Kłodzko Fortress

1. What is and where is the fortress?

A well-preserved, large fortress in Klodzko, which is a defense system from the 17th and 18th centuries. There are two parts of it, first is located on the Forteczna Mountain (369 m above sea level) in the city center and the second, smaller fort Owcza Gora on the other side of the river. In total defensive buildings cover an area of over 30 hectares and its east-west line is 400 metres long. The fortress is one of the most important and one of the most impressive monuments of Dolny Slask and at the same time it is the most distinct and recognizable piece of architecture in Kłodzko. From the "upper" part you can the beautiful cityscape with the Snieznik massif and Szczeliniec in the background. Inside, you will see well-preserved legacy of military culture and exhibitions devoted to the history of this place, and in underground labyrinths you will feel the atmosphere of old soldier's life.

 

2. Brief history

The history of the Klodzko fortress begins with the build of the medieval wooden fortified castle in the 10th century, rebuilt into a residential defensive brick castle of the rulers of Klodzko. The largest reconstruction of the Klodzko castle, made adjustments, which most of survived to this day, began in the 17th century. In 1622, the architect from Wroclaw and the fortifier Valentin von Säbisch frame a plan of strengthen the castle and transform it into a fortress with a bastion. At that time, the structure in the shape of a crown consisting of three bastions shielded with triangular ravelins was created. The front of these fortifications was directed to the north, because there was the most difficult open space to defend. From the south, where today's main entrance is, the castle had a natural defense in the form of a steep, stony mountain slope. In the 80s of the 17th century, the construction was supervised by the famous Prague architect and architect - Jakobo Carove.

The second and final stage of the extension is due to the King of Prussia, Frederick II the Great, who got back Klodzko County from Austria after the First Silesian War in 1742, ordered the expansion of the Klodzko Fortress as one of the most important defense points of the border of his country. The designer was general and fortified Gerhard Cornelius von Walrave. In 1769 the highest point of the fortress was built - a donjon - a massive tower predicted as the last place of resistance and organization of a counterattack. Inside it there were three levels of storage and casemates deep up to 20 meters, with an armory, pharmacy, laboratory and crew rooms. Donjon was shielded by a chain of bastions, redoubts and redans and it was surrounded by a system of dry moats with a depth of up to 10 meters.

In the second half of the 19th century, the fortress lost its defensive character. It was used as a military warehouse, prison, and during World War II also as a forced labor place, in which electronic components for U-boats and rockets V1 and V2 were produced. After the war, military warehouses and a winery were located in the fortress. In 1960, the fortress was officially recognized as the monument and made available to tourists. 

 

3. What are we going to see?

Currently, the Klodzko Fortress is one of the most interesting military facilities in Poland. You can see here a historical exhibition about the fortress, defensive bastions, a lapidarium, interesting exhibitions and underground labyrinths.

The upper part
Visiting the upper part of the Fortress Klodzko you you will learn the history of the object, starting from the tenth century ending with the twentieth century.
While visiting the guides will tell, among others, life looked like in the Prussian army soldiers, will present one of the guns, the casemates and bastions. From the bastions towering over the city you can see the view of the city and the highest peaks of mountain surrounding the Klodzko region.

 

Kontrminowe Corridors
During the siege of the fortress, one of the methods of fighting with the enemy was making a tunnels under the cannons in order to blow them up. That is why this system of corridors, was created. The defenders of the fortress could both blow up artillery positions of the enemy as well as eliminate possible enemy heaps. The total length of these corridors is approximately 40 km and because they were never used, they survived in their original form and part of the maze is open to visitors.

 

 

The Big tick
It is a building within the Main Fortress. Currently, there are exhibition halls presenting various aspects of everyday life on the fortress. You can see how the shooting range, gunpowder magazine or the meeting room of the commanders of the Prussian army looked like in the past, as well as see how the weapons were prepared and how the wounded were dressed.

 

 

 

 

 

4.The days of Fortress of Klodzko

The battle of the fortress
During the Napoleonic wars, the most-known siege of the Klodzko fortress took place. The skirmishes was taking place in the whole area for more than 3 months, until the night of 23/24 June 1807. The French took the assault and as a result the defense commander General von Gőtzen decided to surrender the fortress. Since 2006, on the slopes of the Fortress, a reconstruction of the battle takes place. Reconstruction groups from all over Poland come to Klodzko and take a part in the battle.

 

Sources:
http://www.ziemia-klodzka.pl/twierdza-klodzka-i-labirynty
http://www.klodzko.pl/pl/dla-turysty/atrakcje-turystyczne/31-twierdza-klodzko
http://www.twierdza.klodzko.pl
https://www.polskieszlaki.pl/twierdza-klodzka.htm