Around the Old Town

We cross ul. Piotra Skargi and face Partisan Hill (Wzgórze Partyzantów) – the remains of the 16th century fortifications. The hill, also known as the Pannier Bastion (Bastion Sakwowy), is interesting not only due to its historic past, but also due to its architecture. Numerous garden houses, romantic spots, springs and rich, specially selected flora were a favourite for couples strolling around. In the spring of 1945, the general headquarters for commanding the defence of Wrocław’s stronghold were situated in the bastion’s dungeons. Air raids and bombardment caused abundant damage, and, in spite of conducted renovation works, the former grandeur of this area has not returned. However, a stroll among the old trees and greenery has a significant impact on improvement of mood and regeneration of strength.

Museum of the Post Office and J. Słowacki Park

We continue walking downhill or along the moat, which turns north here in the direction of the former Oława Gate (Brama Oławska). On the right, at ul. Podwale, we can see secession buildings established at the end of the 19th century and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany.

We now walk along the underground passage under the Oławska Gate (Brama Oławska) and admire relics of walls from the 15th century and a maquette presenting the appearance of this part of the Wrocław fortifications. After passing under ul. Oławska, we stand in front of an entrance to the Dominikańska Shopping Centre (Galeria Dominikańska). On the left, in a perspective, we can see the small St Christopher Church (kościół p.w. św. Krzysztofa), belonging to the commune of the Protestant-Augsbourg Church.

In the western direction, the panorama is closed by St Maurice Church (kościół p.w. św. Maurycego), the former parish church of the citizens of Oława suburbs. This church played a significant role during Wrocław's siege in the spring of 1945. The rector of this parish, Father Paul Paikert, provided great spiritual help for the citizens, as he heard confessions and gave Holy Communion to soldiers, visiting forced labour camps and writing a chronicle of the siege days, a document on people’s behaviour and the terror of the SS and Wehrmacht command.

We now walk along the moat, next to the building of the Dominikańska Shopping Centre – on the other side is the huge building of the Main Post Office, established in 1927, the location of the Museum of the Post Office and Telecommunications (Muzeum Poczty i Telekomunikacji), which is unique in the country. It is worth visiting and learning about the history of the telegraph, telephone and Polish stamp.

We reach al. J. Słowackiego, and on the left is a bastion from the 15th century, a partially reconstructed fragment of the city fortifications. We cross al. J. Słowackiego and enter the terrain of J. Słowacki Park (Park J. Słowackiego). On the left is a group of Bernardine monasteries (klasztor oo. Bernardynów) from the end of the 15th century, today The Museum of Architecture (Muzeum Architektury), which is the only one in the country. In front of the Museum is a fragment of the Monument to the Executed (Pomnik Rozstrzelanych), designed by W. Hasior and placed here in 1971. Here, we can choose a straight road and directly reach Polish Hill (Wzgórze Polskie) and Gondola Bay (Zatoka Gondoli) or walk along the avenue in an easterly direction, passing by two eclectic stone garden vases created in the 2nd half of the 19th century. After a while, we stand in front of the Juliusz Słowacki monument (pomnik Juliusza Słowackiego), set here in 1984 and designed by W. Szymanowski – the designer of the Fryderyk Chopin monument (pomnik Fryderyka Chopina) in Łazienki in Warsaw.

We walk along a wide alley, where over one-hundred-year old plane trees deserve special attention, and we reach the building of the National Museum (Muzeum Narodowe). At an intersection of park avenues, there are four garden sculptures made of sandstone in the 18th century and placed here in 1962. These are figures of the Goddess Pallas Athena (Bogini Pallas Atena), the Goddess Rhea (Bogini Rea), the Goddess Ceres (Bogini Cerera), the Goddess Athena II (Bogini Atena II). Just next to them, there are two modern outdoor sculptures creating a composition entitled “Waiting” (“Oczekiwanie”), set in 1980 and made by Wroclaw sculptors Anna and Ryszard Zamorscy.

In front of us is ul. J. E. Purkyniego and the neo-Renaissance building of the National Museum (Muzeum Narodowe), which possesses numerous collections of paintings, graphics, Silesian sculptures, craftsmanship and Polish modern art. In front of the building, there are three bronze monuments: Michelangelo (Michał Anioł) and Albrecht Dürer, made in the years 1831–1832 as designed by R. Haertl, and Allegory of Fishery (Alegoria Rybołówstwa), as designed by Ch. Behrens and A. Dürer.

We return to the Park through a wide avenue and move on in a westerly direction. On the left, in a meadow among trees, there is a monument to the Victims of the Katyń Massacre (Pomnik Ofiar Zbrodni Katyńskiej), created according to the design of T. Tchórzewski and unveiled in October 2000. It commemorates the 22,000 Polish officers and policemen murdered in Kozielsk, Ostaszków, Starobielsk, Katyń, Miednoje and Charków.

Wrocław over river

Along the avenue, among trees and hedges, we reach the Panorama of the Battle of Racławice (Panorama Racławicka) rotunda. In front of the building, there is an obelisk of the Constitution of 3 May, created according to the design of M. Dziekoński and placed here in 1993. The „Panorama of the Battle of Racławice” („Panorama Racławicka”), a branch of the National Museum in Wrocław, is a place especially worth seeing. This unique canvas with measurement of 120 x 15 m is a work of a team of painters led by J. Styka and W. Kossak. The painting was created in Lviv in 1894. In Wrocław, after „an odyssey” that lasted 38 years, it was made available again on 14 June 1985.

The route of our walk now leads us to Polish Hill. After crossing ul. J. E. Purkyniego, we walk along an asphalt path upwards. On the right is a fragment of the city moat called „Gondola Bay”. After reaching the hill, one can admire a magnificent panorama of the right side of Wrocław with Ostrów Tumski and the Sand Island (Wyspa Piaskowa).

