The Town Hall

The Town Hall, without a doubt a masterpiece of gothic architecture, is one of the places worth seeing in the Market Square. It is situated in the centre part of the market. The famous Polish novelist, Jozef Ignacy Kraszewski said once that there is no better description of this building than to call it "exquisitely beautiful".

The Town Hall was erected in the 13th century and in the following centuries underwent many extensions and modifications. These developments reflected both the growing importance and size of the council and Wroclaw’s rising economic status. The Town Hall was the seat of the city authorities for a few centuries. It is one of the best preserved town halls in Poland today. The entrance to the Town Hall is at the west end. Inside the Town Hall, definitely worth seeing is the Museum of Townsfolk Art with a Gallery of Famous Wroclaw Inhabitants. The representative Great Hall called the Knight's Hall is the venue of major official ceremonies. Wroclaw Town Hall's oldest part is the three-aisle Burghers’ Hall located on the ground floor On the southern facade of the building there are well-crafted scenes hewn in stone: a drunk woman taken away on a cart, knight's jousting tournaments, St. George killing a dragon, a stork visiting a cunning fox (from Aesop's fables). Entrance to the famous beer-house Piwnica Swidnicka is located in-between these scenes. Piwnica Swidnicka is the oldest inn in Wroclaw and one of the oldest inns in Europe. "The one who has not been in Swidnicka cellar has not been in Wroclaw" says the inscription inside the inn. In the past, Swidnicka cellar daily served hectoliters of beer from Swidnica, a famous beer production town in 14th and 15th century, located 50 kilometers from Wroclaw. If you are a married male, don't forget to raise your head as you are submerging into Piwnica Swidnicka. Right above the entrance, there is a sculpture of a drunk farmer returning back home and a furious women, probably his wife, holding a clog in her hand. Remember, you must not delve too long into the foreboding sculpture or you may have second thoughts about the temptations waiting for you in the world-famous beer cellar!

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Tags: Tourist Route

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