14 June 2024

The Eleventh Hour in Wrocław (5,877 km)

(2024-06-11/13) It's the eleventh hour in Wrocław. Outside the historic old town, modern office and apartment buildings are springing up everywhere. Soon there will be neither the blue factory wall with the steam engine nor the lonely house on the elevated railway line with the crashing locomotive on its gable. Both murals were created by urban artist Mariusz Waras in 2008. I discovered Mariusz around the same time and ordered three large-format paintings from him, one of which adorns our living room. Okay, Waras is not Banksy, but he too has achieved international fame and his works can be seen on the streets of Warsaw, Gdansk, Berlin, Paris, Budapest, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Jakarta, Bolzano, London and Prague - and two of them (still) in Wrocław!

And what else is there here besides beautiful old and new buildings? Lots of funny bronze dwarfs, about 400, nobody knows for sure, not even the local tourist office. Lots of poster art in galleries and on the streets, although Russia and Putin are not treated with kid gloves here. Visit Wrocław before it's too late!

2 comments:

Leah said...

Are you saying the murals will be covered and replaced with something new, by someone else? I like the quirky little dwarfs, rather like the Norwegian trolls which hold a special place in my heart!

You've racked up a LOT of miles on this journey --- once again. It's been easy armchair travel for those of us following you, but tiring for you. Take care.

Edgar Hauster said...

Thank you, dear Leah, it was my privilege to have you and others virtually by my side. The perseverance and joy were twice as great! As quickly as new buildings are being constructed in Wrocław, it is for sure that both the industrial wall and the lonely house with the mural will soon have to make way; it's a good thing I've just managed to see and photograph them.Warmest wishes from the Lower Rhine Area in Germany!