Parks and nature
a floristic reserve protecting rare mountain plants in the highest parts of the Śnieżnik Massif
Museums
the only institution in Poland devoted to fire, matches and lighters, in a former Protestant church
a 19th-century hilltop park with paths, a viewing area with a spring and a swimming pool
Cemeteries and monuments
a baroque column from 1736 carved by Anton Jörg, standing on the market square of Bystrzyca Kłodzka
Entertainment
a shooting range on the edge of a forest with a view of Śnieżnik, offering training for beginners
Cemeteries and monuments
a stone punishment pillar from 1556, twice moved around the market square, with a Latin inscription about divine punishment
the underground spaces of a former brewery and prison, toured among twelve stations with audio dramas
Cemeteries and monuments
a baroque sculpture from 1704, probably the second-oldest figure of St John of Nepomuk in Poland
Historic sites
three 17th-century residential townhouses on the heritage register, viewed only from outside
Culture
a municipal library from 1946, with a network of seven branches in the surrounding towns and villages
Churches and monasteries
a baroque votive chapel from 1681 by the bridge on the road to Kłodzko
Attractions in Bystrzyca Kłodzka: a match museum, an underground route, baroque monuments and a hilltop park. See what to pick.
Start with the market square and its surroundings, because most of the sights are close together. On Plac Wolności stands the baroque Holy Trinity Column from 1736, the work of Anton Jörg. A few steps away, on Plac Szpitalny by the bridge over the Nysa Kłodzka river, you will find the statue of St John of Nepomuk from 1704. On Mały Rynek (the Small Square) you can see the pillory from 1556, moved twice. A German inscription carved into the post records those moves.
At Plac Wolności 6-8 stand three seventeenth-century townhouses. The houses at Plac Wolności 6-8 are private homes, so you can view them only from the outside. By the road to Kłodzko, right next to the bridge, stands the baroque chapel of St Francis Xavier. It was built in 1681 as a votive offering for the town surviving a plague.
You have a few good indoor addresses here. The Phillumeny Museum is the only museum in Poland devoted to fire, matches and lighters. It is housed in a former Protestant church on Mały Rynek, a brick building from 1821-1822. It is a good choice for couples and families, and also for solo travellers.
The second address is the Underground Tourist Route. It leads through renovated cellars of a former brewery and prison on Kupiecka Street. The route opened in 2023, and new stairs joined two parts that for decades functioned separately. For a quiet afternoon there is also the public library at Plac Wolności 16.
If you prefer something more active, consider the Sudetes shooting range in Kolonia, just outside town. It has a view of Śnieżnik and offers training for beginners. People with their own weapons and licences are also welcome.
For a short walk, choose Góra Floriańska, also called Parkowa. It is a hill with a nineteenth-century town park that was renovated in 2020-2022. There are paths, stone steps, a viewing area with a spring and a swimming pool in the southern part of the park. From the hill you can walk to the Phillumeny Museum and the Holy Trinity Column.
Higher up, in the Eastern Sudetes, lies the Śnieżnik Kłodzki nature reserve, which covers the highest parts of the Śnieżnik Massif. It protects rare mountain plants and insects, among them the tall primrose, regarded as a world endemic.
On a tight budget, look at the list of free places in Bystrzyca Kłodzka. Travelling alone? Check the Solo selection. And on the page about monuments in Bystrzyca Kłodzka you will learn more about the sculptures on the square.
If you have more time, the Kłodzko County offers attractions in Kłodzko, Kudowa-Zdrój, Nowa Ruda, Lądek-Zdrój and Stronie Śląskie.
