[Poland]-Two photos per post

[JC. SAMPERZ]

Nice pictures.

[DocentX]

Świdnica



Świdnica (German: Schweidnitz; Czech: Svídnice) is a town in south-western Poland. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures.

Świdnica became a town in 1250, although no founding document has survived that would confirm this fact. In the beginning, the town belonged to the Duchy of Wrocław and experienced two important privileges conducive to its development. By 1290, Świdnica had city walls and six gates, crafts and trade were blossoming, and it had become the capital of the Duchy of Świdnica. City was in 1291 - 1392 capital of Duchy of Świdnica.

At the end of the 14th century the city was under rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia, and a long period of growth began. The last duke from Polish Piast dynasty was Bolko II of Świdnica, and after his death in 1368 land was held by his wife until 1392; after her death they were incorporated into the lands of Bohemia by Wenceslaus, King of the Romans. In 1493, the town is recorded by Hartmann Schedel in his Nuremberg Chronicle as Schwednitz along with Neyß, Oppel, Liegnitz, Teschen, Frankenstein etc. all in Silesia.

In 1471, there were 47 trade guilds in operation, nearly 300 homes had the rights to brew beer, and large cattle and hops fairs were organized. The beer was distributed in many European cities, including Wroclaw, Prague, Heidelberg, Kraków, and Pisa. The beer was offered in pubs.

In 1526, all of Silesia, including Schweidnitz, came under the rule of the Habsburg Monarchy. The city of Schweidnitz was in the surrounding Duchy of Schweidnitz. The Thirty Years' War (1618–48) ravaged the Duchy. The town was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia during the First Silesian War. It was subsequently turned into a fortress. Schweidnitz became part of the Prussian-led German Empire in 1871 during the unification of Germany.

The town was placed under Polish administration according to the post-war Potsdam Conference in 1945 and renamed Świdnica. The German population who had not fled during the war were subsequently expelled westward and replaced with Poles, many of whom had been expelled themselves from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.

Sights

The Gothic Church of Ss. Stanislav and Vaclav from the 14th century has the highest tower in Silesia, standing 103 meters tall. The Evangelical Church of Peace, a UNESCO Heritage site, was built from 1656–57. The 16th century town hall has been renovated numerous times and combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural elements. The Baroque Church of St. Joseph and the Church of St. Christopher are from the same era. One remaining element of the former defensive works is the Chapel of St. Barbara. Other sights include the old town square.

Trivia

One of the notable residents of Świdnica (at that time German Schweidnitz) was Manfred von Richthofen (1892–1918), World War I ace known as "The Red Baron".

[JC. SAMPERZ]

Beautiful

[DocentX]

Świdnica

[Urbanista1]

nice, thanks and congratulations on passing the 200,000 mark in visits!

[DocentX]

Świdnica - the Church of Peace (UNESCO)



The Churches of Peace (Polish: Kościół Pokoju, German: Friedenskirche) in Jawor (German: Jauer) and Świdnica (German: Schweidnitz) in Silesia were named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 which permitted the Lutherans in the Roman Catholic parts of Silesia to build three Evangelical churches from wood, loam and straw outside the city walls, without steeples and church bells. The construction time was limited to one year. Since 2001, the two remaining churches are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Despite the physical and political constrains, the churches became the biggest timber-framed religious buildings in Europe due to pioneering constructional and architectural solutions.

[DocentX]

Jawor - the Church of Peace (UNESCO)

[DocentX]

Jawor



Jawor (German: Jauer, Czech: Javory) is a town in south-western Poland with 24,347 inhabitants (2006).

In the town can be found a Protestant Church of Peace. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

[DocentX]

Góry Stołowe (The Table Mountains)



The Table Mountains (Polish: Góry Stołowe, German: Heuscheuergebirge, Czech: Stolové hory) are a 42 km long mountain range in Poland and the Czech Republic, part of the Central Sudetes. The range is situated southeast of the Karkonosze. The Polish part of the range is protected as the Table Mountains National Park. The highest peak of the range is Szczeliniec Wielki (919 m a.s.l.)

The range is built of sandstone and, as the only one in Poland, presents plated structure with sheer ledges. Among the tourist attraction there are rocky formations Błędne Skały and Szczeliniec Wielki.

[DocentX]

Góry Stołowe (The Table Mountains)

[DocentX]

Kamieńczyk Waterfall



Kamienczyk Waterfall is one of the most picturesque in Karkonosze Mountains and it is the biggest in Polish part of Karkonosze. The waterfall is 27 metres high and falls down in three picturesque cascades.

[DocentX]

Czocha castle



Czocha Castle is a defensive castle in the village of Stankowice-Sucha, (Gmina Lesna), in Luban County of Lower Silesian Voivodeship (southwestern Poland). The castle is located by the Kwisa river, in what is now Polish part of Upper Lusatia. It original name probably was Czajkow (a 1329 document calls it in Latin Caychow), and before 1945, it was known under a German name Tzschocha. Czocha castle was built on gneiss rocks, and its oldest part is the keep, to which housing structures were later added.

Czocha castle began as a fortified strong point, on what was Czech-Lusatian borderline. Its construction was ordered by King of Bohemia Wenceslaus I, and the works were completed in 1247. Six years later, the castle was handed over to Bishop of Meissen, Konrad von Wallhausen. In 1319 the complex became part of dukedom of Henry I of Jawor, and after his death, it was taken over by another Silesian prince, Bolko II the Small, and his wife Agnieszka.

