Wrocław by Michał SiarekCity Museum of Wrocław
Mr. Robert...
...emerges from the back of the cathedral and always takes the same route. The whole round takes him about an hour, and he has around 3 kilometers to go. Who is Mr. Robert? And why does everyone who visits Wrocław want a picture with him?
Mr. Robert...
...became a kind of tourist attraction, although he never sought "fame". He is the Wrocław lighthouse keeper, he walks around Ostrów Tumski in a black cape and top hat. He puts out the lamps at dawn and lights them again every evening. He became an informal symbol of the city.
Ostrow Tumski, the oldest part of Wroclaw, one of the islands on Odra river by Michał SiarekCity Museum of Wrocław
Wait, 'Ostrów Tumski'?
Okay, you're new in town and you don't really know what Ostrów Tumski is and why it's called like that? Ostrów Tumski means a "cathedral island'.
'Ostrów' in Old Polish is an 'island', and 'tum' (comes from German) - a 'cathedral'.
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What, 'Cathedral Island'?
So many questions. All very well-founded! In Ostrów Tumski there is the oldest church in Wrocław: it's the church of St. Giles, which dates back to the beginning of the 13th century.
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This is not the end of the "sacred" attractions on the island - there are a total of 6 different churches there!
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Let's get back to Mr. Robert for a while. Being a lighthouse keeper is a job with a mission, but also not the only job of Mr. Robert. In summer, you have to get up at 2:00 to turn off the lights. In winter, it is enough to do so around 6:00. In addition to his maintenance of Ostrów Tumski, Mr. Robert renovates and repairs lamps.
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He never wanted to become a tourist attraction in the city, but it came naturally. You can even find a special 'lighting calendar' on the Internet: a schedule of when the Sun rises on particular days of the year, and when the lanterns will be lit and extinguished.
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Thanks to the daily routine of Mr. Robert, Ostrów Tumski regularly shines up with the light of almost 100 gas lanterns. You have to believe me, this is a truly fabulous view!
Wrocław by Michał SiarekCity Museum of Wrocław
How Do you Catch Mr. Robert?
It's best to aim for the evening. Mr. Robert doesn't like to be late, so he sets off with the lighter 30-40 minutes before the forecasted sunset. Take your chance!
Photography: Michał Siarek
