Wleń Castle (Lenno)

On Castle Hill (383 m) above the River Bóbr stand the ruins of a castle that its custodians describe as the oldest stone castle in Silesia. The first masonry building went up here after 1160 on the initiative of Duke Bolesław the Tall, and Duke Henry the Bearded and St Hedwig of Silesia both stayed here. Today it is an atmospheric ruin with Romanesque walls and a round tower, open to visitors every day.

History: dukes, prisoners and robber knights

The castle grew on the site of a fortified settlement listed as castrum Valan, seat of a castellany, in a bull of Pope Adrian IV from 1155. The first masonry stronghold consisted of a Romanesque hall, a chapel and a hexagonal tower, and was most likely completed by Bolesław's son, Henry the Bearded. The hexagonal tower was soon replaced by a round one, 12 m across with walls up to 3 m thick; it survives today, standing about 12 m high.

In the mid-13th century the castle became a favourite of the quarrelsome Duke Bolesław the Bald. In 1257 he held Bishop Thomas I of Wrocław prisoner in the tower, and in 1277 his own nephew, Duke Henry IV Probus. In 1428 the Hussites besieged the castle without success, and from 1465 it was held by Hans von Zedlitz, a robber knight who plundered even the people of Wleń. The Thirty Years' War sealed its fate: in 1646 the imperial commander Raimondo Montecuccoli had it blown up so it could never again serve as a stronghold. The new owner, Colonel Adam von Kaulhaus, built a palace at the foot of the hill instead of rebuilding.

What to see

On the summit you can see parts of the Romanesque ducal hall and the curtain walls, the round tower, and later parts of the so-called middle castle from the 14th century. Today you enter the upper castle courtyard through a former postern gate. In good weather the hill offers views of the Karkonosze (Giant Mountains), the Kaczawskie Mountains and the Izera Foothills.

Did you know?

In 2005 falling stones forced the castle to close, and on 9 April 2006 the south-west wall collapsed and the tower tilted badly. Stabilisation work began in 2009, and visitors returned to the hill in 2018. Since then the castle has been cared for by the Warownia consortium, formed by the Sudeten Guides' Guild and the Ducal Tower in Siedlęcin association. Each year it runs camps for volunteers who uncover more of Castle Hill.

Tripto tip

The castle lies in the hamlet of Wleński Gródek, just above Wleń, and is open every day. It has no car park, and cars left along the narrow lane block farm machinery. It is best to park in Wleń and walk up the yellow or green trail, taking in the restored market square on the way. Allow about an hour for the ruins and a stroll around them. Check visiting rules and any fees on the castle's website.