Aula Leopoldina and University Museum

Aula Leopoldina is definitely one of the most significant attractions in Wrocław. It is part of the Wrocław University Museum and as the official museum website is not translated you might find this post useful.

Aula Leopoldina is a barocque room decorated in a way that will make you think of a church. (You can get a glimpse of its interior here)

Altogether, the museum consists of four rooms whose sightseeing won't take more than an hour. Apart from Aula you should deifnitely see Mathematics Tower, which is 41 meters high and offers a lovely view of Odra banks and roofs of the Old Town.  
And as far as Oratorium Marianum is concerned actually the best way of visiting it is to go to one of the classical music concerts that are organised there, for instance during famous Wratislavia Cantans festival.

The only thing that you should bear in mind is following: Aula is still used as a university room and in consequence not always available for tourists.

You will find the ticket prices and opening hours here:
http://www.muzeum.uni.wroc.pl/informacje-dla-turystow

Sightseeing Wrocław. For free

You are a poor Erasmus student or an Erasmus student who has just spent all their money on parties (but still wants to prove that Erasmus is not only about partying)?

Here are some tips, when to go where, if you are short of money.


1. The National Museum in Wrocław
http://www.en.mnwr.art.pl/

The National Museum is an art museum.
You can visit permanent exhibitions for free every Saturday.

http://www.en.mnwr.art.pl/CMS/o_muzeum/godziny_otwarcia.html


2. Contemporary Museum in Wrocław
http://muzeumwspolczesne.pl/mww/?lang=en

Visiting a contemporary art museum is free of charge on Thursdays. (It is quite mysterious why this information can be found only in the Polish version of the website!)


3. The City Museum of Wrocław

It has different branches and is free of charge on Thursdays.
http://www.muzeum.miejskie.wroclaw.pl/CMS/dla_zwiedzajacych/ceny_biletow.html

Different branches are e.g. Town Hall, the Historical Museum, the Jewish Cementry


4. The Museum of Architecture
http://www.ma.wroc.pl/indexen.html

Sounds out-of-the-ordinary, doesn't it? The museum is located in a former monastery.
Free admission on Wednesdays.


5. Botanical Garden

Students of public universities in Wrocław (their list on the website) can visit the garden for free Monday-Saturday (unless it is a holiday) in April (or earlier if the botanical garden is open), May, June, October, November.

http://www.ogrodbotaniczny.wroclaw.pl/autoinstalator/joomla1/index.php/witamy/informacje-ogolne.html 


6. Cinema

Having cinema would be too good to be true but remember about my post with cheapest cinemas in Wrocław
http://blog-wroclaw.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-cheapest-cinema-in-wrocaw.html

Wrocław might-sees: not-that-touristy attractions in the city of Wrocław

In the previous post I introduced some places that every visitor to Wrocław should see. Now comes the time for not that well known sites. 


1. Wrocław Contemporary Museum (Muzeum Współczesne Wrocław)

http://muzeumwspolczesne.pl/mww/?lang=en

The space in which contemporary art collection is exhibited in Wrocław is out-of-the-ordinary. The musuem is situated in a white cylinder, a second world war air-raid shelter. So to see the exhibition you go round in circles.
After leaving the museum you will probably be very baffled with what you have seen. But facing the confusing from time to time does one good.

To get there, leave at "Plac Strzegomski" stop. (As malls are at the moment the best landmarks in the city: from the city centre, It is the direction of Magnolia shopping centre). 


2. Musuem of Cemetery Art (Old Jewish Cemetery)

http://www.en.muzeum.miejskie.wroclaw.pl/CMS/muzeum_sztuki_cmentarnej/muzeum_sztuki_cmentarnej.html

The old Jewish Cemetery in Ślężna street (the part of the city south of the railway line) may interest a lot of people - on one hand folks passionate about Jewish history and culture, on the other hand ones keen on architecture and simply fond of visiting old cemeteries.

