Bolków attractions. Medieval castle with a bow tower and Bolek Park

Bolków is a small but noble historical town located in Lower Silesia, on the Nysa Szalona River. At the intersection of former trade routes and current routes, 23 km from Wałbrzych. From afar, the city evokes the noble ruins of a medieval stronghold, but in the immediate vicinity you will find as many as four gothic strongholds. Check out our guide to Bolków!

Why the name Bolkowa?

Bolków in Bolków countless! The first to sit here was Bolesław Rogatka, a black sheep among the Silesian princes of the Piast family. But he took the name of the castle from Bolek I the Raw, his son, who expanded the local castle after his father. And it was in the thirteenth century that a market settlement grew up here at the intersection of trade routes from Wrocław and Legnica to the Czech Republic.

Monuments and attractions in Bolków. What is worth seeing and exploring?

In these areas, long border and rich, the castle has been in the foreground for centuries and today they are also the most important magnets for visitors. They were born in the area, but these are not the only curiosities. Check out Bolkov's top attractions!

Bolków Castle

The castle in Bolków is a Gothic stronghold that remembers the Middle Ages. Today it is a ruin, but really noble and open to tourists. You can enter many nooks and crannies here, but the characteristic 25-meter-high bow tower is especially popular. Unique in Poland, because in fact its shape resembles a beak and it is the only such object in Poland! Such a design provided good protection of the castle against cannon fire.

We came here for Cultural Farewell to Summer and open-air cinema with the film Bride for the Prince. But even without cinema, it's interesting here. In addition to the tower, you will enter the House of Women with mock-ups of the castle from different periods and a mock-up of the castle in Świny, walk around the castle walls, listen to the story of the blacksmith, drink coffee and by buying it you will discover the oldest preserved window in Poland!

Park at Bolek's

Under the castle itself, Bolek's Park awaits. This is an interesting novelty, a great place to walk for families and more. The paid park brings stories to the distant history of the city and to the next Bolek. This time Bolek II called Mały, although the park is decorated with his figure measuring as much as 14 meters! Despite its name, it was not weak, on the contrary, it wisely ruled with a strong hand, which he himself talks about here, because the place is interactive. But at the same time sticking to the wooden style, which makes it impressive and harmonious. In addition to the sculpture of Bolek, you will see sculptures of dragons, knights and figures from Silesian legends. In addition, there are models of castles from the region, a witch's house, a Mongolian yurt and a unique playground.

Market Square in Bolków

The market square in Bolków is a historic, sloping square with historical buildings. This vast main square of the city is decorated with interesting architectural objects:

• The Church of St. Hedwig standing on St. John Paul II Square is an element of medieval sacred architecture from the middle of the 13th century, it is an impressive building that has preserved traces of early Gothic
• Classicist town hall - initially there was a Gothic town hall from the fourteenth century, in 1632 it was burned and rebuilt in 1670. Subsequent reconstructions gave it its current appearance. It housed the Chamber of the Council and the court, as well as the city scale and stalls. There was a wine bar and a brewery in the basement. In 1829, a clock was installed on the tower, which recently regained its splendor
• 18th-century arcaded tenement houses
• Angel fountain with a figure of a boy reading the Bible. Previously, there was a tin figure here, but it was stolen. In 2001, the monument was decorated with a replica made of sandstone. Since 2005, the same figure has been located next to the commune office in Borken, in the partner city of Bolków. A box with a reflection stamp stands by the fountain. Interestingly, the fountain stands halfway between the Catholic church and the town hall, and formerly there was an Evangelical church here

Sculpture of Leszy in the Municipal Park in Bolków

In Slavic mythology, Lesha is depicted as the ruler of the forest and the guardian of the animals living in it. His appearance is not peaceful, perhaps that is why he is sometimes called a demon. Amelia called him a two-legged deer and he accompanied us through the stories as we roamed the surrounding forests. In the park, after reading the code, you will listen to his story and also reflect the stamp.

