In 1813, according to Napoleon’s plans, Bolesławiec was to become the site of a decisive clash with the forces of the enemies of the Sixth Coalition.
The French Emperor decided to transform Bolesławiec into a fortress. He wanted to defend himself here for at least two weeks. He entrusted this task to Marshal Auguste Marmont, commander of the VI Corps of the Grande Armée, stationed near the city since June 1813.
Intensive fortification and construction work continued from 22 July to 16 August. The system of the city’s defenses was thoroughly rebuilt, and warehouses, storage facilities and a hospital were organized.
The strategist and commander was mistaken in the case of Bolesławiec. The city never became an impassable obstacle for its enemies. The decisive battle took place on the Kaczawa River on 26 August 1813, near Legnica. Thus ended the Emperor’s dreams of Bolesławiec’s strategic importance.
When the French troops had to withdraw, the situation became dramatic. Wanting to prevent the enemy from using the city, the soldiers blew up the gates and destroyed the fortifications and the powder magazine.
After the end of the Napoleonic campaign, the municipal authorities had to make a difficult decision: should the defensive walls be rebuilt or not? Ultimately, it was decided that rebuilding the fortifications had no future. Instead, a picturesque promenade—the city’s planty—was created around the remains of the defensive walls. From the 1840s onward, it was developed in accordance with contemporary urban-planning trends as a ring-shaped park complex accompanied by representative new public buildings and villas belonging to wealthy townspeople.