The Market Square (Rynek) with the Town Hall is located in the heart of Wroclaw and it is one of the majestic gothic constructions in Central Europe. The Market Square is the second biggest in Poland (the first one is in Cracow). It is surrounded by the Gothic and Renaissance style bourgeois houses. Two of the most interesting ones are: The house of the Sun and of the Gold (late Baroque style) and The House of the 7 Electors with the paintings on its façade from the XVII century. The walk through the area of the Market Square is a great opportunity to discover hidden, magic places.
        
The Town Hallrepresents the late gothic style of Silesia and it is one of the best preserved town halls in Poland. The most historic part is the old tribunal that represents the Roman style. The construction of the Town Hall took many years and it was done between XIII and XVI centuries. In one part of the Town Hall there was a 67 meter tower constructed with a helmet in a Renaissance style. And on top of it there is the oldest bell in Poland that dates back to 1368 while in the façade of the Town Hall there is a medieval astronomical clock from the XVI century built in. At present the Town Hall houses the Historical Museum of Wroclaw where the Silesian art is presented. Around the Town Hall there are numerous restaurants and cafeterias with outdoor terraces. It is worthwhile taking advantage of it and resting for a while enjoying the beauty of The Town Hall and the very special atmosphere of Wroclaw.
        
Piwnica Swidnicka: It is one of the oldest converted cellar-restaurants in Europe. It is located in the Town Hall in the main Town Square and it dates back to the medieval times (XV century). It has 10 dining areas that occupy the total area of 900 meters. The restaurant serves a variety of traditional Polish and International cuisine.
        
Feniks-Commercial centre of the Brothers Barasch. It is located in front of the Town Hall. It was designed by architect George Schneider and constructed in the early XX century (1904). Its owner was a Jewish family Barasch (their tomb can be seen at the Jewish cemetery in Wroclaw). When it was opened its top was decorated with a characteristic, huge globe, but unfortunately soon afterwards it was destroyed by the thunder and it was never restored to its old design.
    
The Salt Market (Plac Solny): the old market square, today flower market and crafts market. One of the most interesting buildings on the square is the Stock Exchange building designed in the classicist style by architect Carl Ferdinand Langhans in 1822 (he also designed the Opera in Wroclaw, Lipsk y Berlin; he was a son of Carl Gotthard Langhans, born in the outskirts of Wroclaw, the architect of the famous Brandenburg Gate in Berlin).
         
The Church of St. Elisabethconstructed in the XIII century in gothic style with a tower that offers fantastic panoramic views of the city and it is the highest in Wroclaw. After the Second World War it was damaged by the fire 3 times (1960, 1975 and 1976) and it required the complete reconstruction that took a lot of time and eventually the church and the tower were opened to public in 1997.
        
Jas and Malgosia– two medieval buildings connected with each other by an arch, most probably constructed in the XV century. They formed part housing complex built for the monks. Between the two buildings, below the arch there was an entrance to the cemetery, closed in XVIII century. Today, there is an inscription in Latin saying: “Mors Ianua Vitae” that means: The death is the door to life”.
In 1728 an architect, Christoph Hackner incorporated a number of elements in the baroque style into the door between the buildings. The actual names of the buildings “Jas (Hansel- the lower building) and Malgosia (Gretel- the higher building) come from those who arrived to Wroclaw to settle down after the Second World War. The two buildings connected with each other with an arch resembled two children from the fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel”of Grimm brothers. Next to the door of the building Jaœ there is an entrance to the Museum of Gnomes.
     
Royal Palace of Wroclaw, also called Spatgen Palace or Palace of the Kings of Prussia. Its oldest part dates back to 1719 and in 1750 it was purchased by the King of Prussia, Frederick II, the Great and from that moment it was named the Royal Palace. Initially the palace represented the baroque style with some classicistic elements. In this palace, on 10th of March 1813, his son, Frederick William III Hohenzollern, whose army was defeated by Napoleon Bonaparte, created a military decoration called the Iron Cross. In the following years, a number of extensions was added to the palace (the Neo Renaissance style) and after the First World War the palace was converted to a museum. During the Second World War a big part of the palace was burned down and it was demolished in the 50’s. In the most recent years the main building was a base of the Ethnographical Museum and the Archeological Museum and at present it is converted in the City Museum.
        
Gnomes: In 2003 the mayor of Wroclaw opened in the wall of the building called Jas the small plate: Museum of Gnomes and from 2005 in different parts of the old city centre small statues made of bronze and representing gnomes started to appear. All of them were designed by Tomasz Moczek, graduate of the Art Academy of Wroclaw. They can be found e.g. in the Swidnicka Street, in Olawska Street or close to the Piaskowy bridge.
        
The Church of Maria Magdalena– the fist church was constructed on its site in XI century. It was then rebuilt a number of times to get the final shape in the gothic style. In the XV century there were two towers constructed connected on top with a small bridge.
         
Department Store Kameleon: it was called Rudolf Petersdorff before, designed by the architect Erich Mendelsohn. The building was constructed in 1927 and it represents the expressionist style (round façade, long horizontal windows).
 
The Opera of Wroclaw was constructed in 1839-1841; it was a project of Carl Ferdinand Langhans, with a modern stage and the auditorium for approximately 1600 spectators. In the interior of the opera most of the original decorative elements are present today: especially the ceiling with portraits of the famous compositors, the main chandelier and the Emperor box. The total surface of the decorative elements made of gold equals 10 000 m2 while the total surface of the crystal mirrors is 200 m2. Among the artists that performed there were: Antonina Miklaszewska - Campi, Carl Maria von Weber, Franz Liszt and Niccolo Paganini. From 1997 the Opera also presents some of the productions outdoors, next to the People’s Hall in the Szczytnicki Park. Until now the operas of Verdi: AIDA and CARMEN, and NABUCCO of Bizet were presented this way.
        
Department Store RENOMA: previously called Wertheim, was constructed in 1930 by the commercial company of a family Wertheiman. When it was completed it was the biggest commercial centre in the whole city. During the Second World War it was partially damaged and after the renovation it was reopened to celebrate the Exposition of the Regained Territories.
    
The Armoury (Arsenal): it is in possession of interesting collections of military objects; its first building dates back to as early as 1459.
         
The Synagogue: the small synagogue in Wroclaw is situated in the Pawla Wlodkowica Street nr 9. It was built in 1945 and at present all the Sabbaths and other Jewish festivities are celebrated there.
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