When travelling to other towns or countries during the holidays, we are often fascinated by various traces of the past. We forget that interesting historic sites can also be found in our own town without much effort. Set amid the greenery of the parks, the remains of fortifications have stood for centuries, and we often fail to notice them.
These are fragments of defensive walls that have survived since the 15th century. Like many other towns in the Middle Ages, Bolesławiec was surrounded by wooden and earth ramparts. However, they did not provide sufficient protection, since the Hussites entering the town had no difficulty burning the gates. Given the uncertain situation in Silesia, the residents decided to alter the fortifications. In 1433, the town’s moats were deepened and modernised, and in 1479 the fortification of Bolesławiec with massive walls began
The town was encircled by a double ring of fortifications, and the road into it led through three gates: Górna (at the outlet of today’s Sierpnia 80 Street), Dolna (at the outlet of Prusa Street where it meets K. Świerczewskiego Street), and Mikołajska (at the outlet of Kutuzowa Street). The gates were built on a rectangular or square plan and had vaulted passages and pedestrian gates. The rooms above the passageways served as accommodation for guards, who were required to close the gates at specified times. Tolls were also collected from merchants at Dolna Gate; at the other gates, announcements of the town council were made public, while Mikołajska Gate had the privilege of selling small quantities of salt. The gates were treated as the town’s showcase. They were richly decorated with sculptures on religious themes. The town’s defences were also strengthened by ponds surrounding it to the south.
In the 15th century, Bolesławiec withstood several sieges that ended with the attackers withdrawing or paying a cash ransom, and often one paid in beer, which was known for its high quality.
The threat of war with the Turks was the reason why, in 1529, the buildings along with the church in front of Mikołajska Gate were demolished, while the walls were repaired and coated with mortar. Concern for the technical condition of the fortifications accompanied the townspeople throughout the period, as evidenced by numerous conservation works in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The 19th century proved the massive fortifications to be obsolete. In 1813, retreating French troops blew up all the gates and part of the adjacent walls. In this situation, the townspeople decided to dismantle the fortifications. The stone figures decorating the gates were moved to the square by the church. In 1823, the remainder of Górna Gate was demolished; in 1837, a passage was opened to today’s Daszyńskiego Street; and in 1867, the moats along the town’s northern edge and the castle pond were finally filled in.
The final stage in tidying up the parks created in this way was the demolition, in 1870, of the so-called Głodowa Tower, adjacent to the site of the former Dominican monastery.
Today, traces of the former fortifications remain, still making it possible to clearly reconstruct the course of the defensive walls, especially along B. Kubika Street, Aleja Partyzantów, and A. Mickiewicza Street. Beautifully integrated into the greenery, they bear witness to bygone centuries.