Zebrzydów: Church, Manor History and Route 5
Accommodation in Zebrzydów
Zebrzydów lies on the Czarna Woda at an elevation of about 215 m. For travellers interested in culture, its wealth of historic features is noteworthy: alongside a medieval castle site, the village has a church with furnishings from several centuries, manor remains, a cemetery chapel and two penance crosses. Route 5 also passes through Zebrzydów; the 23 km circular route includes other named places. When planning your trip, the question is whether the village’s history or its place on this longer route better matches your interests.
File:Kościół MB Szkaplerznej Zebrzydów.jpg
Photo: Robert Niedźwiedzki via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Church and artworks from several centuries
The branch church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel stands on a rise east of the centre and was built at the beginning of the 16th century. Inside are a late-Gothic stone baptismal font from the 16th century and a Baroque wooden polychrome altar from the 18th century. There is also an organ dating from 1874, built by the Świdnica firm “Schlag und Söhne”. The dates mark several periods of development: the church dates to the beginning of the 16th century, while the altar and organ were made much later. The church and medieval castle site are listed in the register of historic monuments.
Manor estates and historic buildings
The history of the manor estates reveals further layers from different periods. The manor house was built around 1860 and remodelled at the beginning of the 20th century. The lower manor site survives as a low, rectangular earthen mound, surrounded by remnants of a ditch and an outer bank. The remains are interpreted as the seat of the Lords of Seifferdau; this seat was built by the end of the 14th century at the latest. The upper manor site is a remnant of a former sołtys estate with a grange. The former estate had features of a “knightly” seat, including a ditch and a tower on a hill.
The school and its surroundings offer a different picture. The brick school building dates from the early 20th century and has both single- and two-storey sections. It stands in an extensive park enclosed by a fence from the same period. Together, the building and park offer a glimpse into the architectural history of a school. A cemetery chapel dates from around 1800; two penance crosses are set into the cemetery wall.
The Czarna Woda, a natural monument and Route 5
The village’s relationship with the landscape is also tangible: a small-leaved lime, designated a natural monument, stands beside the millrace. The Czarna Woda provides a geographical reference point, while the elevation of about 215 metres gives a general indication of the location. Route 5 runs from Marcinowice through Zebrzydów, Kątki, Wirki, Wiry and Tapadła, before returning to Marcinowice. The circular route is 23 km long. It extends beyond Zebrzydów, while the historic features relate to individual buildings in the village. If you are weighing up both, you can focus on the village’s individual buildings or on the route of the circuit.
More destinations
Świebodzice, Boleścin, Jugowa, Złoty Las, Striegau, Modliszów, Bystrzyca Górna, Jawor
For the broader travel overview: Świdnicki.
