Legnica—10 attractions worth seeing
- What Is Worth Seeing in Legnica?
- 1. Market Square
- 2. Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles
- 3. Herring Houses
- 4. The Most Interesting Townhouses
- 5. Climb St Mary’s Church Tower—an Interesting Viewpoint!
- 6. Copper Museum in Legnica
- 7. Piast Castle
- 8. Rooftop Beach at SkyLight Near the Market Square
- 9. Multimedia Fountain
- 10. Tarninów District and the “Square” Complex—in the Footsteps of Little Moscow
- Legnica—drone panorama
What Is Worth Seeing in Legnica?
Legnica—a city known as “Little Moscow”, as several dozen thousand Soviet soldiers were stationed here until 1993. A walk around Legnica can be surprising. There are medieval churches, a castle, fragments of the former city walls, colourful townhouses, an extraordinary cathedral, as well as places recalling the city’s more recent and not always easy history. Near the Market Square stands Piast Castle, the oldest brick-built castle in Poland. Legnica is undoubtedly an interesting idea for, for example, a day trip!
1. Market Square
Legnica’s Market Square is surrounded by townhouses representing various styles and eras—the Old Town is not a typical, uniform ensemble of historic buildings. Many buildings were rebuilt or remodelled in the 20th century. Although the city emerged relatively unscathed from wartime operations, in 1945 Soviet soldiers held so-called “victory bonfires” in Legnica. Burning petrol cans and grenades were thrown into selected buildings, including valuable townhouses. The fires quickly got out of control. The cellars of many townhouses contained coal supplies for the winter, which further fuelled the blaze.
Yet this was not the end of the changes. After the war, there was a concept to create a model socialist city in the centre of Legnica. Historic buildings were to make way for new ones, and the medieval street layout for new post-war urban planning. Fortunately, the plan was not fully implemented. Some historic buildings survived, though today they stand alongside post-war apartment blocks.
There is a pedestrian precinct by the Market Square, along with shops and venues—it is really pleasant to stroll here, and everything is so close!
2. Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles
In the very centre of Legnica stands a monumental cathedral whose history dates back to the Middle Ages. During its 19th-century reconstruction, machine-made brick from a local factory was used. It is worth looking at the cathedral’s northern entrance. Its portal is decorated with a scene of the Adoration of the Magi, created around 1370–1380. It is one of the church’s more interesting medieval details.
During the 19th-century reconstruction, chimes were installed in the tower—a clock mechanism that plays a melody on bells at set times—which for years were one of the city’s attractions. They were taken out of Legnica during World War II. Their sound returned only in 2002 thanks to the German Erika Simon Rinteln Foundation.
3. Herring Houses
One of the most distinctive corners of Legnica’s Market Square is the Herring Houses, also known as “Śledziówki”. They are a small, compact group of colourful townhouses that stand out against the much larger buildings surrounding the Market Square. Their name is associated with the former fish merchants—according to tradition, herring was traded right here.
4. The Most Interesting Townhouses
Legnica has several townhouses that are definitely worth seeking out while walking around the city centre. Besides the Herring Houses already described, on the opposite side of the Market Square you will see the House Under the Quail Basket.
This is probably one of the most unusual townhouses in Legnica. Its name comes from its distinctive bay window, which resembles a basket. The building is located on the Market Square and immediately catches the eye.
Scholz House at 7 Najświętszej Marii Panny Street. Its façade is decorated with ornamental patterns from 1611, created using the sgraffito technique—layers of plaster were partially scratched away to form contrasting ornaments. Among the decorative motifs, you can spot depictions referring, among other things, to the seven liberal arts. The work was covered with plaster at the end of the 19th century. It was uncovered during conservation work in 1972.
5. Climb St Mary’s Church Tower—an Interesting Viewpoint!
St Mary’s Church in Legnica, also known as the Church of the Virgin Mary, is one of the oldest churches in Silesia! Climbing the church tower and seeing the city panorama from its terrace is undoubtedly one of the most interesting attractions in central Legnica. Winding concrete stairs lead up to the terrace. To reach the very top of the tower, you then climb very narrow, steep wooden steps.
Viewing tower of St. Mary's Church in Legnica
The viewing terrace on the church tower is one of Legnica's main attractions. ...
6. Copper Museum in Legnica
The Copper Museum in Legnica is one of only a few specialist institutions in the world that preserve monuments related to copper mining and processing, as well as copper minerals from around the world. The museum features, among other things, historic mining and copper-smelting technology, old and contemporary sculptures, artistic and practical objects made of copper and its alloys, and old and contemporary copperplate engravings.
The Copper Museum in Legnica
The Copper Museum in Legnica is one of the city's most popular attractions. It is located in the centre, near the Market Square. ...
7. Piast Castle
Piast Castle in Legnica is one of the oldest castles in Poland! It was built around the 12th century on the site of a wooden stronghold and was the first brick-built fortress in Polish lands. At the time, the castle was surrounded by a moat. The round tower is called St Hedwig’s Tower, after the duchess who stayed there when visiting Legnica. According to legend, the tower’s underground levels extend as far down as its walls rise above the ground. Duchess Hedwig spent most of her time there in prayer. Both castle towers are among the earliest defensive towers of this type in the castle architecture of Silesia and Poland.
8. Rooftop Beach at SkyLight Near the Market Square
The beach on the roof of Galeria Gwarna is one of Legnica’s more unusual attractions. A summer zone with sand, deckchairs and the SkyLight bar has been created on the building’s roof, where you can relax after sightseeing. During the day, the venue is also open to families with children - there is a sandbox with toys beside the deckchairs, so you can stop by for a while during a family walk around Legnica. In the evenings, the atmosphere changes, and parties and events are held here at weekends. It is an interesting option if you are looking for somewhere in Legnica a little different from the usual monuments and want to see the city from above while sitting… on a beach.
9. Multimedia Fountain
The newly created multimedia fountain is undoubtedly one of Legnica’s biggest attractions—and it is open to everyone! If you are in Legnica, it is really worth going especially for the nighttime show. The fountain is located in the Municipal Park, about a 15-minute walk from Legnica’s Market Square.
Multimedia Fountain in Legnica
The multimedia fountain in Legnica: a family attraction with shows and parking ...
Nighttime show of the multimedia fountain in Legnica:
During the day, the fountain is a beautifully landscaped public green space—full of flowers and charming benches:
10. Tarninów District and the “Square” Complex—in the Footsteps of Little Moscow
Tarninów is one of Legnica’s most elegant districts, full of Art Nouveau villas, leafy avenues and impressive townhouses. It was here, in one of the most prestigious parts of pre-war Legnica, that the highest-ranking Soviet officers lived. The area was surrounded by a high wall and inaccessible to ordinary residents. Apartments for generals were arranged among the pre-war villas, while the complex included shops, a cinema, cafés, banks and other facilities needed for the functioning of the entire closed community. For nearly half a century, ordinary residents of Legnica could not freely enter part of their own city, and it was the presence of the Soviet garrison that gave rise to the term “Little Moscow”.
