A square in Przedmieście Świdnickie in Wrocław, named after the former seat of the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts from 1875-1880.
Muzealny Square lies in Wrocław, in Przedmieście Świdnickie, within the Old Town. The square's name comes from the former seat of the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts, which stood here from 1875 to 1880.
The land where the square now lies was previously occupied by a riding school and warehouse buildings of cavalry regiments. In 1866 the city authorities bought the land, and in 1873 the square was formally laid out and the neighbouring streets marked, dividing plots for future development.
Between 1875 and 1880 the building of the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts was erected by the square, designed by Otto Rathey in a monumental style modelled on classical forms. Nearby tenement houses were built at the same time, designed among others by Friedrich Barchewitz and Karl Schmidt. Between 1908 and 1912 the building of a masonic lodge was erected on the eastern side of the square, designed by Richard Mohr, and a telegraph building also stood on the southern side.
During the siege of Wrocław in 1945 the area around the square was seriously damaged. The former museum building was demolished around 1960, and a school was built on its site, operating since 1969. Post-war residential development changed the character of the square's surroundings. The eastern row of tenement houses and the former masonic lodge building have survived to this day.
Within a few hundred metres of the square there are several of Wrocław's museums and cultural institutions, including the Historical Museum, the Museum of Medal Art and BWA Wrocław. It is also close from here to the Royal Palace and the National Forum of Music.
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