Wałbrzych County: Castles, Mountain Views and Culture

When looking for hotels in Wałbrzych County, it is worth first deciding what you want to focus on during your trip. Local attractions range from castles and their history to viewpoints, mountain biking routes and an underground complex. Specific elevations, route lengths and historical dates make the differences tangible and give you a factual basis for planning your trip.

Castles and historical landmarks

Grodno Castle is located in Zagórze Śląskie, on Góra Choina at an elevation of 450 m. Its history spans more than 700 years; the origins of the medieval castle at this site date back to the era of the Silesian Piasts. These details complement each other: the Piast era places the origins in context, while the figure of more than 700 years describes the long historical span. Another point of reference is Rogowiec Castle, first mentioned on 8 September 1292. The date of its first mention should be distinguished from the date it was built. This gives you two useful points of reference for its history: an origin reaching far back in time and a precisely dated year of mention.

Views and routes at Dzikowiec

From the summit of Rogowiec, you can enjoy wide-ranging views of the Central Sudetes, including the distinctive Chełmiec and Borowa, and farther west, Śnieżka and the Giant Mountains. Two mountain biking routes start and finish at the lower cable car station at Dzikowiec. Both follow existing forest roads and are six and seven kilometres long, respectively. The difference in length is one kilometre; both have the same start and finish points and the same described surface. The observation tower on Dzikowiec in Boguszów-Gorce is 38.5 m tall overall; its viewing platform is 32.5 m above the ground. These two measurements distinguish the tower’s overall height from the height of its platform.

Underground route and cultural venue

The Walim Adits are an underground tourist route in the “Rzeczka” complex, on the eastern slope of Ostra, which is 653.3 m high, between Walim and Rzeczka. The underground complex contains about 500 m of tunnels. A guard building houses exhibits and a few documents about the various complexes. The temperature inside remains constant at 5 to 7 °C throughout the year. It is therefore a good idea to bring an extra warm layer for your time inside. Jedlinka Palace serves as a museum and venue for numerous cultural events; the palace is being renovated. If you are planning a visit, check current visiting arrangements in advance.

Lower Silesia as a wider regional setting

The wider destination of Lower Silesia includes other distinct cultural and natural attractions. The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica are Europe’s largest half-timbered Baroque churches. They were built in the mid-17th century under the provisions of the Peace of Westphalia and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. Their architecture, construction period and World Heritage status provide several specific points of reference for this regional cultural theme. The Karkonosze and Stołowe Mountains National Parks also belong to this broader setting. Karkonosze National Park is in Lower Silesian Voivodeship and encompasses the main ridge of the Giant Mountains, from the western slopes of Mumławski Wierch in the west to Przełęcz Okraj in the east. Stołowe Mountains National Park has a dense network of hiking trails totalling 100 km, including a section of the Mieczysław Orłowicz Main Sudetes Trail. These examples broaden the regional perspective on Lower Silesia to include architecture, history and hiking trails.

Discover more places

Discover more destinations: Wałbrzych, Jugowice, Szczawno-Zdrój, Mieroszów, Jedlina-Zdrój, Zagórze Śląskie, Boguszów-Gorce, Głuszyca, Głuszyca Górna, Sokołowsko, Dziećmorowice, Unisław Śląski.

Back to the regional travel guide: Lower Silesia.