Grodno Castle

Grodno Castle stands on the summit of Choina, rising to 450 metres above sea level in the Wałbrzych Mountains, above the valley of the Bystrzyca river that separates the Owl Mountains from the Wałbrzych Mountains. At the foot of the hill lies the man-made Bystrzyckie Lake, together forming one of the more picturesque castle locations in Lower Silesia.

Construction and early owners

The castle is entered in the register of historic monuments, and its present Gothic walls are dated to the second half of the 14th century. It was probably built by Bolko I, Duke of Świdnica-Jawor, though the sources are not conclusive on this point. A further building phase is associated with Duke Bernard and his brother Bolko II. After the death of Bolko II's wife, Duchess Agnes of Habsburg, the castle passed to the Bohemian Crown in 1392.

Expansion and destruction

In the 15th century the castle was held by knightly families who, during the Hussite Wars, also engaged in banditry. The largest expansion of the fortifications was carried out between 1545 and 1587 by Matthias von Logau. The Thirty Years' War brought Swedish occupation and partial destruction of the castle.

From abandoned ruin to reconstruction

The last owners of the castle, abandoned from 1774, were the Zedlitz family. In 1824 Professor Büsching began reconstruction work, which however changed the historic character of the building. Further conservation work was carried out in 1868-1869 and at the end of the 19th century. By 1904 the castle had gained restored decorative elements and housed a hostel.

The castle today

A museum was established at the castle in 1965 on the initiative of the PTTK branch in Wałbrzych, its collection made up of post-war finds and exhibits loaned from the Regional Museum in Wałbrzych. Since January 2009 the castle and museum have been run by the municipality of Walim, which has owned the site since 2008. The municipality brought a water supply to the castle, and on 24 April 2018 it opened a hotel and restaurant on the castle grounds.

Visiting route

The tourist route leads through the medieval defensive walls, Renaissance rooms, the gatehouse building from 1570, the castle chapel and the tower, which offers one of the finer views in the area. The grounds also host the Knights' Inn, accessible without a castle admission ticket, night tours are organised, and it is possible to stay overnight in the gatehouse building. A Multimedia Bioeducation Centre also operates here. A combined ticket allows visitors to combine a tour of the castle with a visit to the Underground Walim Factories.

Nearby

Directly beside the castle, on the same hill, lies the Góra Choina nature reserve. Within a few kilometres it is also worth visiting the Jedlinka Palace and the Riese Włodarz Underground Complex.

Practical information

• Address: Zagórze Śląskie, Walim municipality, Wałbrzych County, castle on the summit of Choina.
• Hours: from October to April Monday to Friday 9am-4pm (last entry), weekends 9am-5pm; from May to September Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, weekends 9am-6pm. The castle is closed on Easter Sunday, 1 November and 24 and 25 December. It is worth checking the hours on the castle's website before a visit.
• What to expect: a visiting route along the walls and through the interiors, a viewing tower, an inn, and beside the castle a car park and the option of staying overnight in the gatehouse building.