Thursday 12 April 2012

THE BIGGEST HISTORICAL MOUNTAIN FORTRESS IN EUROPE


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). 

/www.forty.pl/
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.
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!!!

/www.forty.pl/
Unfortunately the Napoleonic army lay siege to  the fortress in 1807 and as a consequence  the town underneath was almost completely destroyed.


main entrance that leads to Donjon

Donjon
Donjon
Can you spot the icicles? 
Napoleon soldiers;-)

near the High Rock Fort
peeping into the High Rock Fort inside
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. 

colourful houses and the catholic church behind
Napoleon and Protestant church in Rest Square

Mr Napoleon resting ;-)



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:)
The view on the Srebrna Góra village from the fortress
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
Official website of the fortress


Photos by K. Szostak - all rights reserved