"OPOLE THEN AND NOW" HISTORICAL ROUTE IN OPOLE

The "Opole Then and Now" historical route was created as part of the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the city's founding. The trail passes by the city's most iconic landmarks. Glass displays presenting old photographs allow the visitors to compare them with the current view. The displays are located at five points and depict a selected building or location, along with a description.

Along the route, we'll see an old photograph of the Piast Castle. Today, only the Piast Tower remains. The next stop is the Castle Pond, which once served as the castle's moat. Nearby, a synagogue was located, which burned down during Kristallnacht in 1938. In the Market Square, we'll compare a pre-war photograph of the Town Hall with the current view. A little further on, near Katedralna Street, another plaque features a photograph of the now-vanished Oder Gate. In the second half of the 18th century, the city walls lost their defensive significance and were soon demolished. This is an excellent example of how the city began to develop and grow beyond its city walls. In Wolności Square, we'll see a photo of the now-defunct building of the Opole Regency. While Krakowska Street is one of the city's most important route. Even before the war, it housed the city's most important institutions, restaurants and hotels.

One of them, the Deutsches Haus, is visible in an old photo.

The displays are made of glass panels integrated into concrete stands. Each photo is described in three languages: Polish, English and German. In addition, each glass panel features a QR code, which, when scanned with a smartphone, takes you to a website where you can view the materials in electronic format.