Welcome to Ostrów Tumski, the cradle of Wrocław. This peaceful quarter, with its cobbled lanes and cluster of church spires, feels like a separate village frozen in time. And in a way, it is. Ostrów Tumski was the site of the original settlement of Wrocław over a thousand years ago, essentially where the city began. Around the year One thousand, a fortress and the first church were established here by Poland’s first rulers Because the island, back then completely surrounded by the Oder’s branches, was easily defensible and near trade routes, it became the ideal power base. Over the centuries, Ostrów Tumski also became a spiritual center – the domain of bishops and clergy. It remained under church jurisdiction until the early nineteenth century, separate from the city government across the river. That is why you see so many religious buildings packed in this small area: not just the Cathedral, but also churches, canonry houses, the Archbishop’s Palace and so on. Walking these streets, you tread on truly ancient stones as archaeologists have found remnants of a tenth-century church and even older Slavic settlements beneath. As you walk, take a moment to notice the gas lanterns along the streets. These are real gas lamps, and this is the only place where you will find a quaint nineteenth-century tradition being kept alive. Every evening at dusk a lamplighter walks by to manually light each one of these lamps, about 103 lamps in total. Dressed in a black cape and top hat, carrying a long pole, he is one of Wrocław’s most beloved sights. If you’re here at the right time just before dusk, you might catch him igniting the lamps with a small flame on his pole tip, making a soft pop as each lamp flickers to life. He typically starts near the cathedral we will see on our next stop and he takes almost an hour to light all the lamps on the island. Tourists often follow him quietly as he moves from lamp to lamp and it’s like a little ceremonial dance but he can’t stop to take photos or talk. In the morning, he returns to snuff them out but I must admit I’m not much of an early riser and have never witnessed that myself. This tradition has survived modernity simply because Ostrów Tumski values its ambiance and history so much. I think the only other place in Europe where this tradition continues is Zagreb so it is very unique. There are many unique spots you can visit on cathedral island if you have the time. I won't be making stops on this tour but I will list them out for you so you can decide to visit if they are of interest to you. One is the Archdiocesan Museum, home to religious art treasures like the twelfth-century Book of Henryków which contains the first sentence ever written in Polish. Another interesting building is the Archbishop’s Palace where Pope John Paul the second would stay when visiting. As we walk, let’s stop in front of the twin-spired giant ahead. That’s the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, the highlight of Ostrów Tumski.
