Woka Tower in Prudnik

Woka Tower on Zamkowy Square is the oldest building in Prudnik and the only surviving remnant of the medieval castle of Wogendrossel, at whose foot the town later grew. Its significance goes far beyond the region: it is the oldest castle tower in Upper Silesia and the oldest surviving private defensive structure in Poland.

The castle and the town

The stronghold was erected in the late 13th century by the Bohemian magnate Wok of Rosenberg, whose coat of arms featured a rose — hence the German name Wogendrossel, translated as "Wok's Rose". Wok led a colonisation campaign in the mid-13th century on the borderland of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Opole duchy. The town of Prudnik, granted Magdeburg rights in 1279, developed next to his residence. In the first half of the 19th century the remaining castle buildings were demolished, leaving the tower on its own.

What to see

The tower has an unusual circular plan, with walls up to several metres thick. The entrance sits high, above half of the structure's height, reached by wooden stairs. Inside, a former hunger dungeon with a stone staircase has survived. After the 2009 renovation, a viewing platform was created at the top, offering a panorama of Prudnik and the Opawskie Mountains, while a model of the former castle and information boards stand at its base.

Practical information

The tower stands on the grounds of the Bonifratres monastery and is cared for by the Museum of the Prudnik Land; it is open to visitors during the tourist season. The current name only entered common use in the late 1990s — earlier it was called the castle tower, the Piast tower, or the "pagan" tower in German sources.