Wrocław University

Pl. Uniwersytecki 1 , Old Town (+48) 71 375 26 18 29 Jan 2024

Wrocław University

Wrocław University door

Aula Leopoldina, Wrocław University

Wrocław University

Mathematical Tower, Wrocław University

view from the Mathematical Tower, Wrocław University

The Naked Swordsman

University Church interior, Wrocław University

Founded by the Jesuits in 1670, the magnificent Baroque main building of Wrocław University and the adjacent Church of the Blessed Name of Jesus that stand today were built at the same time on the former site of a derelict Piast castle after a land grant from Emperor Leopold. In 1811, Prussia secularised all church property and took over administration of the university. Prior to this the Austrian-Prussian war in 1741 saw the campus transformed into a hospital, a prison, and finally, in 1757, a food store. In the dying days of WWII the university library was turned into a makeshift HQ for the occupying Nazis. At the war's end the German faculty were all but exiled, with the replacement professors arriving from the University of Lwów forming the first Polish faculty to teach here. The University still functions as an academic building, and past professors include Alois Alzheimer (the man who gave his name to the disease) and Robert Bunsen (who didn’t invent the Bunsen burner but improved it to such a degree that it was named in his honour). Since the start of the 20th century, the university has produced a remarkable 9 Nobel Prize winners and today over 40,000 students are enrolled with 9,000 graduating each year.

Visiting the Wrocław University Museum

Despite its ongoing functions as an academic institution, the main university building is open to tourists who troop in and out primarily to take photos of the grand Baroque interiors. Various tickets are available, giving you access to 2-4 rooms (16/12-20/16zł, your choice), and all of the rooms are equipped with free audioguides in English, Polish, German, Russian, Czech, Spanish, and Italian. We recommend you just go crazy and pay that extra 2zł for all four rooms to avoid any later confusion and consternation.

Highlights of the Wrocław University Museum

Disregarding (not that you should) the exhibition halls which trace the 300+ years of the University's politics and achievements, the first of the University Museum's three main highlights is undoubtedly 'Aula Leopoldina' (Leopoldin Hall). In true Baroque style, the ceremonial hall is a virtual explosion of cherubs and swag. The painting on the ceiling depicts the apotheosis of God's wisdom - reflecting the religious and academic mission of this room and the Jesuits. The portraits ringing the walls depict the founding fathers of the University. Some years ago four of them were stolen and two have yet to be returned.

Marianum Oratorium before restoration works were finished.

The second highlight is the recently restored Marianum Oratorium (Marian Oratory). Rich in Baroque frescos and stuccoed decoration, the Oratorium dates back to 1733, and, alongside the Aula Leopoldina and now lost Auditorium Comicum (theatre room), was among the most famous interiors of the University. One of the finest music halls in 19th century Breslau, the Oratorium was devastated during WWII and only recreated in the late 1990s. With the ceiling frescos finally restored in 2014, it has only recently been restored to former glory.

View from the Mathematical Tower of Wrocław University.

Finally, winding upstairs past a line in the floor demarcating the 51st parallel - which runs right through the building - your visit to the museum ends on the terrace of the university's 'Mathematical Tower' which affords great photo opportunities and panoramic views of the Old Town and Odra River.