Historical sites in Lower Silesia

Historical Ruins and Monuments

This collection spans centuries of Lower Silesian history, from the medieval strongholds of Bolków and Chojnik to the UNESCO-listed 17th-century timber-framed Churches of Peace. It highlights significant 20th-century architecture like Wrocław’s Centennial Hall and the Four Domes Pavilion, alongside sobering World War II sites including the Gross-Rosen concentration camp. The list also features secluded ruins of manor houses and mountain castles, offering a comprehensive look at the region’s architectural heritage and wartime legacy.

Historical Ruins and Monuments — Map

Heinrich Götz / Public domain

A

Centennial Hall

Centennial Hall may refer to:

Aw58 / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Wrocław Cathedral

The St. John the Baptist Archcathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Wrocław and a landmark of the city of Wrocław in Poland.

C

Church of Peace Jawor

The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica in Lower Silesia. Poland, are 17th-century churches, named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648.

D

Church of Peace

The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica in Lower Silesia. Poland, are 17th-century churches, named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648.

Barbara Maliszewska / CC BY-SA 3.0 pl

E

Four Domes Pavilion

Designed by Hans Poelzig and built between 1911 and 1913, this modernist building was part of the Centennial Exhibition complex. It currently houses the Museum of Contemporary Art and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Jerzy Strzelecki / CC BY 3.0

F

Zamek w Gościszowie

Ruins of a 13th-century water castle, later expanded into a Renaissance residence. The complex was largely destroyed during military operations in 1945.

Małgorzata Gajecka / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Gross-Rosen concentration camp

Gross-Rosen was a network of Nazi concentration camps built and operated by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Bonio / CC BY-SA 3.0

H

Mausoleum in Wałbrzych

The Mausoleum in Wałbrzych, Schlesier-Ehrenmal is a cenotaph commemorating 170,000 Silesians who died during World War I, victims of…

I

"Muchołapka"

A mysterious dodecagonal concrete structure located at a former secret Nazi munitions factory. Its exact purpose remains a subject of historical debate, often linked to the Project Riese tunnels.

Alfista33 / CC BY-SA 3.0 pl

J

Chojnik Castle

Chojnik Castle is a castle located above the town of Sobieszów, today part of Jelenia Góra in southwestern Poland.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

K

Bolków Castle

Bolków Castle is a castle located in Bolków on the Castle Hill, with a 396 metres, where the hillside is cut by the Nysa Szalona river,…

Sławek Skierka / CC BY-SA 3.0

L

Świny Castle

Świny Castle - formerly a gord, as a stronghold existed in its location already in the fifth century - securing the Lubawecki mountain pass…

Tomasz Leśniowski / CC BY-SA 4.0

M

Stary Książ

An 18th-century 'artificial ruin' built in the Romantic style on the site of a former medieval castle. It is situated on a steep rocky promontory overlooking the Pełcznica River valley.

Zefira / CC BY-SA 3.0 pl

N

Zamek Rycerski Lipa

Ruins of a 14th-century knight's castle featuring a Gothic residential tower and remains of later Renaissance fortifications.

W. Korwin-Szymanowski / CC0

O

Kościół Ewangelicki w Żeliszowie

A late 18th-century elliptical Protestant church designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans. It is noted for its unique architecture and tiered wooden interior galleries, currently under restoration.

P

Ruina pałacu

Remnants of an 18th-century Baroque palace in Piotrowice, which served as a manor house before falling into ruin after World War II.

Małgorzata Gajecka / CC BY-SA 3.0

Q

Gross-Rosen concentration camp

Gross-Rosen was a network of Nazi concentration camps built and operated by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Arkadiusz Patelak / CC-BY-SA

R

Karpień Castle

Karpień Castle is located in Kłodzko County in the Golden Mountains.

Meteor2017 / CC BY-SA 3.0

S

Zamek Rogowiec

The ruins of a late 13th-century fortress, recognized as the highest-situated castle in Poland, built by Duke Bolko I the Strict.

T

Pałac Maniów Mały

The ruined remains of a former manor house and estate located in Maniów Mały.

Meteor2017 / CC BY-SA 3.0

U

Zamek Radosno

Ruins of a 13th-century watchtower castle in the Stone Mountains, featuring the remains of a cylindrical stone tower and defensive perimeters.

Małgorzata Gajecka / CC BY-SA 3.0

V

Memorial stone Nazi Gross Rosen concentration camp - subcamp Bunzlau

Gross-Rosen was a network of Nazi concentration camps built and operated by Nazi Germany during World War II.

MOs810 / CC BY-SA 4.0

W

Battle of the Katzbach

The Battle of the Katzbach on 26 August 1813, was a major battle of the Napoleonic Wars between the forces of the First French Empire under…

X

Ruiny zamku na Gromniku

Archaeological remains of a medieval castle and subsequent 19th-century structures located on the summit of Gromnik, the highest peak of the Strzelin Hills.

Other Lists

Lower Silesia Unmissables Editor's Choice: Wrocław Highlights Wrocław's Hidden Gems Archaeological and Historical Sites Castles and Palaces Churches and Religious Sites Historic Architecture Treasures Museums and Galleries Viewpoints and Nature Escapes