Why go to Wroclaw, Poland?

Wroclaw, Poland is an incredibly walkable city with surprisingly good cocktail bars and gorgeous architecture. The buildings are so vibrant that exploring the streets feels more like wandering through an open-air museum. There is just something about this place that creeps into your soul and stays with you. Personally, I think it is a combination of extremely pretty buildings and tiny gnome statues scattered throughout the city.

Here’s what makes Wroclaw, Poland so special, bronzed gnomes abound everywhere. However, you have to look pretty hard to find them. I quickly discovered that this sport is much trickier than I anticipated. Plus, a lot of the dwarves have been purchased by businesses. Obviously, they have been moved inside of various buildings. So, you are not going to stumble upon one of these little guys that currently resides on private property.

Initially, I was walking around feeling disappointed that I could not find any gnomes. But, these diminutive caricatures of daily life eventually start showing up in the most arbitrary spots. You really need to search for them, because they are more than happy to remain sub-rosa.

Just keep your eyes peeled, because these magical statues reveal themselves in the most random places. And, it’s the best feeling every time you spot one.

The pro-gnome craziness of Wroclaw, Poland

During my trip, locals told me that these merry munchkins were an artistic movement of defiance against Communist oppression during the 1980’s. Locals spray painted little orange people throughout Wroclaw and held protests for imaginary dwarf rights. The Soviets correctly viewed this pro-gnome absurdity as a cheeky slap in the face against their strict laws.

This ingenious artistry cleverly struck a chord with people, because there was little the Communists could do in the face of fabricated dwarf rights. Paying too much attention to the miniatures made the government look utterly ridiculous, so this distinctly orange movement thrived in open secrecy.

In the early 2000’s, the mayor slowly started commissioning a small army of gnomes throughout the city. Looking as mischievous as they are adorable, these little fellows proudly represent the original anti-Communist orange drawings that defaced Soviet propaganda.

Wroclaw, Poland’s map shop

There is a tourist shop in the center of town that sells maps with the original locations of the gnomes. Please note, if one of your travel goals is to find all of the tiny statues throughout Wroclaw, this map will be of little use to you. No matter what the shopkeeper tells you, believe me when I say that this map is seriously out of date.

Still, if you have a hankering for all things related to the rebellious little people that still openly mock the former Communist regime, the store is adorable! And, I highly suggest stopping in, because it is a unique experience. The thing is, I assumed the map would magically unlock the locations of the little statues throughout the city. It only pointed out a few of the gnomes that were already pretty easy to find.

Overall, the novelty of this store is the reason that you are stopping inside. Like I said, it really is charming. I just think the foray into cartography is a different story altogether. Once you begin spying these tiny statues without the map, it renders itself useless anyway.

Overall

Upon arriving in Poland, I initially had no idea that Wroclaw is celebrated for a puckish platoon of whimsical bronzed gnomes. Finding them brings a smile to your face, but nothing this cute comes easily. You definitely have to seek out these little people, otherwise you will be literally tripping over them. Or worse, you might not see them at all. Happy hunting!