As befits a city in a region that has a colourful history, Wroclaw has had its share of overlords. Besides Poland (kingdom and republic), also Bohemia, Hungary, Austria, Prussia and Germany have ruled it. Thus it is befitting that it is still disputed whether the name comes from a Bohemian duke (Vratislav), or somebody else with the same name.
The gnomes? They started to appear some time ago and now have become an integral part of the townscape. In particular, younger citizens have maps that they can use to spot as many as they can.
The churches of the Baroque era reflect the need of the counter-reformation to impress the faithful. The chapels of the Wroclaw cathedral confirm this (below).
Wroclaw also has a series of islands on the river Oder, and after the Second World War there was some discussion among the Allies whether the German-Polish border should go along this part of the Oder instead of the current delineation (the river with the cathedral below left).
The university also reflects the city’s history. The current main building was constructed in the first half of the 18th century to house the Jesuit Leopoldina Academy (established in 1702). It became the Friedrich Wilhelm Silesian University in 1811 and Wroclaw Univesrsity in 1945 (below).
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