Stara Kamienica: Castle, Church and Routes

In Stara Kamienica, a long history of the castle, historic buildings and two routes described in different ways come together as themes for a stay. In the town centre stand the ruins of a keep castle, mentioned as early as 1242. The Parish Church of the Beheading of St John the Baptist and Hercules Gate add further historical landmarks. The route details also differ significantly: a blue trail runs for 48 kilometres through the town, while a yellow trail starts here and is listed as 18.8 kilometres long. If you are looking for a hotel in Stara Kamienica, these themes can help you identify your interests for your stay—from architectural history to the routes described here.

The Castle Ruins in the Town Centre

The castle has been associated with the Schaffgotsch family since its construction. In the town centre stand the ruins of a keep castle, first mentioned in 1242. The surviving remains include barrel-vaulted cellars, a tower preserved up to the third storey with remnants of sgraffito decoration, short sections of the curtain wall, a moat and a bridge. The description thus covers both the structures in the cellar area and the surviving tower and other parts of the complex. A barrel vault is a lengthwise vault; in sgraffito, a layer of plaster is removed to reveal the layer beneath. These terms help distinguish the shape of the cellars from the traces of decoration on the tower.

Hercules Gate and the Parish Church

The Baroque Hercules Gate dates from 1705 and depicts Hercules fighting a lion. This named visual motif offers a different historical point of reference from the castle and its surviving structures. The Parish Church of the Beheading of St John the Baptist was first mentioned in 1370. It acquired its present appearance through numerous alterations, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The church also contains a sandstone baptismal font dating from 1562. The dates refer to different aspects: 1370 is the church’s first recorded mention, the font dates from 1562, and later alterations shaped the building’s present appearance. This makes it possible to consider the building’s history separately from a specific, dated furnishing.

Two Routes with Different Courses

The blue trail, 48 kilometres long, runs from Mirsk via Stara Kamienica to Świeradów-Zdrój. The yellow trail runs from Stara Kamienica to Rozdroże Izerskie and is 18.8 kilometres long; its starting point in the town is marked as kilometre 0.0. The trails therefore differ not only in length: Stara Kamienica lies between two named destinations on the blue trail, while it is the starting point of the yellow trail. This makes both the direction and the town’s role in each route clear for your planning. Before your trip, check the current conditions on the blue trail.

Discover more destinations: Piechowice, Ściegny, Janowice Wielkie, Trzcińsko, Szklarska Poręba, Jeżów Sudecki, Dziwiszów and Łomnica.

Go to the regional travel overview: Jeleniogórski.