Daria and I have made countless trips to Wroclaw. We have seen all the city’s most famous attractions, but I’ve always found myself drawn to the University of Wroclaw, particularly the old monastery complex of St. Vincent and St. James, which is now used by the philological faculty. I’ve visited the complex often, partly because I find it beautiful and partly because Daria used to study there.
It’s one of those buildings that a passerby might not notice at first, not in a city full of history. It’s not the kind of building that announces itself all at once; it waits. You don’t notice its beauty all at once. You might pass by the complex on your way to the market hall across the street with barely a glance, not registering that the long wing where monks once lived and worked in silence is today part of a university. But if you stop and look, really look, you’re rewarded with the sight of the stately Gothic tower, and your mind begins to wander back through the centuries of the building’s lifespan.
A Long and Storied History
The complex dates to approximately 1240. Founded by Duke Henry II the Pious, the cathedral and the monastery were constructed for Franciscan monks who were brought from Prague. Shortly after construction on the complex began, Duke Henry himself was killed fighting the Mongols during the first Mongol invasion of Poland and was interred in a crypt in the cathedral.
In the early 1500s, the Franciscans were forced to either convert to Protestantism or leave the city, and when they left, the abandoned complex was taken over by Premonstratensians. The buildings were rebuilt in the Baroque style in the late 1600s and retain much of that character today.
Years of Struggle and Rebuilding
Like many historical buildings throughout Poland, the cathedral suffered extensive damage during World War II. Its soaring tower collapsed, as well as parts of the vaults and side walls. Reconstruction of the complex, a painstaking and meticulous process, did not begin until 1947 and took decades to complete.
Capturing the Cathedral
I have crossed the bridge countless times, gazed at the monastery complex, and tried to find a way to photograph it that does it justice. I never found a view that inspired me. But late one afternoon, near sunset, I was photographing another church in the Old Town and realized I had the best sunset I’d ever seen over Wroclaw. When the last color of sunset began to fade, I headed over to the monastery because I thought that capturing it at the blue hour would give it a dramatic backdrop. I found a spot on the other side of the street, and with the last bits of purple illumination from the fading sunset, I was able to capture the building’s magisterial beauty. I highly recommend visiting Wroclaw, a hidden gem and underrated European city.
