The Main Market Square came into existence in the 13th century after the city was invaded by plundering Mongols. For centuries, the place gathered merchants from the neighboring regions and lands. This central place of Wroclaw lost the role of the market place at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that time, each part of the square had a name associated with the goods traded there. The northern part was called Sweets Market, western part – Wool Market, and the square in front of the Town Hall – Fish Market. The eastern part was full of stalls belonging to glovers, comb manufacturers and venison sellers. At its four sides, the market square is surrounded by historic tenement houses which represent a variety of architectural styles. A considerable number of houses suffered in 1945, but were rebuilt subsequently. Seen perfectly from the perspective of the fountain in the main Market Square are the two most popular Gothic tenements in Wroclaw “Hansel and Gretel” (Jas i Malgosia). Found in the north-west corner of the Old Market Square, Hansel and Gretel date from the 15th century. They used to be a part of a more numerous group of houses belonging to vicars of St. Elizabeth's church. The two slim buildings resemble two romantic figures holding by their hands. Hence their playful name. The two tenements are joined by an overhanging archway with an inscription "Mors ianua vitae" (Death is Gate of Life). Today, the Gothic Hansel tenement houses a workshop of a Wroclaw copper engraver. In the bigger baroque Gretel tenement, there is a seat of Wroclaw Lovers Society. Behind Hansel building a dwarf by the name of “Halbardier” diligently guards the entrance to the settlement. Also worth visiting is "the Griffons" house, a mannerist style tenement building where a several-level restaurant is located nowadays. The cellars go down to 12 meters under the ground! Under the New Town Hall on the Main Square there is “Spiz” mini-brewery & restaurant with an interesting interior design. The brewery is certainly a fine place for beer lovers as they can taste a few types of beer (light, dark or honey ales) and witness the process of beer production. Outside the Spiz microbrewery there is a seated statue of Alexander Fredro, one of Poland’s most distinguished literary figures. The statue replaced the sculpture of King Frederick II which adorned the Rynek before the war. In much the same way as the Adam Mickiewicz's monument symbolizes Cracow, the Fredro statue has came to be a characteristic landmark of the city of Wroclaw. Wroclaw pillory, the medieval symbol of justice, is located on the eastern side of the Main Market Square. Place of shame in the past, today it is a popular place of meetings and especially fauvorite dating place. For centuries offenders were locked up in the neck-stretcher and in that way humiliated in front of the public. Pillory sentence was a punishment for minor crimes, such as slandering a neighbor.

Tags: Tourist Route

Related locations by tags: The Town Hall | The Salt Square and Old Butchers' Stalls | St. Elisabeth's Church & Mary Magdalene's Church | The Dwarfs of Wroclaw | The Mutual Respect District