Yesterday, the EU announced that the Polish city of Wrocław was elected European cultural capitol for 2016, together with San Sebastian (Spain) - congratulations!
Wrocław isn't Poland's prettiest city (Cracow is hard to beat), but it's a taster of Poland if you've never been there, and genuinely interesting. Old and recent history are tangible and hard too overlook, present in the city's jigsaw of contrasts: Polish against German, beautiful and ugly, old and modern, and a photographers' treat either way. Although Wrocław was a German town until 1945, you'll find a typically Polish town centre: a rectangular rynek (market place) around a colourful ratusz (town hall). Bordering it are cheerful baroque houses but also 19th century blocks from the Kaiser's era and a gaunt medieval church. Don't miss the serene, medieval neighbourhood Ostrów Tumski (see my pictures, below), the lively Rynek and the Panoroma painting of the battle of Racławice.