Along the Oder River, we walk in a westerly direction, leave the Old City Promenade (Promenada Staromiejska) behind us, move along the wide alley of the Xawery Dunikowski Boulevard (bulwar Xawerego Dunikowskiego) and enter the Polish Square (pl. Polski). On the left, there are visible the buildings of the Academy of Fine Arts (Akademia Sztuk Pięknych). In the square, there is a sculpture: „The Workman’s Head” („Głowa Robotnika”), placed here in 1982 and made by X. Dunikowski in 1948 to add splendour to The Recovered Territories (Ziemie Odzyskane) exhibition. Next, unveiled in 1999, the Monument to Those Murdered along the Eastern Borderlands (Pomnik Pomordowanych na Kresach Wschodnich), commemorating the Ukrainian Nationalists’ crimes against Polish people in the years 1939–1947.

We reach the Sand Bridge (Most Piaskowy), cross the Oder River and, behind the bridge, we turn left onto Sand Island (Wyspa Piasek). We walk along S. Kulczyński Boulevard (bulwar S. Kulczyńskiego) – the first rector of the Polish university – University of Wrocław (Uniwersytet Wrocławski), and the last rector of the University of Jan Kazimierz (Uniwersytet Jana Kazimierza) in Lviv.

Now, we walk along the Oder islands, where in the 11th and 12th century, Wrocław was developing. We walk through Słodowa Island (Wyspa Słodowa) and over the footbridge until ul. Drobnera.

One can also choose a longer version of the walk and go along ul. Staromłyńska, go onto Mill Island (Wyspa Młyńska) and then onto Słodowa Island (Wyspa Słodowa) and across St Claire’s Bridge (Most św. Klary) onto Bielarska Island (Wyspa Bielarska). We then walk along the Bielarska Footbridge (kładka Bielarska) and reach ul. Bolesława Drobnera.

We pass by „Park Plaza” hotel and then go along University Bridge (Most Uniwersytecki) and return to the left bank of the Oder River.

We pass by the main building of the University of Wrocław, which has a beautiful Baroque interior – the Leopold Hall (Aula Leopoldyńska), Oratorium Marianum – and the collection of the University Museum (Muzeum Uniwersyteckie), and we reach ul. Nowy Świat. We pass by the so-called southern water-power plant and reach the City Museum (Muzeum Miejskie) in the former armoury. This Renaissance building is included in the group of the oldest buildings of this type in our part of Europe. The beginnings of the armoury date back to 1459. Inside, there is a collection of military and archaeological exhibits.

We enter into ul. św. Mikołaja, pass by the former St Barbara Church (kościół p.w. św. Barbary) and today the cathedral of the Orthodox Wrocław and Szczecin diocese of the Nativity of Saint Mary (katedra prawosławnej diecezji Wrocławsko-Szczecińskiej p.w. Narodzenia Przenajświętszej Bogurodzicy). In the distance, on the right, there is the former All Saints Hospital (Szpital Wszystkich Świętych), whose beginnings date back to the 1st half of the 16th century, which today is the J. Babiński voivodeship hospital (szpital wojewódzki im. J. Babińskiego).

Among the trees

Now, we move on in a southerly direction. We pass by the wooden St Anthony Bridge (mostek św. Antoniego), and through a wide allay among limes, chestnuts and plane trees, we reach a place where the city moat we have been walking along turns in an easterly direction.

In front of us, there are the Lviv Eaglets Square (plac Orląt Lwowskich) and Świebodzki station (dworzec Świebodzki), built in 1843.

The alley of historic trees leads us to ul. Krupnicza. On our way, on the right, we pass by the neo-Baroque building of Prussian cuirassiers’ barracks, built in 1835 and currently the seat of the Wrocław Country District Starosty. On the left, at ul. Krupnicza, there is the neo-Gothic building of the new stock exchange, currently the seat for KS Gwardia.

We cross ul. Krupnicza. On the right, there is a complex of neo-Gothic buildings intended for courts. The beginnings of the building go back to 1844, whereas it was completed in 1887. Over the moat, among the greenery, we enter Liberty Square (plac Wolności), formerly Castle Square (plac Zamkowy). There was a Royal Castle in this location, whose beginnings go back to 1750. From former Royal Castle, the oldest Baroque part from the side of ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego, currently occupied by the City Museum (Muzeum Miejskie), has survived up to the present. The Royal building, from the side of Liberty Square (plac Wolności), was demolished at the beginning of the 60s of the 20th century. Only a building for servants and the court remained with its arcaded gallery. In front of the castle, there was Drill Square (Plac Ćwiczeń), where in Prussian times, infantry and cavalry troops were drilled. On 27 May 1945, there was a military parade of troops of the 10th Sudetes Infantry Division of the Polish Second Army (10. Sudecka Dywizja Piechoty II Armii Wojska Polskiego). Currently, at Liberty Square (Plac Wolności), the National Forum of Music (Narodowe Forum Muzyki) is being built, the opening of which is planned in 2011.

On the right, we pass by the Court Footbridge (kładka sądowa), and on the other side of the city moat, there is the building of the Voivodeship Police Headquarters (Komenda Wojewódzkiej Policji), established in 1927. Next, at the far end of ul. Łąkowa, there was the „In Exile” („Na Wygonie”) synagogue, destroyed during „Crystal Night” on 9/10 November 1938. Passing by the Monument to Victims of Stalinism (pomnik Ofiar Stalinizmu), which was unveiled in September 1989, we reach ul. Świdnicka. Here, the route of our walk ends.

Author: Bronisław Zathey