Wrocław - Curiosities, Legends, and Attractions for Children near the Market Square

Wrocław - What to See with Children?

Exploring Wrocław is not just about chasing gnomes (although it brings a lot of joy to the youngest!). Wrocław's Old Town hides many curiosities, legends, and places that are definitely worth visiting and... climbing up!

What is a dumpling doing on top of one of the gates? How did a stone head end up in the wall of the cathedral? Who sweeps the little bridge between the church towers? - Are you curious? Then it's time to start the adventure of discovering Wrocław!

Getting to Know the Market Square and its Surroundings

Wrocław's Market Square is impressive! It is surrounded by 60 historic tenement houses. Did you know that each side of Wrocław's market square has its own name? The eastern side is called "Green Tube" - it derives from a well that was located opposite the entrance to the town hall. Its copper pipes were covered with a green patina. The southern side is called "Golden Cup" - there were inns and a brewery located here. The western side is known as the "Seven Electors" - it is where the residents paid homage to the visiting monarchs. The northern side is called "Targ Łakoci" and reminds us of the delicacies that the Wrocław burghers traded centuries ago.

Wrocław Has Its Own Bugle Call

It can be heard from the town hall tower in the Market Square every Sunday at 12:00 and has been played for 417 years! The bugler climbs to the top of the tower after 298 steps to play an old folk melody called "In Wrocław, in the Market Square". In the past, the bugler had an important task - he was the first to sound the alarm when, for example, he spotted a fire or when someone important (like a ruler) or an enemy approached the city gates.

Wrocław's Coat of Arms - Attention! It's Thrilling!

You can see Wrocław's coat of arms on the pavement in front of the Town Hall. Inside the city's coat of arms, there is... a head! The patron saint of the city is St. John the Baptist. The story behind it is somewhat macabre: St. John the Baptist urged people to repent and baptized them in the Jordan River. He was beheaded on the orders of King Herod. The head of St. John the Baptist was brought to the king on a silver tray and that is how it is depicted in Wrocław's coat of arms.

Witches' Bridge - The Most Interesting Viewpoint for Children in Wrocław

The Witches' Bridge, also known as the Penitent Bridge, connects two towers of the Church of St. Magdalene in the Old Town of Wrocław. Children will surely love the friendly figurines of two witches: Martynka and Tekla. According to legend, one of the vain girls named Tekla wanted to spend her life partying instead of getting married and running a household. One night, she was kidnapped and placed high on the bridge between the towers as a punishment, where she had to sweep it every night. You can climb onto the bridge - it is located at a height of 47 meters and offers a view of Wrocław's Market Square, among other things.

Penance Bridge (Witch's Bridge) - the most interesting viewpoint in Wrocław

The Penance Bridge, also known as the Witch's Bridge, is a connection between two towers of the St. Magdalene Church. It offers a view of the Old Town. ...

Jatki Street

Imagine a bustling and busy market street in a medieval city. This is where the residents of Wrocław used to buy meat. You could also buy fat here, which was used in the past to light up rooms. Now, there is a monument here in honor of the Butchered Animals - it includes a cow, piglet, goat, goose, duck, rabbit, and rooster. You can also meet the Butcher Gnome here.

Tower with a Helmet - The Highest Viewpoint by the Market Square!

What is that tower made of red bricks, with a copper helmet and a lantern, towering over Wrocław's Old Town? It's the tower of the Church of St. Elizabeth, which is 91 meters high and has over 300 steps! Originally, the tower was even taller and was one of the tallest in this part of Europe. Unfortunately, the tower's helmet collapsed during a storm. A bas-relief depicting the scene of the tower's collapse is embedded in the wall - angels delicately lift the tower's helmet and bring it down to the ground.

You can climb the tower - it is the highest viewpoint of Wrocław's Old Town!

Garrison Church of St. Elizabeth - the highest viewpoint in the center of Wrocław

The tower of the Garrison Church of St. Elizabeth is the highest viewpoint in the heart of Wrocław, right next to the market square. It stands at 91 meters tall and requires climbing over 300 stairs to reach the top! The ascent can be tiring, but the views make it worthwhile! ...

Hansel and Gretel Houses

Near the church, there are two tiny houses. The people of Wrocław named them Hansel and Gretel because, just like the siblings from the fairy tale, they held hands, and both buildings are connected by an arch of an old gate. If you look very closely, you will notice a tiny plaque on one of the houses informing about the Dwarf Museum - it is a museum dedicated to dwarfs only!

Sundials and Sun Clocks

It is also worth visiting Wrocław University - it is guarded by the Rector Gnome. The tower used to house an astronomical observatory - today you can see telescopes and old sundials inside. Some of them had special cannons that were ignited by a lens, thus announcing solar noon. An interesting feature is the meridian line embedded in the floor of the Mathematical Tower - the sun's rays entered through a hole in the ceiling of the tower, allowing the measurement of solar noon. There is an observation deck at the top of the Mathematical Tower.

Mathematical Tower and Viewpoint - University of Wrocław

The Mathematical Tower is a tower of the University of Wrocław building. It is located in the center of Wrocław in the Old Town, and the terrace on it provides a fantastic viewpoint! ...

Mysterious Ostrów Tumski

Ostrów Tumski is a former island that is associated with the beginnings of Wrocław - it is where the first stronghold was built. It is no wonder that it hides many legends and curiosities that you must see!

Lantern Keeper on Ostrów Tumski

It is worth going to Ostrów Tumski at dusk - that's when you can meet the lantern keeper who lights the gas street lamps.

Wrocław - Stone Head

In the wall of the cathedral on Ostrów Tumski, you can see a mysterious stone head. How did it end up there? Allegedly, there was a young boy who lived in Wrocław, an apprentice of a wealthy goldsmith. He fell in love with his master's daughter and wanted to marry her. However, the girl's father did not agree to the marriage and set a condition for the young man: he would agree to the marriage if the apprentice acquired wealth. The young man wondered how to get rich quickly - he left the city and became a robber. He showed the stolen treasures to the girl's father, but the truth quickly came to light, and on the day of the wedding, the goldsmith expelled the young man. In revenge, the offended apprentice set fire to the goldsmith's workshop and watched the fire from a small window at the top of the cathedral. However, he received a severe punishment: the cathedral walls began to squeeze his body, and his head, protruding from the window, turned to stone in a silent scream - and to this day, it remains a part of the cathedral facade in Wrocław.

Dumpling Gate

Next to the cathedral, there is also a gate with a small, round element that, according to legend, is... a dumpling! A peasant named Konrad highly valued his wife's cooking, especially her Silesian dumplings. When his wife died, he stopped eating and visibly lost weight. One day, his deceased wife appeared to him in a dream and promised to deliver a portion of dumplings every day, on the condition that he always left one of them at the bottom of the pot. Upon awakening, the peasant saw a pot of dumplings on the table. Hungry, he eagerly tried to eat the entire content, but the last dumpling kept bouncing back into the bowl until it finally escaped to the top of the arch of the gate, where it instantly turned into stone. The pot, however, no longer magically refilled. At the top of the gate, you can see the protruding element identified with the legendary dumpling.