Land of extinct volcanoes. Attractions of the UNESCO World Geopark in the Kaczawskie Mountains

The Land of Extinct Volcanoes is an incredibly unique and interesting region, a geological paradise with fascinating nature and unusual attractions. It is one of the most geologically and tectonically diverse areas in Poland. See the "Silesian Fujiyama", ancient rock organs like a giant fan, unique secular frescoes or the largest Gothic residential tower in Poland!

UNESCO World Geopark Land of Extinct Volcanoes

For millions of years, conical mountains threw out molten rock, creating today's Land of Extinct Volcanoes. Currently, the UNESCO World Geopark has been created here, which invites tourists to explore this land. Not only geology enthusiasts, but also lovers of extraordinary nature, picturesque corners and hospitable attractions. The region covers an area of about 1300 km2 and lies in Lower Silesia, west ofLegnica, between the towns of Jelenia Góra, Bolesławiec and Złotoryja.

Experiences in the Land of Extinct Volcanoes

Here everything is old, the oldest castle in Poland, medieval paintings, ancient rocks. But old does not mean uninteresting. On the contrary, the region's attractions are one of a kind, so be sure to check out what's worth seeing. Here are the top attractions in the Land of Extinct Volcanoes!

Ostrzyca, or "Silesian Fujiyama"

The most outstanding volcanic hill, not only here, but throughout Poland, is called Ostrzyca. Sometimes it is called Ostrzyca Parish Church, because it is located near the village of Parish, but in fact the name "Ostrzyca Parish Church" has a reserve created at the top. It is also sometimes referred to as the "Silesian Fujiyama", but while the Japanese Fuji is a volcano, Ostrzyca is a nek, or volcanic chimney. The altitude also deviates significantly, because this symbol of the Kaczawskie Foothills has a height of only 501 m above sea level. On the other hand, it actually looks quite impressive in the field, especially since we saw it in the wonderful rays of the setting sun. You'll be in here in about 45 minutes.

Skopiec, or the Crown of the Polish Mountains

In fact, Skopiec attracted us to the Land of Extinct Volcanoes. It is considered the highest peak of the Kaczawskie Mountains, although it is already known that it is not the highest, but it is included in the Crown of the Polish Mountains. It is 724 m above sea level, although you will also find other numbers, such as 721 and even 719 m above sea level. According to the latest research, the highest hill in the range is Okole, measuring 725 meters.

We entered Skopiec by the shortest route through the Komarnica Pass. On the way, you will see a cool sandalwood or shoe tree, because there are not many sandals here. The loop from the Pass, where a small parking lot awaits, is just a 45-minute walk and a very slow pace. A total of about 100 meters up.

Grodziec Castle

A popular attraction of the Land is the Grodziec Castle, which stands on a volcanic mountain, rising to a height of 389 m above sea level. It is available for a fee for sightseeing, and you can also spend the night on it. The nooks and crannies of this stronghold are mysterious, and the building itself is extremely original and it is difficult to confuse its silhouette with another castle.

Wleń Castle

It is the oldest brick castle in Poland. It was built around 1160 by Bolesław I the Tall, on the site of an earlier castle. 
The castle has a beautiful location. It stands at the top of the Castle Mountain, which is also of volcanic origin. Its tower offers a panorama of the Jizera Foothills and the Giant Mountains with Śnieżka. The stronghold has remained in ruins since the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century. Interestingly, we don't know of any other castle that has so many names.  Today it functions as the Wleń Castle, Lenno Castle or Wleński Gródek Castle. A dozen or so names appear in historical documents. The oldest ones are Wlan and Valan, which are supposed to mean "a rampart against the Czechs". The castle is open every day of the year, during the season until 6 pm, and after the season until 4 pm. From the stop by the road in Wleński Gródek you have to go uphill a few hundred meters.

Lenno Palace

In the shadow of the stronghold there is also a beautiful baroque Lenno palace, which we recommend visiting. There is still a lot of work ahead of them, so a visit to a cafe is simply a form of support. Earlier, there was a Renaissance mansion here, which later transformed into this Baroque residence.  Unfortunately, the complex was devastated during World War II. Already secured from the outside, but the interiors still require a lot of work.

The palace can be visited free of charge. There are several very atmospheric places, such as a stone staircase or a room with paintings. The palace has great potential. It is very interesting and there is a great view and a belvedere outside. The building is almost crumbling, but dazzling inside. He charmed us very much. Do not miss this monument. You can relax here, take a walk, and if you want, you can even sleep here.

Prince's Tower in Siedlęcin

Formerly known as the knight's tower, today it is referred to as the prince's tower. This is because it was founded by Prince Henry I Jaworski. It dates back to the 14th century and is the largest and best preserved medieval residential tower in Poland. And one of the largest towers of this type in Central Europe.

But it has a climate! Walking around the tower until we had shivers. We highly recommend visiting it, because it is amazing. It covers several floors, which are available behind the ticket. The best awaits on the third floor. These are medieval frescoes telling the legend of Sir Lancelot, the knight of the round table. Apparently, these are the only frescoes on this subject preserved on site in the world. Above them, you can still enter the attic. On the first floor, you will see the oldest ceilings in Poland, over 700 years old!

