Old Towns

Wałbrzych
The burgher buildings of the Wałbrzych market square date back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Of particular value are: the House Under the Atlantes (no. 9), the House Under the Three Roses (no. 22), and the House Under the Anchor (no. 23), with an anchor crowning the top of the building, symbolising the overseas contacts of local linen exporters. A significant change in the appearance of the market square occurred in 1857, when the old town hall standing here was demolished, and a new town hall was built at the nearby Magistracki Square. Next to the market square, at Kościelny Square, there is a Classicist evangelical church from the end of the 18th century, and the Porcelain Museum is nearby.

Świdnica
Świdnica’s old town is distinguished by its historic, compact buildings and an urban layout of the market square that has remained unchanged since medieval times. Colourful tenement houses, carved Baroque fountains, and the rebuilt town hall tower, from which you can admire the city panorama, are the hallmarks of the Świdnica market square. The Museum of Old Merchantry is also located here. Near the market square, the Cathedral of St Stanislaus and St Wenceslaus towers over the city, and the evangelical Church of Peace (a UNESCO World Heritage site) is also located close to the square.

Strzegom
Strzegom’s old town is characterised by richly decorated tenement houses rebuilt after WWII, as well as villas and outbuildings. Within the city centre, the following stand out: the Neo-Gothic Town Hall, the 14th-century Market Tower, a former Carmelite monastery, Neo-Romanesque city baths, stone chapels and towers along the medieval defensive walls, and a railway viaduct dating from 1911. The city landscape
is dominated by the silhouette of the 14th-century minor basilica, featuring the oldest working bell, and Góra Krzyżowa (Cross Hill).

Nowa Ruda
It’s worth exploring Nowa Ruda following a planned route, the so-called ‘Walking trail of the town on the Włodzica River’. The route is marked in the field with a yellow and red square, and it takes about an hour to complete. Detailed information, suggestions for other trails, and interesting places (such as the historic town hall and St Nicholas’ Church) are described in the Nowa Ruda City mobile app, which can be downloaded to your phone from the PLAY or App Store by searching for ‘Nowa Ruda’.