When you visit Wroclaw, you start seeing the Market Square as the heart of the city.  This is where shopping, food and business gather for everybody, even if you’re a local or a tourist.  While you are walking around one of the largest markets in Europe, don’t forget that most of the buildings there are replicas. 

Wroclaw’s Market Square was completely rebuilt from the pile of ruins that was Wroclaw after the Second World War and the Siege of 1945.  Most of what you see today is the work of those who resettled in the city after the expelling the Germans from it.  They even replaced the statue seated south of the Town Hall.  Now you can see the famous Polish writer Aleksander Fredro but this was the seat of King Frederick II of Germany.  And this wasn’t the only thing that changed. 

Building styles

The buildings around the square have different styles, ranging from Art Nouveau to Gothic.  The impressive facades of the townhouses deserve all the attention they can get.  The Old Town Hall, the New City Hall and many houses occupy the middle part of the ring that surrounds the square.  I have learned through the years that one of the best things to do when walking around a historical city is to look up and see the details in every building.  Wroclaw seems made exactly for that. 

At Rynek 11, you can see a structure designed by Heinrich Rump.  It offers a small glimpse into what this square would look like if the plans from Max Berg, who designed the Centennial Hall, would have come to fruition.  His idea may sound ludicrous today but it was almost put into place. 

He wanted to demolish the building surrounding the Rynek and replace them with concrete towers more than 20 stories high.  Nothing big happened to the buildings surrounding the square but we can't say the same for those in the middle of it.  Offices built in a Modernist style replaced two-thirds of them.  But because of damage done during the Second World War, the buildings obtained the Baroque and Classicism styles they had before. 

History of Wroclaw Market Square

The history from the Wroclaw Market Square dates back to the 13th century.  Most of what you see in the old city center follows the Magdeburg Law.  Over time, the houses surrounding the square started to appear and by the middle of the 14th century, they had formed something like what we have now.  Back then it was and it still is one of the largest squares in Europe with 213 by 178 meters. 

When you walk around the Market Square, it's hard to ignore the beauty that is Wroclaw’s Town Hall.  Construction of the building started somewhere in the 13th century and it last 250 years.  This is why it showcases a mix of architectural styles from Gothic to Renaissance.  And it even has an astronomical clock. 

Plac Solny

Next to the Market Square, you can find Plac Solny with an impressive architecture that deserves a lot of pictures.  This square was the place for salt, leather products and honey.  Today is a 24 hour flower market.  Look at the light posts here and you will find a few of the famous Wroclaw Dwarfs!  Don’t think that Wroclaw Market Square is a bunch of old buildings.  We said before that this is the heart of Wroclaw and there is enough to do around the area.  During the summer, the square is full with people on its bars.