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| a view of the Ostróg Fort from the Warowna mountain |
I had no
idea that a place only 70km away of Wroclaw was a witness to events of world-importance.
Even though it happened 200 years, it is still very interesting. I am talking
about the biggest mountain fortress in Europe, namely the fortress and village
of Srebrna Góra (Festung Silberberg, Silver Mountain).
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| /www.forty.pl/ |
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| Donjon - the main part of the Srebrna Góra fortress |
In middle ages the place called Silberberg was
often hit by military confrontations, at first by the Hussite Wars, later also
by the Thirty Years' War, which left the area devastated. Being Silesian, then
Bohemian, it was finally annexed by King Frederick II of Prussia after the
First Silesian War with Austria in 1742. He wanted have a protection against
Austrians, so he decided to build a border fortress of the Prussian Army, which
was finished in 1778.
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| the plan of the Festung Silberberg (Srebrna Góra Fortress) |
The fortress was constructed on the Silver Mountain Pass
by 4,000 workers. The huge Silberberg Fortress guarded the passage to the
Kłodzko Valley and consisted of six forts and several forest bastions. It is
one of the most interesting examples of Polish military architecture. Its main building is a big Donjon. There were 150 casemates (fortress
rooms) located on three floors. There
were huge storehouses, nine wells, a chapel, prison, hospital, bakery, brewery,
craft workshops and a gunpowder mill. It held 3,756 soldiers with enormous stocks of ammunition,
food and firewood. The soldiers had 264 mortars
for the defence. Sounds really impressive!!!
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| /www.forty.pl/ |
The
picturesque village of Srebrna Góra was founded in the 14th century
as a mining settlement by Saxonian miners, who came to explore the silver deposits. At the beginning of the 16th century it stopped being
profitable, but still now it is possible to visit the well-hidden mining drifts.
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| colourful houses and the catholic church behind |
Napoleon and Protestant church in Rest Square
Mr Napoleon resting ;-)
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| Protestant church and the fortress far away in the background |
Currently, the place boasts of interesting urban layout in a triangle shape stretched
out along a steep valley . The fortress build on Warowna Mountain at the height
of 686m above the sea level in a narrow valley separating Bardzkie Mountains
from Owl Mountains overlooks the village
in a very dignified mannerJ. The views are breathtaking , the walking
routes interesting, the landscape –
really lovely and after all that you can enjoy a nice picnic inside the
fortress:)
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| The view on the Srebrna Góra village from the fortress |
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| The Ostróg fort |
Opening
hours of the Srebrna Góra fortress:
10:00-18:00
/April-September/
10:00-16:00 /October-March/
Holiday
weekends: 10:00-19:00
