Things to do in Złotoryja
In legal terms Złotoryja is the oldest town in Poland – it received its charter in 1211 from Duke Henry the Bearded, and it owes its name to the gold once panned in local streams. Above the market square towers the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, one of the oldest town churches in Silesia, with a viewing tower. A few minutes away stands the 14th-century Smiths' Tower, and on the slope of St Nicholas Hill you can go down into the Aurelia Gold Mine and try gold panning. On the edge of town rises Wilcza Góra with its basalt rose, the remains of an ancient volcano. Złotoryja suits families with children and anyone interested in geology.
Map of attractions in Złotoryja
All 5 places on one map: see what is close together and plan your route.
All attractions (5)
Fortifications
Smiths' Tower in Złotoryja
Złotoryja
The round stone tower with brick battlements stands by a busy street a few minutes from the market square and is the best preserved part of Złotoryja's medieval fortifications. Its entrance is not at street level but 6.6 metres up – the wa…
15–30 min
Technical monuments
Aurelia Gold Mine in Złotoryja
Złotoryja
Złotoryja takes its name from gold, panned here as early as the Middle Ages, and its 13th-century Latin name was Mons Aurum, Gold Hill. The Aurelia mine lets you go underground on the slope of St Nicholas Hill and see what the local hunt f…
45–90 min
Churches & monasteries
Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Złotoryja
Złotoryja
Złotoryja holds the oldest town charter in Poland, granted in 1211 by Duke Henry the Bearded, and its parish church is only a little younger. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is one of only about twenty town parish churches in…
30–60 min
Old towns & squares
Market Square in Złotoryja
Złotoryja
Legend has it that after the plague of 1553 only seven men survived in Złotoryja, and on Christmas Eve they met in the market square to sing hymns together. Ever since, a shared town Christmas Eve on the square has been a tradition, revive…
Nature
Wilcza Góra (Wolf Mountain) near Złotoryja
Złotoryja
About 15.5 million years ago a volcano was active on the edge of today's Złotoryja. The cone is long gone, but its vent remains, and quarry walls have sliced through it like a knife. As a result, Wilcza Góra, also called Wilkołak, offers a…
60–120 min