Dzierżoniów: City Walls, Church Art and Industrial History
Accommodation in Dzierżoniów
Dzierżoniów brings together different chapters of the city’s history: medieval defensive walls, church art and a museum dedicated to industrial history. There are also archaeological finds, a view over the Dzierżoniów Valley and a park with landscaped paths. If you enjoy filling your holiday with cultural discoveries, these topics offer several starting points for planning your stay.
Industrial History and Museum Visits
The Młyn Hilberta is a monument of industrial architecture. Carl Sigismund Hilbert and Gottlieb Hilbert built the complex in 1868; at the time, it was the most modern and largest of its kind in Silesia. Today, the Młyn is a museum. One-hour tours use historical tools and authentic equipment to offer a glimpse into the past of the food industry. Alongside the architecture, the visit also focuses on the work carried out with the equipment of the time.
A permanent exhibition at the Muzeum Miejskie Dzierżoniowa is dedicated to Zakłady Radiowe DIORA. It has been on display since 14 September 2013 and comprises a collection of around 100 radio models produced by DIORA. An archaeological exhibition covers a different period: it presents finds from the Dzierżoniów area dating from the late Palaeolithic, around 10,000 BC, through to the early modern period of the 16th and 17th centuries. The museum thus offers a look at both technological development and human history reaching far back in time.
Walls, Churches and Art
The Mury Obronne of Dzierżoniów were built towards the end of the 13th century on the orders of Duke Bolko I of Świdnica. About 30 towers stood along the first ring of defensive walls; 21 of them remain today. These figures illustrate the scale of the original complex and distinguish its original extent from the towers preserved to this day.
The city’s churches also reflect different periods. The Kościół św. Trójcy probably dates from the late 13th century and was likely originally a castle chapel; the actual year of construction is not known. The Kościół Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny was probably built by Augustinian Hermits in the 14th century. The Kościół św. Jerzego houses a monumental Mannerist Salvator altar dating from 1615–1616. Those interested in architecture and sacred art can include these buildings and the altar in their travel plans as different themes in the city’s history.
Route, Views and Green Spaces
The Dzierżoniowski Trakt Smoka is a tourist route to Dzierżoniów’s most interesting sights. You can explore it as a way to discover the city, focusing your attention on its attractions.
The gallery in the Town Hall tower offers a view over the Dzierżoniów Valley; a 25× magnification viewing telescope is also available there. For information about the city, there is also the Centrum Informacji Turystycznej at Rynek 1, run by the Muzeum Miejskie Dzierżoniowa. It offers maps, postcards, brochures and publications about Dzierżoniów and the Góry Sowie, as well as souvenirs and commemorative coins. The materials on offer and the view from the Town Hall tower provide two distinct perspectives on your stay.
Another facet of the city is the Park Miłośników Dzierżoniowa. It has paved paths and paths made of stone gravel, as well as a ground-level fountain and LED lighting. Benches and waste bins complete the facilities, and new trees and shrubs have been planted. The cityscape thus includes not only museums, architecture and historical exhibitions, but also landscaped paths and green spaces.
Discover More Places
If you would like to include other places in your travel plans: Bielawa, Mościsko, Gilów, Pieszyce and Niemcza.
For the broader travel overview: Reichenbach.
