Wrocław Market Square is about to undergo a green revolution in the next few years, which will introduce many more plants to its representative space. The city has approved funding for the work and has begun preparations for the investment. The plan is to plant new trees and shrubs and partially tidy up the pavement. The changes will include the Market Square and a section of Świdnicka Street.
Green Revolution – scope of the project
The city has prepared a comprehensive programme that includes the planting of 121 trees and more than 2,500 shrubs and perennials. The project also includes the reconstruction of selected fragments of pavement and the installation of elements creating a more comfortable and friendly environment. These will include seating, stone edging, protective grates at the trunks and an automatic irrigation system. The first phase concerns the Market Square itself. It will include three groups of acacia robinias by the Aleksander Fredro statue, 23 elm trees of the New Horizon variety along the perimeter of the square and 25 Huibers Elegant field maples in the area of the New Town Hall and the entrance to the Cloth Hall. The whole project has been divided into three phases and the work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.
Solutions adapted to the conditions of Wrocław’s Market Square
The Market Square is an area where plants have limited conditions for growth due to the hard surface and numerous underground installations. For this reason, the new trees will be placed in special anti-compression boxes. This will enable them to grow and develop their root system despite the lack of natural soils. Such constructions are also intended to protect the trees from damage that could result from heavy pedestrian traffic.
Green revolution on the Market Square in Wrocław
For many years, the Market Square remained a place devoid of much greenery. The combination of stone paving and exposure to the sun led to intense heating of the area. On hot days this affected the comfort of users and the condition of the square itself. Increasing the proportion of greenery is expected to help reduce the urban heat island effect and support water retention. The municipality emphasises that the new plantings will improve the quality of the public space and the conditions for staying in the centre during hot weather.
The square before and after the green revolution. Photo: Google Maps and wroclaw.pl
Lessons from past experience
In the spring of 2025, three hawthorns were planted in the Market Square. Their dieback showed how demanding the conditions in this part of the city were. Part of the problem was the salt applied in winter. This event accelerated work on a broader plan involving upgrading the substrate, new planting technologies and the careful selection of species resistant to the urban environment.
Procedures and timetable for action
In autumn 2025, a planning application was submitted covering planting in Market Square and Świdnicka Street together with the reconstruction of sections of the pavement. The documentation is being processed and is approaching the final phase. The first trees and shrubs will appear in Market Square in the first half of 2026. Further works will be carried out on Świdnicka Street. Once all the phases have been completed, the city centre will have a more shaded and plant-varied space, accompanied by new furnishings and systems to support the maintenance of the plantings.
Source: wroclaw.pl
Read also: Places, Squares, Parks | Wrocław | Greenery | Curiosities | Metamorphosis | whiteMAD on Instagram
Market square before and after the green revolution. Photo: Google Maps and wroclaw.pl
