WROCŁAW - In Your Pocket

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OSTRÓW TUMSKI
© tomislavmedak, flickr.com
Playing soul to the Rynek’s heart, Ostrów Tumski is the gem
at the centre of Wrocław’s crown. This, after all, is where the
city began. During the latter part of the ninth century what is
now known as Ostrów Tumski (the name means Cathedral
Island in Polish) was settled by a Slavic tribe, the Śleżanie,
who - not without reason - considered the island impregnable.
For a thorough history lesson you may want to view the scale
model of this, Ostrow Tumski’s earliest incarnation, over in
the Archaelogical Museum (A-2, ul. Cieszyńskiego 9).
The first Silesian bishopric was built on the island in 1000,
and the town flourished until its almost total destruction
during the Tatar invasions of the 1240s. After that date the
town developed on the other side of the Odra river, and Ostrów
Tumski became a place of almost exclusively royal - the
Piast Dynasty built a castle here in the 1260s - and religious
significance. With a few exceptions it remains primarily a
place of worship and reflection to this day; there are few
shops, dwellings, cafes and restaurants, and the Wrocław
Archdiocese occupies almost all of the beautifully maintained
classical buildings you will see.
The first thing the modern visitor notices however about Ostrów
Tumski is that, though accessed from central Wrocław
by bridge, it is not actually an island. It was until the 19th
century, but persistent flooding led town planners to fill in one
of the Odra’s tributaries in 1810 (not that that has prevented
further flooding). Seemingly miles from the bustle of Rynek,
perhaps the real joy of Ostrów Tumski is its other-worldly feel.
ul. Katedralna and ul. Idziego both provide cobbled reminders
of the past - Idziego especially, though it lacks the in-your-face
sights of Katedralna, is a particularly gorgeous street, still lit
today by original gas lamps and providing the perfect frame
for a picturesque, romantic evening stroll.
But we are getting ahead of ourselves. A visit to this lovely,
peaceful part of Wrocław rightly begins at Most Piaskowy
(Sand Bridge). This is the oldest bridge in Wrocław, built in
1861 and an engineering marvel, if no great shakes on the
architectural front. The original bridge, built back in the 11th
century, was part of the ancient trade route - the Amber
Road, which led from the Baltic Sea to Vienna, and thence
to Venice. As you walk along ul. Jadwigi you will pass the
Russian Orthodox Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the
Baroque and sadly graffiti-strewn University Library, and the
Gothic Church of the Blessed Virgin on the Sand, famous for
its 16th century icon of the Virgin Mary in the northern nave.
From here the beloved, iron, 1890-built Most Tumski (Tumski
Bridge) leads you across to the oldest part of the city; look
out for the statues of St. Jadwiga (Hedwig), Silesia’s patron
saint, and John the Baptist, Wrocław’s patron, at the head
of the bridge. Also of note are the padlocks placed on the
bridge by newlyweds to symbolise the unbreakable bond
they share going forward in life together.
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Katedra św.
Jana Chrzciciela) D-2, Pl. Katedralny 18, tel. (+48)
71 322 25 74, www.katedra.archidiecezja.wroc.pl. As
you walk along ul. Katedralna, which leads to the Cathedral,
you are on the same path that the original inhabitants of the
island walked. Indeed, if you poke around the stones near the
cathedral, you should be able to see the outlines of some of
the buildings that used to stand on the island.
The cathedral remains a living, working church and as a visitor
you will undoubtedly encounter queues of people waiting patiently
for the confessionals and others in quiet worship. The
elegant double-spired Gothic building stands like a sentinel
at the end of ul. Katedralna, its elaborate portal one of the
most valuable medieval artefacts in Wrocław. What we see
today is in fact the fourth church to be built on this site. When
construction began in 1244, this was the first brick building
in Poland. Cathedral-building being what it is, work continued
for five more centuries. The centrepiece of the rich, Gothic
interior is the altarpiece, painted in Lublin in 1522, showing
the Virgin Mary falling asleep. The Cathedral suffered massive
damage in WWII, with traces of bullet holes still visible,
and has been meticulously rebuilt since. Of interest, to some
at least, the cathedral houses the largest organ in Poland,
which prior to the war was also the largest in the world. But
the real highlight of the Cathedral is the panoramic view from
its tower, which can be yours for 5zł (kids under 14 free).
An elevator takes you to the top of the Cathedral’s tower,
which offers a wonderful view of the city and surrounding
countryside. There’s also a small exhibition at the top of the
tower featuring various objects brought back from missions
although be warned the tower closes during the winter as
it is not heated. QOpen 10:00 - 16:00, Sun 14:00 - 16:00.
No visiting during mass please.
© Klearchos Kapoutsis, flickr.com
Wrocław In Your Pocket wroclaw.inyourpocket.com
Archdiocese Museum (Muzeum Archidiecezjalne)
D-2, Pl. Katedralny 16, tel. (+48) 71 327 11
78. To the right of the Cathedral is the stunning Archdiocese
Museum (D-2, Pl. Katedralny 16), a do-it-yourself
museum that throws rooms full of religious art at you and
you’re left to decide for yourself what to make of it. Much
of the art is recent - the work of local religious orders,
but the largest room is filled with invaluable medieval
works from around Poland. Art historians will no doubt
find plenty of interest. QOpen 09:00 - 15:00. Closed
Mon. Admission 4/3zł.
