sometime in the 9th Century, the first permanent settlers of Wroclaw, the Slavic Slezan tribe, built their stronghold. In those days Ostrow Tumski was an island, and a perfect place to built the heart of a settlement. The river on the north side of the island has since been filled in. The two spires of the cathedral are on the right. Several fires damaged the interior and exterior of the cathedral,, burning spires down (1540, 1632-5, 1759, 1945)