Previously a part of German territory, Wroclaw (then called Breslau) played a large part in the German defense against the Soviets, particularly in the great siege of 1945. To protect themselves the Germans built a series of under- and overground bunkers which are still standing in Wroclaw today. While many of these structures are currently standing empty, the City of Wroclaw has great plans for converting the shelters for practical and cultural purposes.

Once you’ve finished ogling the Old Town and Ostrów Tumski, there’s one more district of this fine city that visitors will be poorer heading home without having seen. Just east of the city centre lie a clutch of outdoor attractions surrounding Szczynicki Park and the Centennial Exhibition Complex, including Wrocław’s only UNESCO site, the country’s oldest zoo, the Japanese Garden and the city’s latest ‘tell-me-that-you-love-me’ tourist lure, the Pergola Fountain. Intended as a city showpiece since its creation, the area east of the Odra long held a somewhat lukewarm public standing thanks to dubious historical connotations and debatable aesthetic appeal; however recent renovations, the UNESCO nod and the addition of the magnificent multimedia fountain have made it a favourite place of locals and cemented its place as a Wrocław must-see.

Established in 1856, The Old Jewish Cemetery is perhaps the most well-preserved testament to the former strength of Breslau’s pre-war Jewish community, with over 1200 gravestones. Closed in 1942, the cemetery quickly fell into deep neglect: in 1945 it was turned into a fortress by the Nazis and saw fierce fighting as evidenced by the eerie bullet holes in many of the gravestones. Preservation began in the 1970s and in 1991 it was opened as the Museum of Jewish Cemetery Art in tribute to the craftsmanship of its sepulchral art. Indeed the beauty and diversity of styles and symbols on display is perhaps unmatched anywhere.

Wroclaw is full of nice surprises, and few are more pleasant to the casual tourist than stumbling this horticultural gem. The Japanese Garden owes its existence to the 1913 World Expo, when it was exhibited in the category of Artistic Gardening on the initiative of Count Fritz von Hochberg who commissioned Oriental landscape guru Mankichi Arai to do his thing. The garden fell into a sorry state after time but was restored in 1996 with funding from the Japanese Embassy in Warsaw. Open from April 'til October this miniature park, with its pagodas, cascades, oriental shrubs and narrow bridges, is a real treat.

The tradition of horse racing in Wroclaw goes back to the Middle Ages, but the first racecourse was built in 1833. It encompassed a part of the present zoological gardens and Centenary Hall together with the adjacent pergolas. On May 31st, 1833 the first races took place at this course. Since 1870 the races have been organised together with a race lottery.

Iglica ("the spire" or "needle") is a needle-like monument in Wrocław, Poland. It was built in 1948 and was 106 meters tall. Today, after renovation, the top ten meters have been removed and it is now 96 meters tall.