Oleśnicki: Widawa Valley, Nature and Historic Places

The Widawa Valley and Routes by the Water

The Widawa Valley lies in the southern part of Oleśnicki County and is suitable for hiking, cycling, and kayaking. The Widawa also has a water route stretching more than 40 kilometers from Bierutów toward Wrocław. In Bierutów, there is a designated spot to launch kayaks onto the Widawa kayaking route. This means that active days can include a choice of routes on land as well as a stretch of river.

There are two cycling routes of different lengths, each with a clearly marked starting point. The green-marked “Trasa Doliny Widawy” is about 30 kilometers long and starts at Bierutów PKP railway station on Kolejowa Street. The red “Duża pętla twardogórska” is 46.5 kilometers long and starts at the Gminny Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji in Twardogóra. Bicycles and equipment such as helmets, pumps, and child seats can be rented there; overnight accommodation is also available.

Swimming Area and Walking Routes

Zalew Stradomia has a 300-meter-long sandy beach and a lifeguarded swimming area. Kayaks and pedal boats are available for seasonal rental. Other facilities include a beach volleyball court, a basketball court, boules lanes, and a children’s playground with a sandbox. This combination of swimming, water sports, and play areas may be a factor when planning a day by the water.

Those who prefer to walk or jog by the river will find two areas bordering the river along the recreational path by the Skorynia. Walking and jogging paths run along both riverbanks; there is also a children’s playground and a boules area. The municipality of Twardogóra also has hiking, cycling, recreational, walking, and educational trails, as well as an equestrian trail. This makes it possible to include different kinds of activity in your trip plans, without all the routes serving the same purpose.

Castles, Churches, and City History

Oleśnica is home to the Castle of the Dukes of Oleśnica, also known as Oleśnica Castle or the Castle in Oleśnica. It is considered the city’s most valuable historic monument and one of the largest and best-preserved castles in Lower Silesia. Over the course of its history, it existed as a medieval castle complex, a Gothic castle, and a Renaissance residence of the dukes, and was modernized several times. These successive historic forms make the castle a distinctive point of interest for anyone interested in the region’s architectural history.

The Minor Basilica of St. John the Apostle in Oleśnica also brings together several aspects of history: it is considered one of the oldest churches in Silesia. Its church interior houses a chained library, founded by Karl II in 1594 and still located in the same room. Another date in the city’s history concerns Oleśnica’s new brick town hall: according to J. Sinapius, it was built in 1410.

Bierutów offers other traces of the past. Its defensive walls probably date from the first half of the 14th century; much of their original course has been preserved. Today, only the tower, without its spire, remains of the town hall. The town hall tower probably dates from the first half of the 15th century.

Collections in Twardogóra

The Museum of the Twardogóra Region houses prints, documents, coins, objects representing material culture, and edged weapons. These historic mementos have been collected since 1957 at the suggestion of history teacher and later school principal Alojzy Zielecki. The exhibition was named “Muzeum Szkolne Ziemi Twardogórskiej” and opened to the public on February 15, 1977. Twardogóra is also home to a private collection of 30 fragments of the Berlin Wall, assembled and made accessible to the public by Ludwik Wasecki.

Places in Oleśnicki County

Discover more places in Oleśnicki County: Olszówka, Sosnowka, Domasławice, Oleśnica, Twardogóra, Dobroszyce, Międzybórz, Jenkowice, Dobrzeń, Zawidowice and Bierutów.

For the main travel overview: Lower Silesia.