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.......................