Things to see and do Wrocław

The Centenary Hall, erected in 1913 to celebrate the Allied victory over Napoleon, lies between the zoo and Szczytnicki Park. Its immense reinforced concrete dome, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome and Saint Sophia in Istanbul, is a feat of engineering. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006, it now houses a sports center, concert hall, cinema and exhibition space. This emblematic monument still divides public opinion, but remains an architectural masterpiece in Poland

This is one of the largest panoramic canvases in Europe. Gigantic at 15 m high and 114 m long, it is installed in a building dedicated to it. The highly symbolic canvas depicts the Battle of Racławice on April 4, 1794, the last Polish victory over the Russians before their final annexation. The painting was completed a century later in Lwów, but it wasn't until 1980 that Soviet reluctance was overcome and it was once again exhibited. Online booking is recommended.

This building, built between the ^13th and ^16th centuries in Gothic style, shines in the middle of Wrocław's central square. The seat of the German bourgeoisie for centuries, it has been miraculously spared destruction. Small sculptures depicting the daily life of Breslau's bourgeoisie can be seen on its southern facade. Inside, you'll find the Museum of Bourgeois Art, whose rooms and artifacts have been wonderfully preserved; the highlight of the show is the sumptuous Knights' Hall. Access is from the west.

The Rynek is spacious (it's the second largest in Poland after Krakow, at 173 m by 208 m) and elegant, and well worth several tours. Some ^13th-century facades remain, and while others have been restored to their original appearance, you'll find the Church of St. Elisabeth, nicknamed Jaś i Małgosia (Hansel and Gretel). On the Rynek you'll also see some of the bronze gnomes that nestle in the town. The tourist office has a brochure with a map to help you discover them all.

Located on Tumski Island, it stands on the site of the former Romanesque cathedral, built around the year 1000, destroyed by the Bohemian Bratoslav around 1035 and rebuilt in the ^12th century. The present ^13th-century building was badly damaged during the Second World War, but has since been superbly rebuilt. A typical Wroclaw feature, colorful Baroque chapels have been added to the Gothic body. You can climb to the top of the north tower and enjoy the beautiful panorama.

Its classical frontal architecture and stucco facade are the signature of the Jesuits who founded it. In keeping with their credo, the interior is absolutely grandiose and contrasts with the façade: it is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Central Europe, made of pomp, marble, swirling woodwork and missionary frescoes. It was built at the end of the ^16th century as a university church on the site of the former Piast castle.

Located to the north of the Rynek, this superb ^18th-century Baroque university is well worth a visit, with its fantastic exterior and wooden and wrought-iron gates. It was founded in 1702 by the Austrian Emperor Leopold II. German until 1945, it trained a number of Nobel Prize winners, including the famous physician Alois Alzheimer, who discovered the disease to which he gave his name. After the Second World War, the entire University of Lwów was relocated to replace the academics in Breslau.

Founded in 1865, it is the largest zoological garden in Poland in terms of the number of animal species present, indeed one of the largest in Europe. Do not miss the magnificent neon sign, a legacy of communist Poland. The zoo has recently been enriched by a new space called Afrykarium, a unique oceanarium presenting different ecosystems related to the water environment in Africa. Coral reefs from the Red Sea, hippos, freshwater fish from lakes Malawi and Tanganyika, rays, sharks, crocodiles and manatees.

Slightly to the west of the Rynek, this superb square has been faithfully rebuilt with red and blue Baroque facades. Formerly the town's salt market square, it now houses a 24-hour flower market. The square was built in the ^13th century and, until 1827, was known as the "Polish Market". The name was changed to Blücherplatz in the ^19th century, when a monument to Field Marshal von Blücher was erected on the square. Beneath the square, a large WWII bunker houses a cinema theme park.

This magnificent Baroque complex painted in bright red impresses and is sublime in summer, when the golden sun hits its wide windows. Today, it houses the Ossolineum Library, an impressive collection of manuscripts and documents that is virtually sacred in terms of Polish cultural history. The collection was assembled from 1817 onwards by the great philosopher Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński, curator of the Imperial Library in Vienna, precursor of Slavic studies and a great name in Polish Enlightenment.

