Bardo brings two distinct aspects of the destination into focus: the Nysa Kłodzka Gorge and a long religious history. Historical buildings and opportunities to view the river landscape from the water or a lookout point add to the appeal. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on culture, landscape or both.

River Landscape and Waterway

Przełom Bardzki, also known as Cud Sudetów, is a 14-kilometre middle section of the Nysa Kłodzka between Ławica (Młynowo) and Bardo. The lookout point at Obryw Skalny offers a view of Bardo and the gorge. These two details offer different perspectives on the landscape: the length of the river section and the panorama from the lookout point.

A waterway also runs along the Nysa Kłodzka from Bystrzyca Kłodzka through Kłodzko and Bardo to the village of Topola. While paddling on the river, you may encounter mouflons, salamanders, grey herons or brown trout; sightings are possible but not guaranteed. As water levels can affect paddling conditions, it is worth checking the current situation before setting out.

Pilgrimage History and Historical Buildings

The Kaplica Górska was built from 1617 to 1619 on the summit of Góra Bardzka. The summit is 583 metres above sea level and is now called Kalwaria. The Maryi spring lies about halfway along the way there. A small brick chapel encloses the spring; it was built in 1893. Together, these places reflect the religious history of the summit, while keeping their dates of origin distinct.

The present-day Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built from 1686 to 1704. The Redemptorist monastery next to the church houses the Museum of Sacred Art, founded in 1967. Its collection includes paintings, sculptures, liturgical vessels and vestments, other liturgical objects, and publications on the cult of Our Lady of Bardo. Another historical depiction is the moving panoramic nativity scene, created to commemorate 700 years of pilgrimage to Bardo over the period from 1270 to 1970.

Older traces are also part of the town’s story: well-preserved remains of an early medieval castle settlement dating from the 10th to the 13th century can be found along Noworudzka and Główna streets. They are among Bardo’s oldest monuments. A stone bridge also crosses the Nysa Kłodzka; its construction was completed in 1589. Following reconstruction in 1909, it acquired its present-day Gothic appearance.

Plan Your Routes and Journey

For travellers interested in cycling, the singletrack routes offer another way to explore the area: according to the municipal tourism information, the routes based in Bardo extend across seven municipalities in the Kłodzko Valley. This means Bardo can be explored through both its heritage sites and outdoor activities, without combining the different themes into a single outing.

Bardo Śląskie railway station is on the Wrocław–Międzylesie and Wrocław–Kudowa lines; Bardo Przyłęk is listed as the nearest station. Check the current timetables for your travel date. The historical sites, lookout point and river route offer concrete options for choosing between a cultural or landscape focus; which ones you include depends on what interests you most on your trip.

Discover more destinations: Kamieniec Ząbkowicki, Złoty Stok, Frankenstein, Srebrna Góra, Budzów.

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