Water parks and pools
an indoor pool with a 60-metre slide, saunas and a graduation tower in Świebodzice
a rebuilt 19th-century cemetery chapel with stained-glass windows commemorating the pilgrimage of John Paul II
Entertainment
four lanes for bowling and skittles with an offer of birthdays and team-building events, run by the town's Sports and Recreation Centre
Churches and monasteries
the ruin of a Romanesque defensive church, the oldest sacred monument in Świebodzice
Entertainment
a shooting range with lanes for beginners, courses ahead of the firearms licence exam, and branches across the region
Parks and nature
hills around Książ Castle with nature reserves, old yew trees and an arboretum of exotic trees
Cemeteries and monuments
a disused Jewish cemetery from 1849, walled off within the communal cemetery
recreational horse riding, lessons and carriage rides in Ciernie near Świebodzice
a library named after Maria Dąbrowska with a separate children's premises on Wolności Street and a Living Library club
Historic sites
an unfinished ruin of a palace built for the von Hochberg family between 1755 and 1758
a separate branch of the municipal library for children, in a different building from the adults' seat
Things to do in Świebodzice: a pool with a water slide, bowling, a shooting range, horse riding and monuments from a Romanesque ruin to a Baroque palace.
Start with water. The Wodne Centrum Rekreacji is an indoor swimming complex with a 25 by 12.5 metre sports pool, a recreational pool, a paddling pool for the youngest guests and a 60 metre slide that leaves the building and runs outside. Afterwards you can move on to four saunas: Finnish, bio, steam and infrared.
Prefer a game with the score on a screen? The OSiR bowling alley has two lanes for bowling and two for classic skittles, and every lane shows your score, game time and technique tips. Children can play from the age of seven with an adult, and on their own from fourteen. The venue is adapted for guests with disabilities.
You do not need experience to try the range. The “Walkiria” shooting range welcomes beginners and runs training in safety theory and practice, plus courses that prepare for the firearms licence exam. Pistols, carbines and shotguns of several makes are on offer. If animals are more your thing, the Namlikowo Stables in the Ciernie district offer recreational rides and riding lessons, a led pony ride for the youngest, and carriage trips.
The oldest sacred building in town is St Anne’s Church in the Pełcznica district. Today it is the ruin of a Romanesque, single-nave, round defensive church, later rebuilt in the Gothic style. The exact date of construction is unknown, and the first strictly historical mention comes from 1226. Treat it as a trace of history rather than a place for an indoor visit.
The Ciernie Palace has a similar character: the ruin of an unfinished residence built in 1755-1758, standing right next to the bridge over the Pełcznica river. Two deaths interrupted the work and mostly the perimeter walls remain. The Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland in Ciernie tells another story: around 1875 it was a Protestant cemetery chapel, devastated after the war, rebuilt from 1978, and since 2000 it has served as a parish church.
A place of remembrance is the Jewish cemetery, founded in 1849. It is no longer in use, separated by a wall from the municipal cemetery, and a few damaged gravestones survive. The site was tidied up in 1998.
For bad weather, the Maria Dąbrowska Municipal Public Library is a good choice. Adults use the lending room and reading room at Świdnicka 15, while the Children’s Branch has its own address at Wolności 23. Readers get e-books and audiobooks through Legimi and IBUK Libra. More ideas for wet days are on our page Świebodzice in the rain, and ideas for going out alone are on Świebodzice solo.
Green space starts right outside town. Książ Landscape Park was created in 1981 around Książ Castle and borders Świebodzice to the north. It protects nature reserves, old yew trees and an arboretum, and entry is free.
Planning a longer trip? From Świebodzice it is easy to combine your visit with neighbouring towns such as Świdnica or Strzegom.
