Museums

Racławice Panorama

The Racławice Panorama is a monumental painting displayed in a rotunda where the canvas and constructed foreground create the illusion of standing inside a battle. It depicts the Polish victory at Racławice in 1794, while the visit also tells the story of Lviv, the panorama’s post-war journey and its new home in Wrocław.

What to see

The viewing takes place at a set time and includes a narration. Look for the boundary between the painted canvas and the deliberately built foreground: light, perspective and props create the spatial effect. The full commentary is worth hearing instead of treating the visit as a quick photo stop.

The work was created in late nineteenth-century Lviv with Jan Styka, Wojciech Kossak and other artists. After the war it was moved to Wrocław, where a dedicated rotunda made public display possible. The subject is the Kościuszko Insurrection, but the object’s own history is just as important.

Advance reservation of a date and time is required. The narrated viewing takes about 30–40 minutes; allow roughly an hour with entry and the surrounding walk. A Panorama ticket also provides free access to permanent exhibitions at the National Museum in Wrocław, the Ethnographic Museum and the Four Domes Pavilion for three months. Paid parking is available nearby.