The original Czech name of the settlement was Hudoba, which means poverty. Probably the settlement was small, insignificant and poor - it was just a part of the neighboring village Czermna. Kudowa as a health resort developed in the 17th century. In 1636 a wooden swimming house was built, but the real development occurred in the mid-nineteenth century, when Kudowa was recognized as the first official heart diseases healing spa in Germany.
The pride of Kudowa is a well maintained spa park with rare shrubs and trees, a covered resort-style promenade from the early 20th century and a Baroque castle (now a sanatorium) from the late 18th century.
In the district Czermna there is a chapel lined with skulls and crossbones of 3000 victims of the 30-year-old war plague and those who died during the 7-year-old Austro-Prussian War. There are also the remains of 21000 people lying in the crypt.
In June 1813, in the presbytery of the nearby parish church, King Friedrich Wilhelm III met with the Austrian Emperor Francis I and the Russian Tsar Alexander I. The theme of the meeting was an agreement on anty-napoleonian coalition. This meeting is regarded as a prelude to the Congress of Vienna.
Since 1962 Moniuszko Festivals take place in Kudowa.
website: www.kudowa.pl