ATTRACTIONS IN THE AREA
ŚWIDNICA
Świdnica is a unique place on the map of Lower Silesia. After Wrocław, it is the most valuable historic complex of Lower Silesia. It is the former capital of the "Schweidnitz und Jauer" Duchy, in the Middle Ages the most powerful and richest in Silesia, where traces of the local power can be seen at every step. Particularly noteworthy is the old town centre with its centuries-old merchant traditions, thanks to which Świdnica is often referred to as ‘Little Cracow’. The unique architecture, the beautiful historic houses surrounding the Market Square, the beautiful fountains created by Baroque masters remain in the memory for a long time, and these are only some of the many attractions of the city.
Whether a daytime visit to the city's amazing nooks and crannies or an evening stroll - it is sure to leave an unforgettable impression. Visit not only the UNESCO-listed Church of Peace, but also the Gothic, Baroque reconstructed cathedral, the historic Market Square or the unique Museum of Old Trade. We also recommend a climb up the tower of the Town Hall, where there is an observation deck.
CHURCH OF PEACE
Built in 1657, this historic evangelical church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the largest wooden Baroque church in Europe, recognised by ‘National Geographic’ as one of the seven wonders of Poland. The church was built according to strict guidelines set by the Catholic Habsburgs. Evangelicals were allowed to build it outside the city walls only with perishable materials such as wood, sand, clay or straw. They were given only one year to do so. The temple was built, according to the guidelines, also without towers and a bell tower. The Habsburgs hoped it would not stand the test of time. Today it is one of Lower Silesia's architectural gems. http://kosciolpokoju.pl
THE CATHEDRAL OF SWIDNICA
dedicated to St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus
Built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, this Gothic church is one of the largest in Lower Silesia. It acquired its present appearance after a fire in 1532. At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, it was rebuilt in the Baroque style, and most of the very numerous sculptures in this church were made by the famous artist Jan Riedel. The main altarpiece in Świdnica Cathedral is his most outstanding work.
KSIĄŻ CASTLE - 24 km, 30 min.
Built in the years 1288-1292 by order of Prince Bolko I of Świdnica and Jawor, a residence complex located in the Wałbrzych district of Książ. On the grounds of the residence is the third largest castle in Poland, Książ. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the castle hosted many famous Europeans, such as Russian Tsar Nicholas I Romanov, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill or Duchess Izabela Czartoryska and the poet Zygmunt Krasiński. The history of this castle is unusual. The castle was built on the site of a former wooden castle by Duke Bolko I the Severe, who moved his residence here from Bolków.
In 1509, the castle was leased or sold (historians have not decided this to this day) to the Hoberg family, who came from Meissen and had settled in the Jelenia Góra area since the 14th century. In 1714, they changed their surname to Hochberg, and it was then that the modern history of this remarkable place really began. The Hochbergs owned the castle until the outbreak of the Second World War, and their descendants still visit the site and are involved in the castle's activities today.
KRZYŻOWA PALACE - 12 km, 16 min.
The palace in Krzyżowa was built between 1712 and 1726 for the von Zedlitz family, on the site of a 16th-century manor house destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. Krzyżowa and Gruszów are historically linked. Until 1867, the village of Krzyżowa together with the palace belonged to the von Dresky family (then owners of Gruszów), who sold the estate to Feldmarshal Helmut Carl Bernhard von Moltke. The Field Marshal's nephew Helmuth James von Moltke was a co-initiator of the so-called Krzyżowa Circle, the German opposition to the Nazi regime.
The aim of this group was to create a ‘new order’, i.e. a spiritual, political and social rebirth of Europe after the infamous end of the Third Reich. A historic Reconciliation Mass was held at Krzyżowa in 1989 with the then Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in attendance. The Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe now has its headquarters here. Permanent exhibitions: ‘Courage and Reconciliation’ - a permanent open-air exhibition takes you through the history of Polish-German relations from 1 September 1939 to 12 November 1989, and ‘Rejecting the Lie. From the history of resistance and anti-totalitarian opposition in the 20th century’ in the Krzyżowa palace.
GRODNO CASTLE
A medieval, well-preserved castle built on the summit of Choina Mountain (approx. 450 m above sea level) at the meeting point of the Wałbrzyskie and Sowie Mountains. The fortified castle was built over the valley of the Bystrzyca River. Due to its exceptionally picturesque location, it is very frequently visited by tourists.
SZCZAWNO ZDRÓJ
A beautifully located spa town among the greenery in the Walbrzyskie Mountains. Historic architecture, characteristic of European spas, three beautiful, extensive, well-kept parks with unique vegetation and, in season, numerous open-air concerts encourage tourist visits. An additional advantage is the proximity of the mountains and the former mining town of Walbrzych with its interesting post-industrial buildings, among which the Old Mine is exceptionally prominent.
MUSEUM OF OLD MERCHANTS
One of the largest sections of the Museum collects artefacts related to ancient trade. There are collections of packaging from various periods, made of glass, ceramics and stoneware. It is possible to see interesting colonial packaging - tin and stoneware, in which tobacco, tea or confectionery was sold. The museum also displays old shop equipment such as cash registers, scales, advertising signs, publications, etc. Particularly attractive is the exhibition on the furnishings of former buildings, for example a fully furnished 20th century inn, a colonial shop or a pharmacy from the turn of the 20th century.
CASTLE IN PIOTROWICE ŚWIDNICKICH - 14 km, 16 mi.
Picturesquely located on the water, the Renaissance manor house, also known as the castle, was built between 1590 and 1599 by Jacob von Zedlitz on the site of the castle on the water. The Foundation for the Preservation of Silesian Industrial Heritage began renovation of the monument in 2010, which continues to this day. The Museum of Agricultural Technology is being established on the grounds of the adjacent manor house. The ongoing renovation and conservation of the manor house and farm buildings will create a space where the history of the influence of technology on the development of agriculture in Silesia will be presented.