• News
• About us
• Our products
• Top Cities
• About Poland
• Download
• Contact

 Ostrow Tumski (The Cathedral island) is one of the former islands on the Odra River famous for its monuments: the Cathedral, Epsicopal Palce, medieval churches and the botanical garden. It is the oldest part of Wroclaw and one if the most important historical sites in Poland. Here was the seat of the local prince, dating back to the 10th c. In 1000 one of the three first episcopacies in Poland was established on Ostrow Tumski. It changed Wroclaw into one of the most influential cities in Poland and the great religious and cultural centre. The town on Ostrow tumski was developing rapidly. In 1315 the island was given to the Wroclaw's bishop what changed this place into the Church State and the splendid seat of the bishop and clergy. If you would like to get the spirit of the Middle Ages walk around Ostrow Tumski visiting its churches and the tiny streets. Being in Wroclaw you just can't miss this place! The Cathedral Island is one of the most charming corners of Wroclaw.

The Cathedral

 The Cathedral of St. John's The Baptist was erected between 13th - 15th c. and is the forth church on this place. When Wroclaw was chosen to be the seat of one of the three earliest episcopacies in Poland (1000) the first romanesque cathedral was built. The silhouette the Cathedral is the gothic one, although in the following period several changes and renovations were introduced. The cathedral of Wroclaw is considered to be one of the best examples of the gothic sacral architecture in Poland. Unfortunately it was seriously damaged during World War II and partly reconstructed. In the interior pay attention to the magnificent gothic altar showing The Falling Asleep of Our Lady and dating back to 1552. In the presbytery you can see the wooden seat, beautifully carved in the 17th c. The Cathedral is surrounded by the chapels, most of them were built in the gothic period. The most interesting is the chapel of St. Elisabeth – a masterpiece of Italian baroque art, built by the Italian architects in 1680-1700. Inside there is the tomb of the cardinal Fryderyk heski, the founder of the chapel.

Following the charming Katedralna Street you reach the 14th c. church of St. Bartholomew and The Holy Cross.

Church of St. Bartholomew and The Holy Cross

 This church was erected between 13th - 14th c. as a votive gift by the prince Henryk Probus. The prince was buried here.Tthe cover of his tomb being the beautiful example of the medieval art is shown today in the Archdiocese Museum in Wroclaw. The church surprises with its scale and the unusual architecture. The master Wiland was the main architect on the court of Henryk Probus and came to Wroclaw from Germany. That is why the architecture of the church – inspired by the German one – was really innovative in Wroclaw. The interior of the church is divided in two floors. In fact there are two churches in one – the bottom one of St. Bartholomew and the top one – of the Holy Cross. It is worth mentioning that a great astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was one of the canons in this church (between 1503-1538).

Turn into Sw. Marcina Street to reach the tiny church of St. Martin

St. Martin's Church

 This church is the only remain of the complex of the buildings that belonged to the castle on Ostrow Tumski. This castle was erected in the 10th c. and was the first seat of the local prince. The church was founded by henryk probus in the 13th century not only as the temple but also the burial chapel. It was seriously damaged during World War II . In a front of the church there is the statue of the Pope John XXIII.

Standing nearby the statue of the Pope John XXIII on your left there is another island: Piasek (Sand) with the church of the Holy Virgin and the University Library. Yfrom here you can go toward the Mian Square or you can stay in ostrow Tumski to relax in the beautiful Botanical Garden.

The Botanical Garden

 The Botanical Garden is a perfect place to relax and to enjoy the nature – no wonder that by the local peopele it is very often called the oasis of beauty and restfulness. It is located in Ostrow Tumski, nearby the cathedral (from the Cathedral follow Kappitulna Street). The Garden was established by the Wroclaw University in 1811. In the Garden you can find both the plants from their natural sites and the variuos botanical gardens around the world. One of the most interesting things is however a geological cross-section of hard coal deposit from the Silesia region built more than 100 years ago. Dark coal-seams are separated by layers of sedimentary rocks: sandstones and shales. The section has been encrusted with fossils of extinct plants (no 1-6), which, during millions of years, turned into hard coal..