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Published: March 7th 2023
Centennial Hall
Hala Stuleci - Centennial Hall. Built as the Jahrhunderthalle in 1911-1913. In use as an event center and sports arena. The centennial was that of the 1813 Battle of Leipzig victory over Napoleon Bonaparte. Wystawowa 1.
"The Centennial Hall, a landmark in the history of reinforced concrete architecture, was erected in 1911-1913 by the architect Max Berg as a multi-purpose recreational building, situated in the Exhibition Grounds".
Centennial Hall in Wrocław UNESCO World Heritage site. Inscribed in 2006.
DSC_0874Today began with a morning sightseeing tour of Wrocław with a local guide. The group boarded our motorcoach over on Nowy Świat, along the Odra River. (Coaches are not allowed along Kiełbaśnicza where the hotel was located. I liked that name--Kielbasa Street!) The coach drove us over to the Exhibition Grounds. The Wrocław Exhibition Grounds opened in 1911 in a then far eastern part of the city. The centerpiece is still the Centennial Hall (
Hala Stulecia, originally
Jahrhunderthalle). (The centennial was that of the proclamation by Frederick William III of Prussia for the Prussian people to resist Napoleon.) The modernist exhibition hall designed by architect Max Berg and opened in 1913 was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006. It still looks like a modern round sports arena, or something one might encounter at Epcot. It's still in use as an exhibition space. Entry to the grounds is through a colonnaded approach that was once covered. A tall steel needle was added in 1948 and intended as a World War II monument. A highlight is the fountain display in front of the Centennial Hall. The fountains put on a continuous show and are illuminated at night.
From the Exhibition
Stara Odra
Boats on the Stara Odra (Old Odra) river. A branch of the Odra (or Oder) River in Wrocław.
DSC_0855p1 ground, the motorcoach took us to the Ostrów Tumski district to begin a walking tour. The first stop was at St. Martin's Church. This small 13th century brick church is the only remaining part of the castle that formed the original nucleus of Wrocław. (Little remains of the castle, founded in the 12th century.) A walk over the Młyński Bridge brought us to the interestingly named Church of Our Lady on the Sand (
Kościół Najświętszej Marii Panny na Piasku). It is so named as it is situated on an island in the Odra named
Wyspa Piasek, or Sand Island. I suppose it was once a sandbar in the river. The Gothic church dates from the 14th century, though it was nearly destroyed during World War II.
On to the Tumski Bridge leading from Piasek Island back to the mainland. The decorative 19th Century steel bridge has become a love lock bridge. That is, couples leave a padlock on the bridge and toss the key into the river. One woman in our group was engaged, and she ducked into a shop to buy a lock and then proceeded to affix it to the bridge. Tumski Bridge continues into Ulica Katedralna
Four Domes Pavilion
Pawilon Czterech Kopuł - Four Domes Pavilion. Built in 1912-1913. Wrocław Exhibition Grounds.
DSC_0865 and the Ostrów Tumski district, at one time also an island. Ostrów Tumski was once the ecclesiastical center of Wrocław. That can easily be seen by the number of churches and ecclesiastical buildings located here, including Wrocław Cathedral. To the immediate left is the Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew together with a statue of St. John of Nepomuk. Along the way are the Archbishop's Palace and archdiocesan offices. Cathedral Street terminates at the twin towered Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (
Archikatedra św. Jana Chrzciciela). Reconstruction from World War II damage was completed in 1991. Breslau was heavily fought over and most church interiors were destroyed. Thus the rebuilt exteriors are of greatest note.
From Ostrów Tumski the group walked to the
Fosa Miejska, the old city moat, now a park following the line of the former city walls. This was an area of Breslau developed in the 19th century. Gothic Revival style German edifices dominated the neighborhood and have been restored. A picturesque castellated building with four towers rising above the moat looks like it was a medieval fortress. But it is the District Court, built in 1845. A royal palace was rebuilt for
Centennial Hall
Hala Stuleci - Centennial Hall. Built as the Jahrhunderthalle in 1911-1913. In use as an event center and sports arena. The centennial was that of the 1813 Battle of Leipzig victory over Napoleon Bonaparte. Wystawowa 1.
"The Centennial Hall, a landmark in the history of reinforced concrete architecture, was erected in 1911-1913 by the architect Max Berg as a multi-purpose recreational building, situated in the Exhibition Grounds".
Centennial Hall in Wrocław UNESCO World Heritage site. Inscribed in 2006.
DSC_0875 Frederick William II of Prussia in 1795-1795. It is now the Wrocław city museum. Other interesting sights from this era are the Neo-Baroque Hotel Monopol and the Neoclassical Opera House.
Returning to the Rynek, the old market square, we had time now to inspect the 15th century Gothic town hall with its astronomical clock and a tower added in the 16th century. The Wrocław market square is is surrounded by medieval townhouses, revised and rebuilt over time, similar to other Polish market squares. However, a difference is the presence of an island of shops and alleyways in the center. At one corner is St. Elizabeth's Church. The 14the century church was Lutheran between 1542 and 1946 and is now Roman Catholic.
The walking tour ended here at the Rynek. Susan and I spent some time looking around the square and popped into a pharmacy for some items. We found sandwiches at So! Coffee for a light lunch and then had some ice cream in one of the alley shops. We couldn't resist that as one of the Wrocław gnomes beckoned us inside the ice cream shop!
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Cardinal
Nice photo of this monument.