In the mid-14th century, Czocha castle was annexed by King of Bohemia and Emperor of Holy Roman Empire, Charles IV. Then, between 1389 and 1453, it belonged to the noble families of von Dohn and von Kluks. Reinforced, the complex was besieged by the Hussites in the early 15th century, who captured it in 1427, and remained in the castle for unknown time. In 1453, the castle was purchased by the family of von Nostitz, who owned it for 250 years, making several changes during remodelling projects in 1525 and 1611. Czocha’s walls were strenghtened and reinforced, which resulted in a failed Swedish siege of the complex during the Thirty Years War. In 1703, the castle was purchased by Jan Hartwig von Uechtritz, influential courtier of Augustus II the Strong. On August 17, 1793, whole complex burned in a fire.

In 1909, Czocha was bought by a cigar manufacturer from Dresden, Ernst Gutschow, who ordered major remodeling, carried out by architect from Berlin, Bodo Ebhardt and based on a 1703 painting of the castle. Gutschow, who was close to the Russian Imperial Court and hosted in Czocha several white emigres, lived in the castle until March 1945, and before leaving, he packed all valuables.

In 1952, Czocha was taken over by the Polish Army. Used as a military vacation resort, it was erased from official maps. The castle has been open to the public since September 1996, as a hotel and conference center.

[polskadan]

My uncle took me to this castle when I was younger, there is a beautiful view of the lake from the tower

[Yellow Fever]

Lovely country!

[DocentX]

Grodziec castle



The first confirmed reference about Grodziec comes from Pope Hadrian IV bull of 23.04.1155 y. In 1175 y. prince Bolesław Wysoki (Boleslav the Tall) drew up here a privilege for Cistercians from Lubiąż.

In the time of his heir – Henryk Brodaty (Henry the Bearded) – the wooden – terrestrial castle was replaced for the built of bricks one. The foundation of the castle church is attributed to St. Hedwig. In XIV c. and partially in XV c. the castle was a property of Busewoy the knightly family. In the period of Hussite wars the building was captured and plundered by Hussites detachment.

In 1470 y. the prince of Legnica Frederick I repurchased it. Bricklayer’s masters brought by him from Wrocław, Legnica and Goerlitz gave the establishment its present-day spatial structure. After the prince death on the order of his son Frederick II workings were continued. In the Grodziec become one of the most beautiful Gothic-Renaissance residence in Silesia. Final of the work had a coincidence whit the prince wedding whit princess Sophie von Hohenzollern. On this occasion a party in the castle and a famous knightly tournament were arranged.

In the time of 30-years war the castle was captured and burned by the forces of prince Albrecht Wallenstein. Because the war damage was on a huge scale and the fortress had no some parts of the stronghold. In the XVII and XVIII c. efforts were made to rebuild Grodziec, however they were not finished with greater success.

Only just in 1800 y., when the owner of property became prince of the Reich Jan Henryk IV von Hochburg from Książ, more serious work of preservation and reconstruction was take up. The period of Napoleon Campaign stopped it for a little while, but already in the 30-ties of XIX c. the castle became an object of many tourist excursions. In this time it had the reputation of beging the first in Europe historical building particularly accommodated for tourist goals. Thorough reconstruction was started in 1900 y., when the owner of property became baron dr Wilibald von Dirksen. He ordered elaboration of the design and supervision of work to the most-know and respected architect and conservator – Bodo Ebhardt. In 1908 y. Emporor Wilhelm II was here as a gust during the solemn opening of the object; later it was transferred to Silesian Society of History and Antiquarianism Lovers for a museum, a restaurant and a shelter-home.

The castle burned down in 1945. Today is partly restored and made available to the public.

[Urbanista1]

Really enjoy your pics and descriptions. Thanks

[DocentX]

Bolków castle



Bolków (German: Bolkenhain) is a town in south-western Poland.

The town lies at the Nysa Szalona River, approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi) south-west of Jawor, and 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of the regional capital Wrocław. As at 2006, it has a population of about 5,380.

First mentioned as Hain in a 1276 deed, Bolków was named after Duke from Polish Piasty dynasty Bolko II of Świdnica, who died in 1368. His duchy was incorporated into the Lands of the Bohemian Crown of the Holy Roman Empire. Since 1945 the town belongs to Poland.

Above the town stand the ruins of Bolków Castle, built in the 13th century by Polish Piasts. Devastated in the Thirty Years' War it became a property of Grüssau Abbey in 1703, though restoration efforts did not begin until 1905. Since 1994 the ruin is the site of the annual "Castle Party" Gothic rock festival.

[Urbanista1]

That's one gothic festival I would like to attend.

[Bulipo]

Wronki

Wronki - small town from Poland

Wronki [ˈvrɔŋki] (German: Wronke) is a town in the Szamotuły County, western-central Poland, situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Piła Voivodeship (1975-1998). It is located close to the Warta River to the northwest of Poznań, and has a population of approximately 11,000. The town's name comes from wrona, the Polish word for a crow, which is also reflected in the town's coat of arms. It has also been spelled Wronke at times during its history, specifically during the years when it was annexed by Prussia/Germany (1772-1919).
The town contains Wronki Prison, the largest prison in Poland. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


foto by R. Bugaj :

Railway station (foto by R. Deska) :

Hotel OLYMPIC :

Wronki Prison (by robson) :

[DocentX]

Bożków palace



Bożków (German: Eckersdorf) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Nowa Ruda, within Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland.

The village has a population of 1,600.