Staromiejski Park on Christmas day, Wroclaw

The oldest park in Wroclaw is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, but residents of the city prefer to call it Ogród Staromiejski. Its history dates back to the 16th century, when there was a shooting range of the Kurkowa Brotherhood (Bractwo Kurkowego), an organization that trains civilians in the use of weapons to protect the city from the enemy, the prototype of the modern Polish self-defense forces. In the 18th century, the shooting range was transformed into an urban park under the leadership of the gardener Johann Friedrich Knorr. In 1853, the city council bought the adjacent plots to expand the park. Under the leadership of Heinrich Göppert, many new species of shrubs and trees were planted here. The park took on its final appearance after another expansion in 1891. The Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen were used as the basis for the reconstruction. During the fighting at the end of World War II, the park was completely destroyed and remained in disrepair until the sixties. However, it was not until 2010 that the park was restored to its authentic state, corresponding to 1891. In addition to a variety of exotic plants and flower beds, the park has an aviary with exotic birds that are resistant to low temperatures, so they can be admired all year round. On the eve of Christmas, various exhibitions of installations are held in the park, this year the sculpture and light show Magic Glade based on Lewis Carroll's fairy tale Alice in Wonderland was presented here.