City walls in Bolków

To this day, few fragments of the medieval fortifications of the city have survived, including in the courtyard of the rectory and at Reymonta Street.

Castle in Świny

The stunning Świna Castle is considered the oldest private castle in Poland. Just a few kilometers from the castle in Bolków, it rises as powerful ruins. A wooden defensive stronghold stood in this place as early as in the 10th century. The stone stronghold itself was built in the fourteenth century, thanks to the knightly family of Świnków. They built here the so-called keep, a massive residential tower, surrounded by a perimeter wall. Later, the estate was transformed into a Renaissance mansion with fortifications and bastions. At that time, i.e. in the 17th century, thanks to Count Jan Zygmunt Świnka, the castle became an important center of theosophy and mysticism. It housed a legendary library. Today, the ruins are cared for and open to the public. I highly recommend these walls, because they captivate with their beauty, panache and fantastic aura. From the basement to the top floor of the tower, which offers a nice panorama. Next to it, it is worth walking the "fairy-tale" path to the viewpoint.

Niesytno Castle

It is such a bonus in the form of further saved ruins of the castle in this area. For the time being, the Niesytno Castle is excluded from sightseeing, but perhaps as early as 2027 it will invite a revitalized facility, which already looks extremely impressive. After all, it was built by an insatiable knight Niemir, hence the name of the estate. This is what the legend says. The written origins of the stronghold are unfortunately not known, but the building has a medieval pedigree. The tower is unusual because it is octagonal and housed the so-called warm room lined with wood and prepared for the residents of that time.

Accommodation in Bolków

While visiting Bolków and the surrounding area, we slept in Gościniec Stara Mleczarnia at Republikańska Street. The place is delicious, it is actually located in a former dairy, but it is so beautifully revitalized that it captivated us! Original elements referring to dairy traditions can be found here at every step. In comfortable rooms, you sleep between two castles, one in Bolków and the other in Świny. There is a shared kitchen at your disposal.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

Bolkov's history

Bolków was established in the 13th century as a market settlement at the intersection of trade routes from Wrocław and Legnica to the Czech Republic. The center received city rights in 1276 under the name Hain (in Polish Gaj). Later, other names appeared, such as Bolkenhain and others.

These have always been disputed border areas. In 1392, the Principality of Jawor along with Bolków was incorporated into the Czech Crown. From 1526, the city remained under the rule of the Habsburgs. In 1742, as a result of the First Silesian War, Bolków was occupied by Prussia. During World War II, a branch of the German concentration camp Groß-Rosen was located in the village. At least 800 Jews were imprisoned in the camp, of whom about 200 died or were murdered. After the liquidation of this camp, the prisoners were sent to Buchenwald. As the Red Army approached, the local population began to flee en masse. After the war, at first the name of the city was Bolkowiec. After the Potsdam conference, the current inhabitants of the city were deported to Germany.

From the beginning, the city gained fame thanks to a beautiful medieval stronghold. This is still the case today, as powerful ruins invite tourists not only to sightseeing, but also to various outdoor events.

Rent a car

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What's worth seeing in the area?

You don't have to travel far to find more interesting places. Within a radius of 100 kilometers, there are many attractions waiting for you that will certainly enrich your stay Your trip with additional memories.

• Książ Castle, distance: 16.1  km
• Grodno Castle in Zagórze Śląskie, distance: 29  km
• Sky Walk Tower in Świeradów Zdrój, distance: 53.6  km
• Czocha Castle, distance: 57.1  km
• Kłodzko Fortress, distance: 66.3  km
• Ostrów Tumski in Wrocław, distance: 69.5  km
• Wrocław Zoo with Afrkarium, distance: 71.2  km
• Bear Cave in Kletno, distance: 92.7  km
• Barycz Valley, distance: 96.1  km
• Palace in Kopice, distance: 99.5  km