Pergola and Multimedia Fountain, Wrocław

The Pergola and Multimedia Fountain in Wrocław (say "VROTS-wahf") is one of the city's favorite free things to do: a vine-covered, half-oval colonnade from 1913 wraps around a pond where Poland's largest multimedia fountain has danced to music since 2009. By day the jets move to classical, film and pop soundtracks; after dark, lights and projections join in. It sits right next to the Centennial Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the green Szczytnicki Park.

Where it is and how to get there

Wrocław is the capital of Lower Silesia in southwestern Poland, about 3.5–4 hours by road from Kraków or Warsaw, with an international airport of its own. The Pergola lies in the eastern district around the Centennial Hall, roughly 4 km from the Old Town Market Square.

• By tram: lines including 1, 2, 4 and 10 stop at Hala Stulecia (Centennial Hall); allow about 20 minutes from the center. Check current routes in the MPK Wrocław or JakDojadę apps.
• By car: approach via Wystawowa Street; parking fills up quickly when big events are on at the hall.

The Pergola: a 1913 modernist landmark

The Pergola was designed by architect Hans Poelzig for the Centennial Exhibition of 1913, held when Wrocław was the German city of Breslau to mark the centenary of the 1813 War of Liberation against Napoleon. Work finished in February 1913, and that March the paths were graveled and grapevines planted at the columns. Officially it is 640 m (2,100 ft) long with 750 columns of bare reinforced concrete standing in two rows, forming half an ellipse around an artificial pond. It is a listed monument and part of the historic Exhibition Grounds, one of Europe's key ensembles of early modernist architecture.

The Multimedia Fountain in numbers

The fountain was switched on on June 4, 2009, the 20th anniversary of Poland's first partly free elections after World War II, which helped end communist rule. It is the largest fountain of its kind in Poland:

• a basin of about 1 hectare (2.5 acres);
• close to 300 jets;
• a main geyser up to 40 m (130 ft) high – only 2 m lower than the Centennial Hall;
• a water screen of about 400 m² for projections.

Show times and tickets (as of October 2026)

• Daytime shows (water and music) run every hour on the hour from 10 am to 5 pm, lasting 4–17 minutes, with music from Wagner and Bizet to Hans Zimmer and Daft Punk.
• Evening shows with lighting start every hour from 6 pm to 9 pm, plus 9:40 pm.
• Special shows with multimedia projections run on Friday and Saturday evenings (9:40 pm from June).
• Season 2026: May 1 to October 25, 2026, with a closing "Night of Shows" announced for October 24. The operator may shorten the season if temperatures drop below freezing, and the program can change.
• Tickets: none needed – entry and all shows are free.
• Winter: the fountain is off; in past winters the drained pond has been used as an ice rink, so check the Centennial Hall's current offer.

Is it worth visiting? Tips

Absolutely, especially in the evening. Catch one illuminated show, then stroll along the shady Pergola. The show itself takes 30–60 minutes of your time; combined with the Centennial Hall and the Japanese Garden, plan half a day. On warm Fridays and Saturdays, arrive 15 minutes early for a spot by the water. The area around the pond is flat (the Pergola walks are gravel), and the lawns are good for a picnic with kids. Shows are music-only, so no language barrier.

Nearby

• Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia), with its visitor center,
• the Japanese Garden in Szczytnicki Park,
• the Four Domes Pavilion, a contemporary art branch of the National Museum,
• the Spire (Iglica) in front of the hall,
• Wrocław Zoo and its Afrykarium, across Wróblewskiego Street.