Fortifications

Polish Gate in Byczyna

The Polish Gate, also known as the Eastern Gate Tower, is one of the two surviving entrances through Byczyna’s medieval walls. It stands on the eastern side of the historic town. Its name refers to the direction it faced — towards Polish lands — while the western German Gate led towards former German territories. The tower was built with the town’s fortifications and remains a useful point on a walk through Byczyna.

Tower and town walls

The Polish Gate has a four-sided brick structure with a stone base and a distinctive tent roof. The tower belongs to the almost complete circuit of town walls dated to the 15th–16th centuries. The walls measure about 912.5 metres around, and the foregates by the towers were demolished in the 19th century after the defences lost their military role.

The Battle of Byczyna

The Polish Gate is linked with the story of Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg’s capitulation after the Battle of Byczyna in 1588. Municipal information says that he is supposed to have surrendered by this gate after losing to the forces of Jan Zamoyski. This is local tradition, not evidence that the tower houses a museum.

Practical information

The Polish Gate is a monument viewed from public space; seeing it from outside is free and there are no separate fixed visiting hours. Access to the interior or upper parts of the tower is not routinely confirmed. Combine it with a walk to the German Gate, Sand Tower and market square. Surfaces around the walls may be uneven and traffic can be present; do not climb the structure or cross any temporary barriers.