The Church of the Holy Cross/St. Bartholomew’s
C-2, Plac Kościelny, tel. (+48) 71 322 25 74. One of
Ostrów Tumski’s most beautiful and iconic structures,
thanks to a 70m steeple and impressive entry staircase,
this curious sanctuary is actually two churches in one. Split
over two levels, the building comprises the shorter windows
of the Church of St. Bartholomew beneath the soaring
windows of the upper level Church of the Holy Cross. The
first two-storey church in Silesia, and one of only a few in
all of Europe, the church was completed in 1295 as an act
of reconciliation ending a long dispute between Duke Henry
IV and Bishop Thomas II. For centuries the sarcophagus
of Henry IV was housed in the upper Church of the Holy
Cross, however today it can be seen on display in the
National Museum. Standing outside the church is a large
sculpture of John of Nepomuk dating from 1732. Q Open
during mass only. The lower church (St. Bartholomew’s) is
currently closed to visitors.
St. Martin’s Church
(Kościół Św. Marcina)
C-2, ul. Św.
Marcina. This tiny and
somewhat irregularly
shaped brick church is
all that remains of the
Piast dynasty’s 13thcentury
royal castle,
which once stood on the island. St. Martin’s too, however,
was largely rebuilt in the 15th and 20th centuries.
Before WWII the church was a centre of Polish culture
in a primarily German city. Poles gathered here to
hear sermons and sing hymns in their own language.
The last Polish mass under Nazi oppression was held
here in 1939. A plaque outside reads in part, “We are
Poles... A Pole is a brother to a Pole... Poland is our
mother, we cannot speak badly of our mother.” Outside
St. Martin’s stands a massive monument to Pope John
Paul II, placed here in 1986.
Botanical Garden (Ogród Botaniczny) D-2,
ul. Sienkiewicza 23, tel. (+48) 71 322 59 57,
www.ogrodbotaniczny.wroclaw.pl. To complete a
thorough visit to the island you should not miss the
charming Botanical Gardens (D-2, ul. Sienkiewicza
23). The gardens began life as a scientific pursuit,
but have become a favourite retreat for Wrocław’s
residents. The garden was built from 1811 to 1816 on
the riverbed where the Odra once flowed around Ostrów
Tumski. The grounds include a huge diversity of plant
life, aquariums, sculptures, a plant shop and cafe, and
a large pond with picturesque bridges. On some days
your peace and quiet could be marred by noisy groups
of schoolkids, but the beautiful manicured landscapes
include enough nooks and crannies that you should have
no trouble forgetting you’re in the centre of a big city.
Highly recommended. Q Open 08:00 - 18:00. Closed
from December. Admission 10/5zł.
wroclaw.inyourpocket.com
OSTRÓW TUMSKI
Wroclaw University
Wrocław University (Uniwersytet Wrocławski)
B-2, Pl. Uniwersytecki 1, tel. (+48) 71 375 26 18,
www.muzeum.uni.wroc.pl. Founded by the Jesuits in
1670, the magnificent Baroque main building of Wrocław
University and the adjacent Church of the Blessed
Name of Jesus that stand today were built at the same
time on the former site of a derelict Piast castle after a
land grant from Emperor Leopold. In 1811, Prussia secularised
all church property and took over administration
of the university. Prior to this the Austrian-Prussian war
in 1741 saw the campus transformed into a hospital, a
prison and finally, in 1757, a food store. The dying days
of WWII saw the university library turned into a makeshift
HQ for the occupying Nazis. At the war’s end the German
faculty were all but exiled, with the replacement
professors arriving from the University of Lwów forming
the first Polish faculty to teach here. The University still
functions as an academic building, and past professors
include Alois Alzheimer (the man who gave his name to
the disease) and Robert Bunsen (who didn’t invent the
Bunsen burner but improved it to such a degree that it
was named in his honour). Since the start of the 20th
century, the university has produced a remarkable 9
Nobel Prize winners and today over 40,000 students are
enrolled with 9,000 graduating each year.
Despite its ongoing functions as an academic institution,
the main university building is open to tourists who troop
in and out primarily to take photos of Aula Leopoldina,
the grand Baroque ceremonial hall. Three tickets are
available, giving you access to 2, 3 or 4 university rooms.
We recommend you splash out for all four to avoid any
later confusion and consternation. The room including
the ticket desk includes an exhibit of historical university
items from globes to uniforms, however - similar to later
displays - all information is in Polish only and is unlikely to
hold much interest to casual visitors. Be aware that the
areas accessible to tourists are laid out over four floors
and there is no elevator.
The first of the University Museum’s two main highlights
is undoubtedly Aula Leopoldina. In true Baroque style,
the ceremonial hall is a virtual explosion of cherubs and
swag. The painting on the ceiling depicts the apotheosis of
God’s wisdom - reflecting the religious and academic mission
of this room and the Jesuits. The portraits ringing the
walls depict the founding fathers of the University. Some
years ago four of them were stolen and two have yet to be
returned. Winding upstairs past the odd exhibition and a
line in the floor demarcating the 51st parallel - which runs
right through the building - visitors will reach the terrace
of the university’s ‘Mathematical Tower’ which affords
great photo opportunities and panoramic views of the
Old Town and Odra River. Q Open 10:00 - 15:30. Closed
Wed. Last entrance 30 minutes before closing. Admission
5-12zł depending on how many rooms you wish to visit.
Adam Dziura, wikipedia.org
September - December 2012
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