Playing soul to the Rynek’s heart, Ostrów Tumski is the gem at the centre of Wrocław’s crown. This, after all, is where the city began. During the latter part of the ninth century what is now known as Ostrów Tumski (the name means Cathedral Island in Polish) was settled by a Slavic tribe, the Śleżanie, who – not without reason – considered the island impregnable. The first Silesian bishopric was built on the island in 1000, and the town flourished until its almost total destruction during the Tatar invasions of the 1240s. After that date the town developed on the other side of the Odra river, and Ostrów Tumski became a place of almost exclusively royal – the Piast Dynasty built a castle here in the 1260s - and religious significance. With a few exceptions it remains primarily a place of worship and reflection to this day; there are few shops, dwellings, cafes and restaurants, and the Wrocław Archdiocese occupies almost all of the beautifully maintained classical buildings you will see.

The first thing the modern visitor notices however about Ostrów Tumski is that, though accessed from central Wrocław by bridge, it is not actually an island. It was until the 19th century, but persistent flooding led town planners to fill in one of the Odra’s tributaries in 1810 (not that that has prevented further flooding). Seemingly miles from the bustle of Rynek, perhaps the real joy of Ostrów Tumski is its other-worldly feel. Ul. Katedralna and ul. Idziego both provide cobbled reminders of the past - Idzeigo especially, though it lacks the in-your-face sights of Katedralna, is a particularly gorgeous street, still lit today by original gas lamps and providing the perfect frame for a picturesque, romantic evening stroll.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves. A visit to this lovely, peaceful part of Wrocław rightly begins at Most Piaskowy (Sand Bridge). This is the oldest bridge in Wrocław, built in 1861 and an engineering marvel, if no great shakes on the architectural front. The original bridge, built back in the 11th century, was part of the ancient trade route - the Amber Road, which led from the Baltic Sea to Vienna, and thence to Venice. As you walk along ul. Jadwigi you will pass the Russian Orthodox Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the Baroque and sadly graffiti-strewn University Library, and the Gothic Church of the Blessed Virgin on the Sand, famous for its 16th century icon of the Virgin Mary in the northern nave. From here the beloved, iron, 1890-built Most Tumski (Tumski Bridge) leads you across to the oldest part of the city; look out for the statues of St. Jadwiga (Hedwig), Silesia's patron saint, and John the Baptist, Wrocław's patron, at the head of the bridge. Also of note are the padlocks placed on the bridge by newlyweds to symbolise the unbreakable bond they share going forward in life together.

Ul. Katedralna itself, which leads to The Cathedral, is the same path that the original inhabitants of the island walked. Indeed, if you poke around the stones near the cathedral, you should be able to see the outlines of some of the buildings that used to stand on the island.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (D-2, Pl. Katedralny 18) remains a living, working church. As a visitor you will undoubtedly encounter queues of people waiting patiently for the confessionals and others in quiet worship. The elegant double-spired Gothic building stands like a sentinal at the end of ul. Katedralna, its elaborate portal one of the most valuable medieval artefacts in Wrocław. What we see today is in fact the fourth church to be built on this site. When construction began in 1244, this was the first brick building in Poland. Cathedral-building being what it is, work continued for five more centuries. The centrepiece of the rich, Gothic interior is the altarpiece, painted in Lublin in 1522, showing the Virgin Mary falling asleep. The Cathedral suffered massive damage in WWII, with traces of bullet holes still visible, and has been meticulously rebuilt since. Of interest, to some at least, the cathedral houses the largest organ in Poland, which prior to the war was also the largest in the world. But the real highlight of the Cathedral is the panoramic view from its tower. An elevator takes you to the top of the Cathedral’s tower, which offers a wonderful view of the city and surrounding countryside. There’s also a small exhibition at the top of the tower featuring various objects brought back from missions.

To the right of the Cathedral is the stunning Archdiocese Museum (D-2, Pl. Katedralny 16), a do-it-yourself museum that throws rooms full of religious art at you and you’re left to decide for yourself what to make of it. Much of the art is recent - the work of local religious orders, but the largest room is filled with invaluable medieval works from around Poland. Art historians will no doubt find plenty of interest.

Four other churches of note are located in the area: the 15th century Church of Sts. Peter and Paul (C-2; ul. Katedralna); the curious two-level Church of the Holy Cross (C-2, Plac Kościelny); ul. Idziego's St. Giles Church (C-2) - the only Wrocław church to survive the Tatars; and the somewhat irregularly shaped St. Martin's Church (C-2, ul. Św. Marcina) - all that remains of the Piast dynasty’s 13th-century royal castle, which once stood on the island. St. Martin’s too, however, was largely rebuilt in the 15th and 20th centuries. Before WWII the church was a centre of Polish culture in a primarily German city. Poles gathered here to hear sermons and sing hymns in their own language. The last Polish mass under Nazi oppression was held here in 1939. A plaque outside reads in part, “We are Poles... A Pole is a brother to a Pole... Poland is our mother, we cannot speak badly of our mother.” Outside St. Martin's stands a massive monument to Pope John Paul II, placed here in 1986.

Finally, completionists might want to view the scale model of the Ostrów Tumski's earliest incarnation in the Archaeological Museum (A-2, ul. Cieszyńskiego 9).