Discover Rydułtowy

The railway tunnel is considered the oldest in Poland and the longest in Silesia; it is 727 metres long and closed to pedestrians. Above it is the 50-metre-long Ścieżka Powstań Śląskich, with three wings dedicated to the Silesian uprisings of 1919, 1920 and 1921. Skałka is a protected geological documentation site where Carboniferous sandstones of the paralic series are exposed.

The railway tunnel is a distinctive structure in the city. Its length and its status as Poland’s oldest railway tunnel and the longest in Silesia give it a special place. You cannot walk through the tunnel itself: it is closed to pedestrian traffic. The Ścieżka Powstań Śląskich above it is a separate, 50-metre-long route. Its three wings commemorate the uprisings of 1919, 1920 and 1921.

The surviving brick familoki of the former “Karol” or “Karola” workers’ settlement, known locally as “Karlik”, also tell the story of the area’s past. Several multi-storey buildings stand between Bema and Strzelców Bytomskich streets, north of the city centre. Buildings from former mining headframes have also been preserved in the wider region. The Zabudowania KWK “Rydułtowy” complex includes a memorial room in a historic building, a hundred-year-old small-goods weighhouse.

Skałka is legally protected as a geological documentation site. Carboniferous sandstones of the paralic series are exposed there. A walking route leads to this outcrop, which is considered one of the few well-preserved examples of its kind in the voivodeship and offers convenient access for observation. Anyone interested in how rocks form and what they are made of will find a tangible reason here to explore Rydułtowy’s geological side.

For a different kind of relaxation, there is the graduation tower, with its salt-rich microclimate. Visitors can spend time nearby and rest on wooden loungers. Geological observation and a quiet visit to the graduation tower thus offer two distinct ways to spend time.

Rydułtowska Fikołkownia RAFA offers a BMX track, a skatepark and a climbing wall. Sports enthusiasts meet at Staw Machnikowiec for MTB competitions and cross-country races; the pond is also considered a pleasant place to relax. Staw Zawalisko can be included in a car, cycling or walking tour of the most scenic areas around Rydułtowy.

The Monument to Struggle and Victory is among the city’s memorial sites; all official national, regional and local commemorations take place there. The Dembczyk Monument stands exactly where the insurgent Jerzy Dembczyk died. The Evangelical-Augsburg cemetery also contains a memorial park with a central monument made from salvaged gravestones, along with other preserved remains. These sites have different purposes: they commemorate public ceremonies, an individual and preserved cemetery remains.

The present-day Church of St George is a large neo-Gothic building, consecrated in December 1896. Beside the church stands an atonement cross, considered Poland’s only double-crossbar atonement cross and the tallest atonement cross in the Silesian Voivodeship. It is also known as a Bożogrobcy or Miechowici cross, or a Karawaka.

The Rydułtowski Ośrodek Kulturalno-Oświatowy ROKO brings educational, artistic and recreational functions together in one place. Alongside its historic buildings, memorial sites and outdoor activities, it shows Rydułtowy as a destination with several distinct themes. When choosing a hotel, you can first consider which of these aspects you would like to focus on during your stay.

For more comparisons between places, you can also visit Syrynia, Połomia, Wodzisław Śląski, Mszana, Borowa, Pszów, Radlin and Skrzyszów.

How long is the railway tunnel in Rydułtowy?

The tunnel is 727 metres long. It is considered the oldest railway tunnel in Poland and the longest in Silesia.

Can pedestrians walk through the railway tunnel?

No. The railway tunnel is closed to pedestrian traffic. The Ścieżka Powstań Śląskich above the tunnel is a separate, 50-metre-long route.

What can you see at Skałka?

Skałka is a protected documentation site where Carboniferous sandstones of the paralic series are exposed. A walking route leads there, and the outcrop offers convenient access for observation.

For the broader travel overview: Wodzisław.