Museum of the University of Wrocław

The Museum of the University of Wrocław occupies the main building of the university, recognizable by its long, heavy baroque facade stretching along the Oder riverbank. It houses the Aula Leopoldina, a grand ceremonial hall named for Emperor Leopold the First. When the Jesuits founded the institution in seventeen oh two, they spared no expense on the hall’s elaborate frescoes and sculptures. During the final months of the second world war, soldiers used these ornate wooden benches as firewood to keep warm.