What’s worth seeing in the Sudety and the Kłodzko Valley

• THE STOŁOWE MOUNTAINS

The Stołowe Mountains are one of the few mountains in Europe built of horizontal layers of sandstone with characteristic floors that gave it the name of the Table Mountains. The Kłodzko Valley is a border of the Stołowe Mountains. Their north-western part is situated in Czech Republic. Their Polish part is 18 km long and 5 km wide. In 1993, the Stołowe Mountains National Park was established here. It covers an area of 63 km² and has turned into a major tourist attraction now. You can see there: the highest peak of the Stołowe Mountains – Szczeliniec Wielki, rock labyrinth – the Błędne Rocks and the Great Batorowskie Peat Bog.

For more information visit - www.pngs.com.pl

• THE BEAR CAVE – KLETNO

The longest cave in the Sudety in the Śnieżnik Massif in the valley of Kleśnica. Discovered in 1966 during the use of marble quarry near the village Kletno. It has entry at a height of 800 m above sea level. Horizontal corridors have a total length of over 3.5 km and are located on three levels. While exploring the cave encountered remains of thousands of animals from Pleistocene, especially the cave bear, hence its name. The corridors are covered with numerous cave forms. Magnificent stalactites, stalagmites, stalagmites, waterfalls, necrotic bowls and stalactite draperies are considered some of the most interesting elements of cave forms in Polish caves.

For more information visit – www.jaskinia.pl

• WAMBIERZYCE

Called the Jerusalem of the Lower Silesia, built in the years 1683 to 1725. You can see there: the Basilica of St. Mary’s Visitation – richly decorated temple, illuminated in evening by 1390 bulbs, filled by the baroque statues. To the entry leads monumental stairs with 57 steps, the Moving Crib – the oldest and largest moving crib in Poland contains 800 figures including 300 moving figures, and the Ethnographic Museum – contains a rich collection of cultural heritage of the surrounding land (the old, unused now farm equipment including grinders, flails, plows, sickles) and a mini zoo inhabited by farm animals – goats, sheep, ostriches, deer, guinea pigs.

For more information visit - www.gory.info.pl/skansen/

• THE MUSEUM OF COAL MINING – NOWA RUDA

It offers a rich presentation of the 500-year tradition of coal mining in Nowa Ruda. Underground excavations are 700 m long and are separated from the liquidated coal mine. There are presented production processes in the mine. The great attraction there is the ride by train in the mining tunnels.

For more information visit – www.kopalnia-muzeum.pl

• THE GOLD MINE – ZŁOTY STOK

Złoty Stok since its inception has been associated with the extraction of gold. In the already abandoned mine tunnels, you can explore the two adits forming an underground touristic route. The goldmine tours includes guided visit to the Gertruda Adit, the mysterious Death Gallery, the Black Adit with the only underground waterfall in Poland (8 m high), the Museum of Minerals (a collection of rocks and minerals from the region and the world with more than 1,300 specimens), the Mint. You will see also a collection of geological maps, surveying tools and a furnace for melting gold.

For more information visit - www.kopalniazlota.pl/index.php/en

• THE ADITS – WALIM

Since 1943 in the Sowie Mountains region Germans ran a large-scale construction work under a common code name Giant (Riese). The construction was never completed, and its residue is a series of underground complexes and buildings on the ground still shrouded by a mistery mist as to their destination. The uniqueness of these objects has attracted for years to the region of the Lower Silesia crowds of scientists and adventurers.

For more information visit - www.sztolnie.pl

• THE UNDERGROUND CITY OSÓWKA

The underground complex of buildings dating from the Second World War. The largest of the six existing in the Sowie Mountains complex of underground halls of the secret Nazi project Giant (Riese). An investment is not completed, and its destiny is unknown. Certain conditions seem to indicate that it could be an “underground city ” with the positions of army command.

For more information visit - www.osówka.pl/miasto.html

• THE FORTS – SREBRNA GÓRA

They are located on both sides of the Silver Pass and were built between 1765-1977 by order of King Frederick II of Prussia. The fortress consists of several larger or smaller fortsand is one of the most interesting military facilities in Poland.

For more information visit - www.forty.pl

• THE VIEWING TOWER – THE GREAT OWL MOUNTAIN

The highest peak (1015 m about see level) in the Sowie Mountains and the Middle Sudety with the most ecologically damaged trees in these mountains, belongs to the Crown of Polish Mountains. Is located in the Sowie Mountains Landscape Park. There is a 25 m high stone tower on the top, built in 1906.

