Our visit to Cathedral Island in Wrocław, Poland
In late June and early July 2025, my wife and I visited the beautiful city of Wrocław in Poland. The photographs below were taken on Sand Island and Cathedral Island in Wrocław between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. This timing was perfect for avoiding the crowds, yet making the most of the early morning light.
The associated map shows Cathedral Island on the River Oder, just north of Wrocław Old Town.
Photo Gallery of Sand Island and Cathedral Island in Wrocław
You can click or touch any photograph below to cycle through the gallery.
The photographs in the photo gallery above are shown in the order I took them.
The Photographs Explained
The first photograph shows Sand Bridge, which connects central Wrocław to the Sand and Cathedral islands, as shown on the map above.
The second photograph captures a tram crossing Sand Bridge with the Wrocław Market Hall in the background.
The third photograph shows the Wrocław Faculty of Philology from Sand Island, with part of Sand Bridge on the left.
The fourth photograph features Daliowa Island in the centre and Sand Island on the right.
The fifth photograph shows the Wroclovka bench on Sand Island. Sitting on the bench, two dwarf figurines look at one another with adoration, as though the outside world didn’t exist. A ribbon that reads “Wroclove” and connects their hands emphasises the symbol of love. The seat has an extra romantic element because it was formally unveiled on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2022. Source: Gaja Naturalnie. In Polish.
The sixth photograph shows Tumski Bridge, which links Sand Island with Cathedral Island.
The associated photograph shows the history of this bridge.
The seventh photograph shows love padlocks on Sand Island next to Tumski Bridge. Historically, these love padlocks were once hung on Tumski Bridge. This is now forbidden due to their combined weight, which may have compromised the bridge’s structural integrity. The associated photograph has a full explanation.
A nominated Wrocław dwarf carries padlocks from the bridge to their new home on the railings. This guardian dwarf now stays by the bridge, moving any new padlocks placed there.
The eighth photograph shows Tumski Bridge from Cathedral Island.
The ninth photograph displays a view from Tumski Bridge.
The tenth photograph is from my walk on Cathedral Island.
The eleventh photograph looks over Church Square on Cathedral Island.
The twelfth photograph captures Cathedral Square on Cathedral Island.
The thirteenth photograph looks toward Tumski Bridge and Sand Island from Church Square.
The fourteenth image is a placeholder marking the end of the gallery. Click or tap to return to the first photograph.
The Lamplighter of Cathedral Island in Wrocław
On Cathedral Island in Wrocław, a centuries-old tradition of lamp lighting is still practised. There are 102 gas lamps on Cathedral Island still manually lit by a lamplighter. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit the island during dusk to observe this. However, I have a YouTube video for you to watch. You can set the subtitles to your desired language in the YouTube video settings.
English/Polish Glossary of Key Places Visited on Cathedral Island in Wrocław
| English | Polish |
|---|---|
| Sand Bridge | Wyspa Piaskowa |
| Tumski Bridge | Most Tumski |
| Cathedral Island | Ostrów Tumski |
| Church Square | Plac Kościelny |
| Cathedral Square | Plac Katedralny |
| Dalia Island | Wyspa Daliowa |
| River Oder | Odra |
Have you visited Cathedral Island in Wrocław? I’d love to read your comments below.
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