- Type
- Ruin
- Location
- Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
- Coordinates
- 50.8611°, 15.9119°
History
Tradition holds that the castle was built around 1375 by a courtier of Duke Bolko II from the Bolcz family, and in the 15th century it became a nest of robber knights sympathetic to the Hussites. Destroyed in fighting with Silesian townsmen, it was rebuilt in 1517–1518, and from 1537 to 1543 it belonged to Justus Ludwik Decius of Kraków, secretary to King Sigismund the Old, who adapted it to firearms with a barbican, artillery towers and a dry moat. Later owners included the Heilmann and Schaffgotsch families. The Swedes took it in 1645 and set fire to the living quarters on leaving – it has been a ruin ever since. In the 19th century, as tourism grew in the Sudetes, the ruins were secured and an inn was built beside them.
What to see
Trails from Janowice Wielkie lead to the ruins on a granite outcrop at about 561 metres. Walls link two huge rocks to form a small courtyard; parts of the tower, living quarters, barbican, artillery towers and gate survive. The rocks look out over the Jelenia Góra Valley and the Karkonosze, and the crags around are popular with climbers.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q9386509
Popularity: articles about this site in 13 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).