Market Square

The square is rectangular in shape with dimensions of 213 by 178 meters and serves as a pedestrian-only zone. It is one of the largest market squares in Europe and is home to the largest two city halls in the country. The buildings surrounding the square are built in a variety of styles, with a block of buildings in the middle part of the ring that includes the Old City Hall, the New City Hall, and several citizens' houses. The square is also part of a larger urban ensemble that includes the Salt Market and the square in front of St. Elisabeth's Church. Eleven streets lead to the market square, including two narrow lanes and the open Kurzy Targ "Chicken Market" square.

The market square was founded according to Magdeburg law and over time, patricians' houses were built and formed a closed construction. In the 19th century, the square was connected to a tram line that started as a horse-drawn system before transitioning to an electric system in 1892. During World War II, the market square was damaged but most of the buildings remained intact and were later restored.

From the end of the 1970s until 1996, vehicles were able to drive through the square along an east-west axis, but the square was eventually resurfaced and fully pedestrianized between 1996 and 2000. Today, there are 60 numbered plots on the market square, with some buildings occupying several plots. Each property has a traditional name, often associated with its coat of arms or history, such as Under the Griffins, Under the Blue Sun, and Old Town Hall, which was once a tenement house that housed the city council before the first town hall was built. Currently, a McDonald's operates in the old town hall.

The inner block of the square deviates from its outline and the surrounding street plan by 7°, a variation whose cause has yet to be determined. On the southern side of the block is the well-known Old City Hall, a late-Gothic structure and one of the most recognizable landmarks of the city, known for its striking eastern facade. Adjacent to the Old City Hall is the New Town Hall, which was built between 1860 and 1864.

In the early 20th century, a significant portion of the buildings in the middle of the square were replaced by offices and retail spaces that were designed in both Historicism and Modern styles. Despite the widespread destruction and damage inflicted upon the city during World War II, the market square itself was relatively unscathed. After the war, the square was restored to its late 18th century appearance using Baroque and Classicism styles.

The buildings located in the middle of the square house three small parallel streets (Sukiennice, Przejście Żelaźnicze, Przejście Garncarskie) and one perpendicular street (Zaułek Jerzego Grotowskiego).

The East Side of the Market Square in Wrocław, Poland, has a rich history that has been passed down from generation to generation. This area was previously known as the "Green Pipe Side" due to the verdigris that was present on the copper gutters and downpipes. This name was later translated into Polish as "Strona Zielonej Trzciny," which means "Green Reed Side." This part of the Market Square comprises of houses numbered 29 to 41 and is located opposite the main facade of the Town Hall.

One of the notable buildings in this area is the Feniks Department Store, which was formerly known as the Barasch Brothers' Department Store. This building is located at street numbers 29 to 41 and has a rich history that is tied to the development of this area.

On the West Side of the Market Square, located at tenement houses 9 to 11, architect Heinrich Rump designed a modernist and highly debated high-rise office building. This building, which is now known as the Santander Bank Polska, was once the headquarters of MPK Wrocław. Despite its controversial design, it remains a landmark in the West Side of the Market Square.