The cemetery area is covered with lush greenery and the tombstones represent different art styles, e.g. Art Nouveau or modernism.


3. WuWA

WuWa is a place-to-visit for all the people interested in architecture and urban planning. It is a modernist discrict near Hala Stulecia created for an exhibitionin 1929. It comprises a few dozens of buildings, mainly villas. 

You can check the photos in my other post:
http://blog-wroclaw.blogspot.com/2013/01/wuwa-must-go-dla-pasjonatow-architektury.html

You can get there by trams 1, 2, 4, 10 from Plac Grunwaldzki, getting off at "Tramwajowa" stop.


4. Murals

I adore Wrocław murals and I have already published a lot of posts presenting them.
http://blog-wroclaw.blogspot.com/search/label/street%20art
You can find murals all over the city, but if you have little time just go to the yard that is a passage between Ruska and św. Antoniego streets. (Even if you do not know the streets' names, if you are an Erasmus student you know the area: it is where Pasaż Niepolda is).


5. Courtyard of Ossolineum

Ossolineum is a very important cultural institute in Poland (especially due to its library)
(You can read about it in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossolineum)

Probably most of you know the building on the Odra bank, in Szewska street. what I wanted to recommend in this post is its secret garden in the courtyard. Do not ask me when it is open - I don't know. But it is absolutely magical place, perfect for a chill-out moment after pacing Wrocław all day, reading a book or a date.

Wrocław must-sees: a short guide of sightseeing classics

If you are going to spend a weekend in Wrocław. Or if you have just come for your Erasmus term and you do not know where to take your visitors so that they won't miss anything essential, here is a short guide of the classical must-sees. (The list of alternative might-sees is to come. Hopefully)

(I won't put Rynek here! Come on, you will get there by yourself)

1. Hala Stulecia/Centennial Hall
http://www.halastulecia.pl/en/

Hala Stulecia is a UNESCO Heritage site and probably the most unique tourist attraction in Wrocław. It is a must-see for all the architecture fans. Nature-lovers will be delighted as well. Hala is situated in a beautiful park, facing the Japanese garden. There is a largest fountain in Poland with water shows taking place every hour. This area, called Pergola, is an ultimate chill-out zone, where many people bask in the sun, read, or just lie on the grass. (In the winter there is an ice ring!).

2. Panorama Racławicka
http://www.panoramaraclawicka.pl/en/what_to_see.html

I will warn you - Panorama Racławicka is weird stuff. Have you ever been in the middle of the painting? If not, go and see. It is not about the picture being a masterpiece it is more about the visual effect that it creates and the real-unreal dilemma that we face standing amidst the battlefield.


3. Ostrów Tumski
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostr%C3%B3w_Tumski,_Wroc%C5%82aw

Ostrów Tumski is a former island at the heart of Wrocław. It is a place where the city started and probably an area with a highest churches-ratio per square kilometre in Wrocław. Ostrów is a perfect place for a lazy afternoon walk and getting a feeling of 'historicness' surrounding you. With its old brick walls, cobbled streets, little gardens and river being so close it is very picturesque. You can visit the Cathedral Tower and see a panorama of the city.      

4. Aula Leopoldina
http://www.muzeum.uni.wroc.pl/aula-leopoldina

Aula Leopldina is a great example of baroque architecture. It is situated in the university building at the riverbank. If you like being overwhelmed with grandeur and see a university room that (in the opinion of many foreigners) opinion resembles a church, go there.  


5. Dwarfs
http://krasnale.pl/en/
To see the dwarfs (that are a symbol of Wrocław) you do not have to go anywhere. Walking around Rynek area and keeping your eyes peeled is enough. But it's worth seeing the father-dwarf (Papa Krasnal) in Świdnicka, which was the first one. It represents the best the role dwarfs had in fighting the communist regime in Poland... 'Wait a minute' - you can ask - 'What have dwarfs to do with a dissident movement?' But I won't answer this question here, I advise you to find out yourself, when you are in Wrocław!