Museums and technical monuments

It houses one of Europe’s largest collections of historical Silesian porcelain, a carefully selected collection of porcelain from leading European manufacturers, an exhibition of Polish ceramics from the 1950s and 60s, temporary exhibitions, and a gallery of contemporary Polish painting.

This is an incredibly valuable technical monument in this part of Europe. Spanning 4.5 hectares, it features post-industrial original buildings, machinery, winding towers, and underground tunnels from the former “Julia” Coal Mine. Today, the revitalised site is showcased by guides who are former miners. The Old Mine is a venue for many events, offering a rich educational and cultural programme for residents and tourists.

A museum created thanks to the passion of Mieczysław Bojko and Nadia Makuchowska. It gathers cultural assets and various souvenirs, including items from the pre-war era and the PRL period (tools, furniture, dishes, old books, photographs, etc.). Additionally, there is a small gallery featuring paintings by the owner. The museum offers a “sentimental journey into the past”.

The museum was established on the site of a former locomotive depot in Jaworzyna Śląska and boasts one of the largest collections of historic railway rolling stock in this part of Europe – featuring around 150 rail vehicles. A highlight is the chance to take a ride on the “Steam Route”.

This massive stone water dam, built in 1914, is a technical monument. It stands 44 m high and 230 m long. The construction of the dam created the artificial reservoir, Lake Bystrzyckie.

During World War II, a secret Nazi German project codenamed “Riese” (German for Giant) was carried out in the Owl Mountains and at Książ Castle. Enormous underground tunnels were built by the hands of prisoners from the Gross-Rosen camp. The purpose of the project remains unknown to this day. Parts of the underground can be visited, including:

Osówka Underground City in Głuszyca
This is the most extensive part of the Riese complex. It consists of underground adits and surface structures – on the surface, you can find the buildings:

Walim Adits in Walim
Three adits are open for tourists to walk through, possibly intended for the production of V1 and V2 weapons.

Książ Castle Underground in Wałbrzych
The underground tunnels beneath the castle are located on two levels, and the castle itself was one of the headquarters for the Todt Organisation, which supervised the work. It is suspected that one of Hitler’s headquarters was to be established at Książ.