Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Poland Wrocław Racławice Panorama

Racławice Panorama

Relive a Polish uprising via an enormous, century-old cyclorama.

Wrocław, Poland

Added By
ser flac
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Over its history, Poland has been subject to Russian dominance multiple times. The first was an extended period of intervention and war during the 16th through 18th centuries. The second was a good chunk of the 20th century, when the Soviet Union engulfed a war-ravaged Poland. In the sprawling 360-degree Racławice Panorama visitors can see the interplay of the two periods, as well as a memorial to one of the most legendary uprisings in Polish history.

In 1894, 100 years after the Battle of Racławice, a Polish uprising against a Russian invasion, a gigantic cyclical panorama was painted and installed in Lwów to commemorate the battle. Spanning 375 feet around and 50 feet high, the cyclorama depicts a peasant army wielding scythes and fighting a sizable Russian front. The battle was won and the painting commemorates this brave attempt by the Polish to fight off invaders, which is an important part of national legend.

Thanks to special lighting inside the cyclorama, and very realistic shading techniques, visitors can nearly relive the famous battle as it swirls around them. Circling around the massive building, the painting works to capture the chaos and heroism that marked the peasant uprising and will not let any visitor escape without being dragged into the history.

After World War II, it was brought to Wrocław where it stands today. Unfortunately, the onset of communism in Poland closed down the panorama, as the Soviet government would not stand the promotion of an uprising against Russia. Closed for for 40 years, the panorama was finally reopened in 1985 and is now a major attraction in the city.

Related Tags

Panoramas Retro Tech Optical Oddities Paintings

Community Contributors

Added By

serflac

Edited By

bialemieso

  • bialemieso

Published

March 20, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Racławice Panorama
11 Jana Ewangelisty Purkyniego
Wrocław, 50-155
Poland
51.110129, 17.044341
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Wrocław’s Former City Prison

Wrocław, Poland

miles away

Wroclaw Dwarves

Wrocław, Poland

miles away

Monument In Honor of the Slaughtered Animals

Wrocław, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wrocław

Wrocław

Poland

Places 9
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Wrocław’s Former City Prison

Wrocław, Poland

miles away

Wroclaw Dwarves

Wrocław, Poland

miles away

Monument In Honor of the Slaughtered Animals

Wrocław, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wrocław

Wrocław

Poland

Places 9
Stories 1

Related Stories and Lists

360 Degrees of War: 6 Panoramic Paintings That Make You A Part of the Action

panoramas

By Eric Grundhauser

Related Places

  • Effulgence of the North

    Los Angeles, California

    Velaslavasay Panorama

    Panorama exhibition hall in old silent theater with a beautiful backyard garden.

  • Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

    Gettysburg Cyclorama

    A dramatic, 360-degree recreation of Pickett's Charge in the Civil War.

  • A battle for control of Atlanta’s rail lines, the Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama features tracks to remind viewers what was at stake

    Atlanta, Georgia

    Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama

    The Battle of Atlanta in 360 degrees, featuring a corpse that bears a striking resemblance to Clark Gable.

  • Moscow, Russia

    Borodino Panorama

    A 360 degree battlefield experience.

  • The Hague, Netherlands

    Panorama Mesdag

    The largest 19th century panorama in the world still in-situ.

  • May you rest in peace.

    Birmingham, England

    'A Life in the Year of the Chinchillas'

    The ceiling of this shopping arcade is adorned with six trompe-l’œil artworks, including a grim funeral scene.

  • Painted scribe vendor and real-life customer.

    Hanoi, Vietnam

    Trompe-l'œil Murals of Hanoi

    Life-sized painted illusions let pedestrians blend in with the street art.

  • Panorama Museum Salzburg

    Salzburg, Austria

    Panorama Museum Salzburg

    This 19th century cyclorama acts like an analogue time machine to a different era.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.