Located in the heart of the city in the biggest and most beautiful square in Poland, Wroclaw Town Hall is a piece of magnificent Gothic architecture, a major landmark and quintessential symbol of the city. It has stood as a grand piece of local architecture since the 13th Century and has watched the changing events of Wroclaw as a fundamental part of the city’s history. One a council meeting house, treasury and courtroom, today it is used for cultural events in the Great Hall, but it is predominantly a tourist attraction and museum, and also has a restaurant in its basement.
The key attraction of Wroclaw Town Hall is its history, which visitors can learn about by exploring inside and witnessing the old rooms and features, as well as appreciating the impressive architecture from the outside of the building. Today the Town Hall is predominantly the City Museum of Wroclaw, which displays a range of exhibits telling the history of the city over two storeys, and visitors can witness the consistorium, courtroom, old chapel and other old council meeting rooms. There is also a tower connected to the building with a historic clock and bell, and another defining feature is the high roof of the building, beautifully decorated with painted artwork and surrounded by large bay windows. It is located in the central Market Square, which is full of bars, restaurants and cafes, or visitors can dine in the basement of the Town Hall itself in one of Europe’s oldest restaurants.
Due to its central location, it is easy to reach Wroclaw Town Hall by using the efficient public transport links of the city as buses and trams have direct connections to the Market Square. Visitors can also take taxis or walk from other nearby city centre landmarks. The central train station is also in the vicinity, and the city airport is easily accessible.
Complete construction of Wroclaw Town Hall took 250 years, beginning in the 13th Century to serve as a centre of trade and civic administration. It expanded over the years, changing with the changing requirements of the city and slowly became more of a tourist attraction than a place of practical service to the city. Bombings of World War II created minor damage to the building, and in the 1950s it underwent a restoration project and became a centre of cultural events.