• THE VIEWING TOWER – THE ALL SAINTS MOUNTAIN

A viewing tower on the All Saints Mountain (648 m above sea level) was built in 1913 of local red sandstone. Is 15 m high and its top is crowned by arched gallery viewing. From the tower we could see one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Sudety: from the Karkonosze to the Śnieżnik Massif.

• THE SKULL CHAPEL – CZEREMNA

It is the only such monument in Poland, and one of three in Europe. Walls of this small, baroque chapel are filled with three thousand skulls, the ceiling is decorated by shinbones, and in the cellar, to which a hatch is opened by a guide, there are 21 thousand more skulls. Every skull, every bone is authentic. This unusual church was built in 1776 by the local parish priest Wacław Tomaszek. By chance, he found a mass grave of dozens thousands of victims of wars and a cholera epidemic in the 17th and 18th centuries. For a dozen years, the priest collected them, disinfected and stored.

For more information visit - www.czeremna.pl

• THE MUSEUM OF FOLK CULTURE OF THE SUDETY FOOTHILLS – KUDOWA ZDRÓJ-PSTRĄŻNA

Museum was established in 1984 in the beautifully situated village. The museum collects historical objects from the area of the Sudety. Residential buildings, a forge or alarm tower are richly equipped with original things once used by the inhabitants of this land. The big attraction are the numerous cultural events which take place f.e. baking bread using traditional methods in the original bread oven.

For more information visit – www.skansen.kudowa.pl/index.htm

• THE VANISHING PROFESSIONS TRAIL – KUDOWA ZDRÓJ

On the farm in Czermna – 200 meters from the Skulls Chapel you can see the endangered professions: pottery, blacksmithing and milling. Another attraction is the Mini Zoo: ostrich eating from the hand, several species of pheasants, decorated pullets and roosters and peacocks. There is an opportunity to taste a real country bread in the shadow of the historic wooden windmill.

For more information visit – www.szlakginacychzawodow.pl

• THE MUSEUM OF PAPERMAKING – DUSZNIKI ZDRÓJ

It was founded in the sixteenth century paper mill, which is still running for use in presentations. In addition to know more about the old technology of making paper, you can learn about the history of papermaking in Poland and see a collection of old prints, watermarks, etc. A handmade paper was produced in the mill useing canvas rags.

For more information visit - www.muzpap.pl

• THE CITADEL AND LABYRINTH, THE UNDERGROUND TOURIST ROUTE – KŁODZKO

A monument of a military architecture. The first defensive constructions existed already on the Forteczna Mount in the ninth century. Fortifications were still expanded and changed. The fort takes its greatest prosperity of Frederick II the Great, who made it one of the strongest bastions of the Prussian Silesia. The tourist route are underground corridors and basements hollowed by inhabitants – both for military and economic aims. They run under streets and buildings of the Old Town.

For more information visit – www. twierdza.klodzko.pl

• THE TREE-SEAS PEAK

A peak (1145 m above see level) in the Śnieżnik Massif in the Sudetes located on the border separating Poland from Czech Republic. The name gives the full character of the peak, which is the only place in Poland, where coincide catchment basins of three seas. Tributaries of the Nysa Kłodzka River in the Baltic Sea catchment basin have their sources on the western slopes. From the southeastern slope flows the Lipkovský Stream, a tributary of the Cicha Orlica River in the catchment basin of the North Sea. From the eastern slope flows the Morawa River in the Black Sea catchment basin. At the top is opened a wooden viewing tower with a height of 25 meters.

• THE ROCK CITY – ADRSPACH (CZECH REPUBLIC)

Located in a small village Adršpach in Czech Republic. A boat trip on the lake with a length of 300 m allows you to see various forms of rock (60 meters long) in the shape of items, people and animals. Besides the lake, there is the Metuja River which creates a deep ravine and a waterfall (19 m high)​​.

For more information visit – www.skalyadrspach.cz

• ZOO SAFARI – DWORE KRALOWE (CZECHY)

It belongs to the largest and most significant European gardens. On the area of 64 ha there are over 2,300 animals. The world of “wild” Africa can be observed during the time of ride by safaribuses. Besides observing animals on free paddocks, you can admire the collection of nocturnal animals, aquariums with fish from coral reefs and rivers of South America, aviary and the life of prehistoric reptiles presented in the gallery of paintings.

For more information visit – www.zoodvurkralove.cz/en

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