A distinctive starting point for exploring Jawor is its architecture. The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica are Europe’s largest Baroque timber-framed religious buildings. The Church of Peace in Jawor was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. In the Church of St Martin in Jawor, a sculpture depicts Saint Martin in episcopal vestments; it dates from the 14th century. This offers a view that ranges from a distinctive building style to a medieval work of art.
The Regional Museum in Jawor offers another cultural connection: since 1995, it has organised the Jaworskie Koncerty Pokoju chamber music festival. If you are interested in music and architectural history, you can plan both as themes for your stay in Jawor. Check the dates of the relevant festival programme in advance.
Castles and their visible traces
Bolków Castle was built around the middle of the 13th century and expanded towards the end of that century by Duke Bolko I. A 25-metre-high tower offers expansive views over the Nysa Szalona valley. The 14th-century ruins of Świny Castle preserve other architectural details: fragments of vaults, stucco and dressed-stone portals, Gothic windows, and exterior sgraffito decorations. These two castles thus offer different insights into architectural history.
As part of the “Living History Lessons” at Bolków Castle, a demonstration is planned in the blacksmith’s workshop: a household item is forged from heated metal. Check the latest programme details and participation requirements before visiting. This keeps your plans flexible without assuming a specific demonstration date.
On foot through forests, valleys and volcanic landscapes
The hiking trails in Paszowice municipality showcase a variety of landscapes. “Leśna Przygoda” leads through the landscapes of the Kaczawskie Mountains and their foothills. The “Turystyczna” trail is about 12 kilometres long and passes through Paszowice, in the heart of the Kraina Wygasłych Wulkanów. On the “Szlak Salamandry,” the route passes through Jakuszowa and Myślibórz and over Rataj Hill. The trail descriptions offer different ways to choose a route: by landscape, length or the places along the way.
The “Widokowa” trail passes through Myślibórz, Jakuszowa, Siedmica, Grobla, Kłonice and Paszowice, as well as through the Kraina Wygasłych Wulkanów. Its described features include numerous viewpoints and opportunities to experience nature. The educational “Ptasi Trakt” trail in Pogwizdów has a different focus: it runs around a pond. The 68-hectare “Wąwóz Siedmicki” nature reserve is also in this landscape area. It extends across Jakuszowa and Nowa Wieś, in Paszowice municipality and in the southern part of the “Chełmy” Landscape Park.
Another hiking option is the red trail through “Chełmy” Landscape Park, from Bolków to Myślibórz; a short southern section passes through Bolków municipality. The “Szlak 4 Zamków” is designated as a tourist route and connects the medieval fortifications of Bolków municipality. Forests, ravines, valleys and streams shape the landscape along the way. Wild mouflons and salamanders may be found in this area—possible sightings, not guaranteed ones.
Cycling routes and getting around
The cycling routes starting from Bolków also take in a variety of landscapes. The blue route runs for about 5.5 kilometres along the Nysa Szalona and then passes through Sady Dolne, Sady Górne, Figlów, Nagórnik and Półwsie on its way back to Bolków. The yellow route also returns to Bolków, passing through Wierzchosławice, Wierzchosławiczki, Stare Rochowice, Płonina and Pastewnik; much of it runs through spruce forests. The approximate distance given for the blue route applies to the section along the river, not to the entire sequence of places listed.
For getting around Paszowice municipality: the S3 road runs for 16.1 kilometres through the area and has two junctions. As their layout may change, check the current traffic arrangements before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Chełmiec, Bolków, Kondratów, Granowice, Męcinka, Paszowice, Jastrowiec, Frankenstein.
For the regional travel overview: Lower Silesia.
