Discover Jawor: Churches, Castles and Trails

• Jawor is home to the Churches of Peace, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.
• Bolków Castle was built around the middle of the 13th century; towards the end of that century, Duke Bolko I had it extended.
• The “Turystyczna” hiking trail is about 12 kilometres long and runs through the municipality of Paszowice.
• The S3 runs for 16.1 km through the municipality of Paszowice and has two junctions there.

The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica are Europe’s largest Baroque religious buildings built using half-timbered construction. The Church of Peace in Jawor has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Those interested in religious architecture will also find the Church of St Martin in Jawor, which houses a 14th-century sculpture of St Martin in episcopal robes.

The castles, too, tell stories of different eras. Bolków Castle dates from around the middle of the 13th century; Duke Bolko I extended it towards the end of that century. Its 25-metre-high tower offers sweeping views over the Nysa Szalona valley. The ruins of Świny Castle date back to the 14th century. Surviving architectural features and decorations include fragments of vaults, stucco and dressed-stone portals, Gothic windows and exterior sgraffito decoration.

In Słup, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with its cemetery chapels, is located on the Lower Silesian Cistercian Trail. Since 1995, the Regional Museum in Jawor has organised the Jaworskie Koncerty Pokoju chamber music festival. Architecture, art and music thus offer distinct cultural themes.

There are several different routes for hiking. “Leśna Przygoda” is in the municipality of Paszowice and leads through the picturesque landscapes of the Kaczawskie Mountains and their foothills. “Turystyczna” also runs through the municipality of Paszowice, in the heart of the Land of Extinct Volcanoes; its stated length is about 12 kilometres. The “Widokowa” trail passes through Myślibórz, Jakuszowa, Siedmica, Grobla, Kłonice and Paszowice. It runs through the Land of Extinct Volcanoes and offers numerous viewpoints and nature experiences.

Other hiking options each have their own geographical focus: “Szlak Salamandry” passes through Jakuszowa and Myślibórz and over Rataj Hill in the municipality of Paszowice. The “Ptasi Trakt” educational trail is in Pogwizdów and loops around a pond. A red hiking trail runs through the “Chełmy” Landscape Park from Bolków to Myślibórz; a short southern section passes through the municipality of Bolków.

Cycling routes are also described. The blue cycling route from Bolków initially follows the Nysa Szalona River for about 5.5 km, then returns to Bolków via Sady Dolne, Sady Górne, Figlów, Nagórnik and Półwsie. The yellow route returns to Bolków via Wierzchosławice, Wierzchosławiczki, Stare Rochowice, Płonina and Pastewnik; much of it runs through picturesque spruce forests. If you would rather link cultural sights, the “Szlak 4 Zamków” is designated as a tourist route connecting the medieval fortifications of the municipality of Bolków.

The sights mentioned offer a range of themes for planning your trip: religious buildings and museum culture, castle history, hiking or cycling routes. When choosing a hotel in Jawor, you can consider which of these themes matters most for your trip. The pages for Jastrowiec, Paszowice, Męcinka, Bolków, Kondratów, Granowice and Chełmiec provide further guidance. If you would like to compare more destinations, you can also explore Kłodzki.

For planning your journey by car, the S3 is a useful point of reference: it crosses the municipality of Paszowice for 16.1 km and has two junctions there.

Which sight in Jawor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

The Church of Peace in Jawor was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.

How long is the “Turystyczna” hiking trail?

The trail is about 12 kilometres long and runs through the municipality of Paszowice.

What is special about the “Szlak 4 Zamków”?

The route, designated as a tourist trail, connects the medieval fortifications of the municipality of Bolków and passes through forests, gorges and valleys, as well as alongside streams. Wild mouflons and salamanders may be found there.

For the broader travel overview: Lower Silesia.