Castles and palaces around Bolesławiec.
The Bolesławiec region, its forests and fertile lands were places where the nobility built beautiful residences. Some of them date back to the Middle Ages, while others were built in more recent times. These were beautiful residences, which we would like to describe briefly, especially since they no longer exist today. One of the most beautiful palaces is Kliczkow. It is situated in a beautiful park with picturesque stands of trees. It was rebuilt in 1881–1883 by the architect Kayser. Its style referred to Baroque palaces. In 1945, it was intact and fully furnished. Later, it served many functions, including as the headquarters of the Training Grounds Command; one wing burned down during a fire at one of the scouting camps. It is gradually falling into ruin. The photograph shows its condition from before 1939.
The palace in Gościszów
One of the oldest Lower Silesian palaces in the Bolesławiec area was the palace in Gościszów. The von Warnsdorf family owned Gościszów between 1385 and 1632; during this period, the palace was built, although its final form dates from the Baroque period. Various styles have survived there, particularly Renaissance elements (sgraffito), rich ornamentation, and Baroque figures around the palace and along the moat surrounding it. This resulted from the palace’s reconstruction in the style of a romantic old castle in 1717 by Hens Henryk VI von Hochberg, from the well-known princely family whose owners also included the owners of Książ Castle.
Notable figures from Nowogrodziec.
An outstanding figure from Lower Silesia was Josef Ignaz Schnabel, a great composer, choirmaster and reformer of organ music in the 19th century. He was born in Nowogrodziec on 24 May 1767. He completed his Catholic schooling there and studied music in Wrocław and Paris. He worked as an organist at St. Clare’s Church in Wrocław, and from 1805 he was choirmaster and principal organist at Wrocław Cathedral. He gave many concerts and composed magnificent works of organ music, which were performed throughout Europe by the greatest composers. His Psalms were particularly notable, and Psalm Eight, “Our Lord God,” was regarded as his greatest work. It was performed throughout Germany: in 1833 in Potsdam, in 1834 in Jena, in 1837 in Vienna, in 1842 in Berlin, and in 1849 in Leipzig. Concerts of his music are still held today in the famous cathedral in Cologne. He died in 1831 at the age of 64. His monument stood in Wrocław until 1945.