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K£ODZKO COUNTY
The K³odzko region's diverse landscape-vast valleys, numerous mountain ranges, unique stone labyrinths and fantastically shaped rocks-together with lots of animals, plants and sources of mineral water, make it very attractive. The Sto³owe Mountains form the western part of the K³odzko Valley, the Bystrzyckie Mountains and ¦nie¿nik Massif make up the southern side, the Z³ote Mountains stand to the east and the Bardzkie Mountains line the north. Tourists hoping to see the whole valley in a few days will have to make some tough choices, as the time will only allow them to explore some of the highlights.
Trade routes connecting Bohemia with the Silesia and Ma³opolska regions have been crossing the K³odzka Valley since ancient times. The first major settlements appeared in the 9th century, and Czech King George of Podebrady set up an independent county here in 1459. The name K³odzko county prevailed until 1945, although only in the historic sense.
The local spas-Duszniki, Kudowa, L±dek-Zdrój, and Polanica-are all convenient bases for a hike, but many visitors start their trek from K³odzko's citadel. A unique monument of military architecture, it was the largest stronghold in the Prussian state. Its terraces lie 369 meters above the ground and offer a spectacular view of the old city center. The city's major attraction is, however, the underground route leading through vast basements and tunnels. Many believe that the basements hide massive treasures; it is said that the amber chamber, a room made of amber was shipped here from Wroc³aw by the Germans in 1945.
Allow half a day to see the other sights, including a medieval gothic bridge-a miniature version of Prague's Charles Bridge-or the 14th-century Church of the Assumption of Holy Mary, with a rich interior that makes it a true sanctuary of art.
Some tourists head straight for Duszniki to hear the piano concerts held during the annual Chopin Festival (the great composer visited here in 1826). The music can also be heard from a bench in Zdrojowy Park, thanks to loudspeakers placed there during concerts. Don't miss the chance to taste the local mineral water which can do wonders for your digestive and respiratory systems.
Another attraction is a paper-mill built on the bank of the Bystrzyca Dusznicka River in 1602. The main building, made mostly of wood, houses Poland's only Museum of Paper Manufacturing, where visitors can see how parchment paper is manufactured. A few steps away from the mill is the former Pod Czarnym Nied¼wiedziem tavern with a plaque commemorating a visit by King John II Casimir Vasa. Ruins of the medieval Homole castle, which was inhabited in the 16th century by knights turned highwaymen, is a few kilometers outside the city.
If the route were not marked, tourists could easily get lost in the maze of B³êdne Ska³y rocks in the Sto³owe Mountains. The labyrinthine path has some completely dark stretches and others that require crouching or a little stomach-sucking to get through. Footbridges enable safe crossing over the wet ground. Warm clothing is necessary here-the stone walls block even the summer's warmth.
The cracked 100-meter high blocks of sandstone look like city walls, and some free-standing structures resemble tables, towers, mushrooms and tunnels. Some have been named: Kropielnica (The Holy Water Basin), Ma³polud (The Ape Man), Koñska Noga (The Horse's Leg), Sowa (The Owl), Ropucha (The Toad). A legend says this is the home of Liczyrzepa, a mighty wizard who can change people into stones.
The K³odzko region has mixed beech-sycamore-hornbeam forests above the 400-meter line, and spruce forests over most of the Bystrzyckie, Sto³owe and Z³ote Mountains, and ¦nie¿nik Massif. At the top of the mountains, the trees become dwarfed, better suited to the rough climatic conditions. Birch and mountain ash trees can also be found here. Various species of lichens and unique glowing moss live in the damper pluces. Mountain pines grow in the alpine meadows atop ¦nie¿nik, at 1,425 meters.
Torfowisko (The Bog), near Zieleniec in the Bystrzyckie Mountains, is an especially attractive place. The plant world here is dominated by bog moss and long-leaf pines, along with the inconspicuous globeflower, slightly bigger than a buttercup and called "the rose of K³odzko" by locals. Tourists can only view the bog from a tower; trespassers run the risk of drowning.
Deer and roe deer run wild here, and the occasional wild hog is seen, too. Mouflons-wild sheep-were brought to the Bystrzyckie Mountains by man, and chamois, a small antelope, wandered to Smerkowiec from the Czech Republic. Capercaillie, black grouse and hazel grouse dwell in the more isolated areas.
Mountain bikers can easily explore the region on their own, and other tourists will take advantage of the mini-vans provided by most hotels or one of the many public buses. Traveling the Road of One Hundred Turns (Droga Stu Zakrêtów)-there really are a hundred-is an unforgettable experience, and the route is impossible to miss. It winds through forests and between huge stones. The most famous turn is The Tongue of the Mother-in-Law, perhaps because it is so sharp.
Wambierzyce, a city at the foothill of the Sto³owe Mountains, was built in the 17th century to resemble Jerusalem, with 17 entrance gates. It is a popular pilgrimage destination. Sacred sites include a replica of Solomon's temple and 150 chapels, crosses and figures scattered over the hills and along field roads. A 19th-century 800-piece moving nativity scene is another unique attraction. Longinus Wittig, a watchmaker, spent 28 years creating this work.
Radkowo, a tiny town with a history dating back to the 11th century, is a stone's throw from Wambierzyce. Its medieval layout and defensive walls have been maintained. Local knights used to keep order along the trade route connecting K³odzko with the Czech town of Bromovo. Radkowo's quarry provided the sandstone for Warsaw's Palace of Culture and Science.
The Chapel of Skulls (Kaplica Czaszek) in Czerna, near Kudowa-Zdrój, is a reminder of the region's tragic past. The chapel was built by the local vicar in 1776 to store skulls and bones of soldiers killed in the Seven-Year's War and those who perished in the cholera epidemics. The vicar used 3,000 skulls and 20,000 bones to cover the chapel's walls, ceiling and altar. In 1813, the local presbytery hosted a meeting between the emperors of Prussia and Austria and the Russian czar; it was a prelude to the treaty signed two years later at the Vienna Congress.
The journey from Czerna to Miêdzygórze, a small resort in one of the beautiful valleys at the foothills of ¦nie¿nik, isn't long. The town's wooden architecture is reminiscent of Alpine resorts. The nearby 27-meter high Wieliczki waterfall is the biggest in the Sudetic Mountains. Another must-see is the Nied¼wiedzia Cavern, with its three-levels of tunnels stretching over two kilometers. The remains of numerous cave-dwelling animals from the glacial era, including the woolly rhinoceros, were discovered here. The list of places worth visiting could go on. There's still Szczytna with the glass factory that manufactured a crystal table set commissioned for the coronation of the British Queen Elizabeth II. And Lewin K³odzki, with its 18th-century burghers' houses adorned by unique portals. Visitors feel welcome everywhere.
Story and photos by
Aleksander Z. Rawski
Duszniki's Polonez hotel is conveniently located in the Zdrojowy Park. Retro music fans favor Kudowa's Gwarek, and journalists stay at their own luxurious Nest hotel or in L±dek Zdrój at the Nad Potokiem hotel.