Polish Gate in Byczyna

According to local historians, it was beneath this gate in 1588 that Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg – a claimant to the Polish throne defeated by Hetman Jan Zamoyski – surrendered. Byczyna's eastern gate tower, known as the Polish Gate, stands in a ring of medieval walls that survive almost in their entirety – a rarity in Poland. It owes its name to its direction: it faces the larger part of Poland's former territory, while the western German Gate looks towards Germany.

History: a gate on the border

The tower was built in the 15th century together with the defensive walls and the other towers. Its present tent roof dates from the 1930s – lightning destroyed the previous top. It is one of the town's two surviving gates – the other is the western German Gate.

The most famous episode took place in the winter of 1588. On 24 January Maximilian's troops took up position east of Byczyna, on the royal road leading into Poland. Thick fog allowed part of Zamoyski's army to outflank their left wing, and the short, bloody battle turned into a rout. The archduke took refuge in Byczyna, and as the Polish army prepared to storm the town, he ordered a white flag to be raised. He regained his freedom only under the Treaty of Bytom and Będzin of 9 March 1589. The townspeople buried the dead of both sides in a common grave.

Walls that survived

Byczyna is one of the few Polish towns with almost complete town walls from the 15th–16th centuries. According to some sources the circuit is 912.5 m long, according to the municipality about 950 m, and the walls are up to 6 m high. They were built of stone and brick on foundations of glacial boulders and are up to 1.7 m thick. Along the circuit stand two gate towers and the Sand Tower (Baszta Piaskowa) with arrow slits, and on the north side sections of the moat survive, where trout are now farmed.

What to see nearby

• The German Gate – the western tower with a pointed passage, stone below and brick above.
• The town hall from the 15th/16th century, with a viewpoint in the tower and a local history room in the attic.
• The Gothic Church of St Nicholas from the late 14th century, now Lutheran.
• The houses on the market square and ul. Floriańska – in one of them the astronomer Maria Cunitia, known as the "Silesian Pallas", made her observations in the 17th century.

Tripto tip

The gate is viewed from the street – it is free, and the inside of the tower is not normally open. The best plan is to walk all the way around the walls starting at the Polish Gate, then climb the town hall tower to see their outline from above. Allow about an hour for a walk around the old town. The ground by the walls can be uneven and cars use the street – take care when taking photos from the road.