Krapkowice Tower (Upper Gate Tower)

Every day at noon a bugle call – the town's hejnał – rings out from a stone tower in Krapkowice. The tower, also called the Upper Gate Tower or Prudnik Gate Tower, is the only survivor of the town's four gates and the best-preserved part of its medieval walls. Inside you will find exhibitions, a tourist information point and a viewing terrace with a telescope at the very top.

History: from customs gate to garage and back

The tower was built in the second half of the 14th century and remodelled around 1580. It stood at the western gate, where the road led towards Prudnik, Nysa and Kłodzko, and protected a customs post where goods were taxed before entering town. Krapkowice had three more gates – the Opole Gate to the north, the Strzelce (or Oder, or Low) Gate to the east and the Koźle Gate to the south – but they were demolished in the 19th century. In 1895 the southern section of the walls was also cut away from the Upper Gate; traces of it are still visible.

For a while the tower served as a garage and a builders' store. In the 1970s it was thoroughly renovated: a second and third floor were added, the parapet was restored and a viewing terrace built. After conservation work in 2005–2006 the Minister of Culture gave it the "Well-Kept Monument Anno Domini 2007" award, placing it among the 18 best-maintained historic sites in Poland. On 1 April 2019 it reopened after revitalisation, with a new terrace, telescope and lighting.

What to look for

• Rubble-stone walls in a Gothic-Renaissance style – a rectangular three-storey building with a barrel vault on the ground floor.
• The parapet above the crowning cornice: an arcaded frieze, a crest of pinnacles and small gables, and keyhole gunports in the frieze niches.
• Remains of the town walls next to the tower, cut off in 1895.
• A model of Krapkowice in 1750 in front of the tower, labelled in Braille as well.
• The view from the terrace – the telescope lets you scan the town in all four directions.

Tripto tip

The tower is run by the Krapkowice Cultural Centre (KDK). It is open on Fridays 13:00–16:00 and Saturdays and Sundays 14:00–18:00; other times can be arranged on +48 515 518 344. A standard ticket costs PLN 5, reduced and group tickets (10+ people) PLN 3, and children under 7 go free (prices from the KDK website, October 2026). Groups can book a guide to the tower, the Studnia Gallery and the old town for PLN 200, at least a week in advance. Access is by stairs, and the building is not suitable for wheelchair users. Time your visit to be on the terrace around noon so you hear the bugle call.