Leaning Tower of Ząbkowice Śląskie

The Leaning Tower of Ząbkowice Śląskie stands 34 m tall and leans 2.14 m off the vertical, making it the most tilted tower in Poland. Nicknamed the "Silesian Pisa", it is also open to visitors: 139 steps lead to the top. A visit also reveals a darker side of the town, which before the war was called Frankenstein.

History: a keep, a belfry and an earthquake

The tower's origins are unknown, as no written records survive. Some researchers think it is a remnant of a castle that predates the town's charter, specifically its keep. The evidence includes the lower walls, built of stone up to about 10 m, and walls more than 4 m thick. Excavations in 1999–2000 uncovered sections of a stone-and-brick wall nearby.

When the town expanded in the 14th century, the tower was converted into the belfry of the neighbouring St Anne's Church; the work was probably finished in 1413. It began to lean after an earthquake in 1590, and on 24 August 1598, when a huge rockslide hit nearby Bardo, it tilted further. Unstable ground made matters worse. During the great fire of 1858 the tower was badly damaged and the Prussian authorities wanted to pull it down. The townspeople fought for its rebuilding, and the old metal spire was replaced by a parapet with swallowtail merlons.

What to see

The lean is easiest to appreciate by comparing the tower with the vertical walls of neighbouring buildings and St Anne's Church. Note the contrast between the massive stone base and the 19th-century brick upper section. The viewing terrace at the top offers a panorama of Ząbkowice and its surroundings, and on clear days the Sudetes ranges.

Did you know?

The town's pre-war German name, Frankenstein, is linked to a notorious trial of gravediggers in 1606, who were accused of spreading plague, witchcraft and desecrating corpses. Local tradition holds that the story may have reached Mary Shelley, author of the novel about Doctor Frankenstein, though there is no proof. The Kauffung Manor in Ząbkowice has an exhibition, "In the Footsteps of Doctor Frankenstein", complete with a mad scientist's laboratory. In September 2018 the tower closed because of cracks in the walls, and after repairs it reopened on 6 April 2019.

Tripto tip

Allow 30–45 minutes to climb the tower and look at it from outside. The only way up is by stairs, worth bearing in mind if you have a fear of heights or bad knees. Check opening hours and ticket prices with the town's tourist information before you go. Combine your visit with a stroll round the market square with its 19th-century town hall, the castle ruins and the Kauffung Manor. On the second weekend of July the town celebrates the Days and Nights of the Leaning Tower, when it stays open until midnight.