are a few of the many.

                        Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross  

                                    and St. Bartholomew

The uniqueness in the architecture of this church is the two story layout. Below is the Church of St. Bartholomew and above it, the Church of the Holy Cross. The statue in front of the church is a monument to Saint John of Nepomuk. The statue draws you towards it. My photo doesn't do it justice. As you are walking towards the church, the statue with it's size and the delicate-looking golden stars is mesmerizing.

                                     St. Martin's Church

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As we walked around this very old building it seemed to have a different feel from the others. It is definitely more modest and humble than the other churches on Cathedral Island. Regretfully it was not open when we were there. I would have loved the chance to see inside.

St. Martin's Church was once part of the Piast castle. The Piasts were the first ruling dynasty of Poland. This building is the only part left standing and it has a very interesting history. Before World War II, when Wroclaw was the German city of Breslau, St. Martin's was a cultural center for the Polish people. They could attend mass that was in the Polish language. It is also the church where the last Polish mass was held under Nazi rule. After World War II, the city became part of Poland.

Pope John XXIII
Monument located near St. Martin's Church

                                                 

St. Giles Church

St. Giles church, a small Romanesque style building, is the oldest preserved structure in Wroclaw. We only passed by this church on the way to St. John the Baptist and did not stop there, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Beautiful Wrought-Iron Gate

This ornate gate caught my eye. It leads into the courtyard of the Archbishop's Palace. The Baroque-style building is the home of the Catholic archbishops of Wroclaw.

A Monument to Forgiveness

Monument to Cardinal Boleslaw Kominek

Polish Priest, Archbishop of Wroclaw

                                

This is an imposing statue. You can't miss it if you are walking in the area. I didn't realize the story behind it was such an important part of Polish history. I was so fascinated by what I learned that I had to share it.

After World War II, mistrust and resentment between Poland and Germany made communication very difficult. In 1965 the Polish bishops, led by Archbishop  Boleslaw Kominek of Wroclaw, sent a letter to the German bishops. "We forgive and ask for forgiveness" was the powerful message of this letter which was a step toward reconciliation between the two countries. It also invited the German bishops to join a 1966 celebration marking 1000 years of Christianity in Poland. This was held in Czestochowa, home of the Black Madonna. (I will cover this subject in a future post). One of the signatories of this letter was Bishop Karol Wojtyla, Archbishop of Krakow, known later as Pope John Paul II. The monument in the photo above was erected in 2005 to honor this turning point and the man who helped make it possible. It is located on Piasek Island near the Tumski Bridge opposite Cathedral Island.

                           The Wroclaw Lamplighter

The black-cloaked lamplighter goes through the streets every evening to light more than 100 gas lamps manually. He must then extinguish them every morning before sunrise. There are always groups of people waiting for him for a chance to get some photos. We were lucky enough to catch him in the act. He is a very striking figure walking along the cobblestone streets. What an extraordinary job that is!

The journey continues.......................

                     

  

Wroclaw Poland - Part 2

 

Dwarves, dwarves everywhere!

They are called dwarves, gnomes or krasnale. In this post they will be dwarves.    

In Wroclaw in the 1980s, there was an underground movement opposing the Communist regime in Poland. It was called the Orange Alternative. Some of their methods were to paint dwarves where authorities had whitewashed anti-government graffiti and to wear orange dwarf hats during marches. Their playful, satirical protests seemed less intimidating and made the government's hard-line stance more obvious. After Communism fell, dwarves became not only a symbol of the Orange Alternative but also a reminder of Wroclaw's spirit and unique history. 

In 2001, the first statue (Papa Krasnal) was installed. Since then, hundreds more little bronze dwarves have appeared throughout the city. They are smaller than Papa Krasnal, generally about 8 to 12 inches high, though some are smaller. While exploring the city, it is a fun activity to spot them wherever you happen to be. These little guys added a  pleasant bonus to sightseeing. Below are some that I discovered in my travels. Keep in mind that this is just a small sample of the many that are are scattered around the city.

This is Papa Krasnal, the first bronze gnome statue

                                                                                                                    

                                       

             

                                                                               

                           

                                                                   
     

                 

Look closely for the Lamplighter Gnome
 (it is on the bridge to Cathedral Island)

Life-size gnome at the Nicolaus Copernicus Wroclaw Airport 
This is a modern enlarged version of the little ones in the city.

 

Monument in Honor of Slaughtered Animals

This group of bronze sculptures is located on Stare Jatki (Old Butchers'

Street). It is a tribute to the animals that were slaughtered there over the years. This small medieval street was where people bought their meat from the butchers. Now it is a touristy area with art galleries and restaurants.

While on the subject of animals, here is an odd sculpture located in Wroclaw's Old Town. It is a crocodile being lifted by a red balloon tied on his snout outside Kalambur theater/bar. 

Coming Up Next - Cathedral Island

Wroclaw Poland - Part 1

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.

Entrance to market

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.

Mathematical Tower

Decorative Exterior Door

                                                                                                              

Marker for Meridian Line
(51st Parallel)

                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

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.

https://uwr.edu.pl/en/we-unveiled-the-swordsman-after-renovation/

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.

Coming soon! The Wroclaw Dwarves and Cathedral Island.