WIELISŁAWSKI authorities

An example of the oldest volcanism in this area is the famous Wielisław Organ in Sędziszowa. The origins go back about 250 million years. This is the essence of this land, built of solidified magma. It is formed by Permian, that is, very noble and age-old acidic rocks, which formed characteristic columns here. It is these pillars that resemble organs. Hence the name of the open pit. They are huge. They are about 80 meters high, and the individual "pipes", i.e. rhyolite poles, have diameters of up to 30 centimeters. It was a man who uncovered them on the slope of the Wielisławka hill, wanting to snatch valuable treasures from the mountain.

Interestingly, these rocks hide agates, supposedly the most beautiful in the world. I was looking for them here about 20 years ago in student internships. If you look closely, perhaps this geological creature will remind you of a gigantic, inverted fan!

Romanesque church in Świerzawa

Świezawa boasts a very valuable monument. It is a Romanesque church, built before the Gothic. This one dates back to the 13th century, and what is interesting, it probably stands in the place of an earlier, wooden church from the 12th century, which was built by Bolesław Wysoki. The one who built the first castles in Poland in the area.

The church no longer performs sacred functions. There is a museum that everyone can visit for a fee. Inside, extremely rare, thirteenth-century polychromes were discovered. They depict mainly plant and animal motifs, and among them quite unusual for a temple, storks and giraffes. There are also slightly younger, fourteenth-century scenes from the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. We recommend this place!

Bridge in Pilchowice

The viaduct in Pilchowice was to play Mission Impossible. Tom Cruise and his crew wanted to record a scene here when the train plunged into an abyss and the bridge was about to be blown up. There were protests and this did not happen. The bridge was included in the list of monuments, and the scene was reportedly recorded in Great Britain. It was possible to take advantage of the fact that the bridge had its five minutes and renovate it a little or at least prepare it better for tourists. Together with the surrounding dam on Lake Pilchowice, they form very picturesque surroundings.

Church of Peace in Jawor

It is one of the three Churches of Peace that were established in Poland in the 17th century, along with the Church of Peace in Świdnica and Głogów. Unfortunately, the church of peace in Głogów burned down and has not survived to this day. The Church of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica are today the largest wooden temples in Europe, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The interior is visited for a fee, they are delightful. Baroque, maintained in white-gold-blue colors. They cover four floors of balconies, the so-called emporiums, decorated with paintings depicting scenes from the Bible and coats of arms. In the church, it is worth paying attention to the white and gold organ, the gilded high altar, the pulpit and the baptismal font. The temple is located in the Peace Park. It is an extremely valuable and unique monument.

Other things to do in the Land of Extinct Volcanoes

• Bolków Castle - open to the public
• Castle of Pigs - open to the public
• Observation tower on Bazaltowa Góra in Paszowice
• Radogost Mountain Observation Tower
• Observation tower in Gozdno
• Single tracks from Ostrzyca, Okole, Gozdno and others
• Beaver Valley Landscape Park
• Chełm Landscape Park

Kaczawskie Mountains and Foothills and souvenirs of volcanism

G. Kaczawskie are log mountains, with collapsed ditches and uplifted logs. The oldest rocks that build these mountains come from the Cambrian and are over 500 million years old. The volcanic landscape of the Kaczawskie Foothills can be admired thanks to the presence of basalt hills of former volcanoes.

Geological processes, including earth movements and volcanic eruptions, have led to the formation of a huge wealth of valuable rocks and minerals. You can find here: pyrite, azurite, malachite, galena, native silver, agate, amethyst, mountain crystal, ruby, zircon, garnet, corundum, topaz, tourmaline, titanite, emerald, gypsum and many others. There is even gold in river sediments. Metal ores: copper, lead, silver and iron, have been exploited here since the Middle Ages. The most famous, however, are the most beautiful Kaczawa agates in the world, which were also created due to the presence of volcanic processes in this region.

Very interesting here is the "Wilcza Góra" Reserve, which includes a quarry in which basalt was exploited from the chimney of a volcano active 17 million years ago. It revealed the extraordinary beauty of rocks resembling rose petals. It is also worth visiting Czartowska Skała, an interesting basalt mountain with a volcanic past.

Our video

We invite you to watch our video from this beautiful region.

Accommodations 

While visiting the area, we slept in a very nice Hotel Gwarna in Legnica, which is located in the old town and offers a lot of attractions, such as a swimming pool, sauna or a rooftop beach with a viewpoint and a beautiful panorama of the city. We were really impressed and the hotel is quite affordable. An additional advantage is free parking.

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.

Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you are looking for more ideas for interesting places to visit, we have it for you some options in the area. There are several attractions within a radius of 100 kilometers, that are worth adding to your travel plan.

• Książ Castle, distance: 36.5  km
• Czocha Castle, distance: 39.6  km
• Sky Walk Tower in Świeradów Zdrój, distance: 40.2  km
• Church of Peace in Świdnica, distance: 48.3  km
• Grodno Castle in Zagórze Śląskie, distance: 49.4  km
• Ostrów Tumski in Wrocław, distance: 82.7  km
• Wrocław Zoo with Afrkarium, distance: 84.7  km
• Kłodzko Fortress, distance: 86.1  km
• Mużakowa Arch Geopark, distance: 94.7  km
• Bad Muskau Castle, distance: 98  km