Upper Gate Tower in Głuchołazy

Głuchołazy owe their fortifications to Wrocław bishop Przecław of Pogorzela, who around 1350 had the town surrounded by walls 5 metres high and 2 metres thick. Of the defensive structures it is chiefly the Upper Gate Tower that survived, already mentioned in 1418. It is the most characteristic monument of this town on the Biała Głuchołaska river.

A tower that changed its look over the centuries

The present height of 25 metres is the result of a rebuilding around 1600. A little later the tower received a Renaissance attic with loopholes, and in 1902 a brick helmet was added. At the top there is a metal weathervane — a memento of the demolished town hall. In the 19th century a customs officer worked next to the gate, collecting duties on goods brought into the town, since an important border route ran this way.

105 steps above the rooftops

Today the tower serves tourists. A wooden staircase of 105 steps leads to the top, where a platform opens onto a panorama of the town and the hills of the Opawskie Mountains. The entrance is on Basztowy Square near the centre; on weekdays the tower is open from 8:00 to 17:00, and at weekends around the clock.

In practice

Głuchołazy, home to about 12,600 residents, make a good base for hikes: trails to Parkowa Góra start within the town, and within a dozen or so kilometres stand the cathedral and remains of the fortress in Nysa. Combine the tower with a stroll through the spa quarter at the foot of Parkowa Góra and a short walk along the Biała Głuchołaska.