Wroclaw developed as one of the great central European cities at the nexus of trading and cultural interchange between the Catholic south and Protestant north, and Slavic east and Anglo-Saxon west. Based on this focal location, it became the center of a thriving and prosperous metropolis from the 15th century onwards. Although Slavic and Polish in origin, for most of its history it was a German city, Breslau, the capital of Silesia. Similarly to Krakow, it developed a grand and elegant city-center around its impressive market square (though smaller than that at Krakow), dominated by its gothic town-hall and the spire of St Elizabeth church, and lined with baroque and renaissance buildings.

Breslau suffered significant damage during WW II and at the end of the war Silesia was transferred to Poland, Breslau became Wroclaw, and it's remaining German population was moved west and replaced by Poles (many of whom were themselves displaced by the changes in Poland's eastern boundaries with Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine).

Neglected under communism, since 1989 Wroclaw has rediscovered much of it's commercial and artistic heritage -- it is one of the fastest-growing and most prosperous cities in Poland, has carefully restored many of its fine buildings, and come to terms with its past -- including the preservation and maintenance of its old Jewish cemetery, a poignant reminder of past glories, now sheathed in ivy. It is a vibrant, working city, much less dependent upon tourism than Krakow, but in its different way, just as interesting and worthy of a visit -- one of the unique items in Wroclaw are a multitude of quirky bronze statues of little gnomes dotted around the old town, usually, but not always, at ground level!