The historical, economic and administrative capital of Kłodzko area renowned for numerous monuments and, especially, the fortress. According to the chronicler Kosmas of Prague, as early as in 981 there was a mansion of Prince Slavník Libicki (father of Saint Wojciech). The Austrians built in this place defensive strongholds, but only when Prussians took control over Kłodzko in 1742 they built a strong fortress (one of the largest in Europe), which has survived till today.
After the abolition of the status of a fortress in 1877, the place served as barracks, political prison, camp for war prisoners, and even as a place of arms production during the II World War. The fortress is now available to the public.
At the end of the 19th century most gates and town walls were demolished. This enabled the construction of new public buildings and municipal facilities. It is worth visiting the old town with many interesting citizens' houses from the 17th and later centuries, the neo-Renaissance town hall, a stone bridge from the 13th century (a miniature of Charles Bridge in Prague) and finally the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with a magnificent Baroque interior of Michael Klahr Sr., the best-known sculptor of Kłodzko.
website: www.klodzko.pl