Located in a neo-Gothic water reservoir dating from 1893, this new multimedia museum is dedicated to water. Divided into eight thematic sections, the subject may seem boring, but its ultramodern museography is enough to seduce and make it one of the city's great attractions. The visit begins with a film projected onto a circular screen that takes you from the Big Bang to the formation of the planets and the origin of water on Earth. Highly informative and absolutely impressive, this museum is well worth a visit. The museum is accessible by streetcar!

Built on a small island in the heart of Wrocław, this ^14th-century church was originally one of the country's oldest Gothic churches in the German period. Its appearance shows architectural trial and error, as well as a plan halfway between the Romanesque style and the Gothic canons. Serving as HQ for the German army desperately trying to resist the Soviet advance on the Reich border, it was destroyed before being rebuilt after the war.

Located just across the Tumski Bridge, which overlooks the University Island on the Oder River, this church welcomes you on your way to the cathedral. Although it is visible, you will not immediately find the entrance to this small, beautiful but very soberly decorated church, dating from the 15th century. In fact, you have to pass by the building located just nearby, the Orphanotrophaeum, a former orphanage for children of the nobility, built in the early 18th century.

This imposing basilica was built in Gothic style in the ^14th century. It is accompanied by a legend concerning the small bridge linking the two towers of the church at the very top. Sometimes, on this bridge, walk the spirits of women who have never married: as punishment, their souls wander and are condemned to clean on the bridge for eternity! It's as much a visit as a photo opportunity. One of the towers is open to the public, and takes 10 minutes to climb.

This beautiful edifice can be seen from afar thanks to its roof made of a multitude of colorful slates. Completely ravaged by fire in 1976, this huge church has recently been restored. The interior is very bright, with superb modern stained glass windows and beautiful Baroque, Renaissance and Mannerist epitaphs, as well as imposing ogives and some rich ornamentation. As a bonus, you'll find a beautiful view of the city's central square, as well as the suburbs and the Oder River from its 83m-high bell tower.

This former 1942 air-raid shelter just west of the Old Town has been converted into a museum of contemporary art. The permanent exhibition is devoted to ^{twentieth-century} art, with a strong emphasis on artists from Wrocław. In the center of the bunker, an elevator leads up to the sixth floor, where you can enjoy a coffee on the panoramic terrace. The museum is easily accessible by public transport. See the website for more details.

Located in a former ^16th-century monastery, it houses permanent and temporary exhibitions on architecture. Visitors can discover the emblematic projects and artistic trends that have shaped Wroclaw's urban landscape over the centuries, via models and photographs. Several themes are traced, such as "Wrocław yesterday, today and tomorrow" or "the remains of medieval architecture". A large part of the collection is devoted to modern art and stained glass.

Located in the eastern part of the city center, this vast Flemish neo-Renaissance building boasts a good collection of medieval art, which is admittedly a little dated in its presentation, as well as a good collection of ^{twentieth-century} Polish art. The second floor features a magnificent medieval collection of typical polychrome wooden sculptures, a Stations of the Cross with eleven almost life-size figures and a number of paintings. The museum also offers a wide range of temporary exhibitions.

This neoclassical synagogue, built in the early ^19th century, survived the Nazis despite being plundered. A small Jewish community organizes concerts of Kleshmer and Yiddish music. A paper kippah must be worn on the head during concerts. For more information, visit the synagogue's facebook page. The street and its neighbors, once the city's Jewish quarter, contain some very fine Art Nouveau and neoclassical buildings.

Enjoy a pleasant stroll through this large garden, dotted with streams and pretty fountains. The garden's history began in 1811, when the Botanical Garden was established in the area behind the fortifications. The premises were graciously donated to the university by Prussian King Frederick William III, and the initial collection comprised 427 plants. Its true founder was Heinrich Robert Göppert (1800-1884), who expanded the collection to 12,000 species and opened the premises to visitors.