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Lesna

Located in Lower Silesia, the small locality of Lesna is famous for the close-by imposing ‘Czocha’ castle, built in the 13th century on top of a granite rock and today part of it housing a hotel. There are two more castles in the vicinity of Lesna, namely ‘Rajsko” and ‘Swiecie’. Visitors to the town can explore the beautiful, natural surroundings, blessed with mountains, forests, the Kwisa River and various lakes.

Lesna TOURISM

Although there are no stunning historic monuments in Lesna itself, the town is nonetheless worth a visit. It has preserved its medieval urban layout, a small town hall from the 17th century and a number of tenement houses. The complex of townsman houses with their arcades is most interesting, while you should also pay attention to the Church of St. John the Baptist, originally erected in the 16th century. Its current Baroque appearance with elements of late Gothic is the result of numerous later reconstructions and additions. The Baroque equipment may not be very impressive, but do step inside to look at 20 grave monuments with the effigies of local knights, located both inside and outside the church.

Many legends and mysterious stories surround the ‘Czocha’ castle, very much adding to its appeal. A 30-minute tour of the castle is a definite must. After the tour, you can climb up to the top of the tower, from where you can admire a picturesque view over the Kwisa River. Those with strong nerves will enjoy entering the chamber of torture, located in the castle dungeons. Lots of entertaining events are organized in the castle on a regular basis, including medieval feasts, knightly shows, concerts of ancient music and other fun-filled attractions.

GEOGRAPHY

Situated near the Czech border, Lesna is a small town with a total urban and suburban area of 866 ha and a population of more than 4,000. The town lies in south-western Poland, Lower Silesian Voivodship and Luban County. It is about 11 km south of Luban and 125 km west of the capital of the region, Wroclaw.

As Lesna is located in the Izerskie Foothills, the landscape can be defined as mountainous and varied, with a relatively large amount of forests. The highest elevation is the Wojkowa Mountain (502 m above sea level), which offers wonderful views of the Izerskie Mountains and the Karkonosze. Two scenic lakes dot the landscape – Lesnianskie Lake and Zlotnickie Lake.

HISTORY
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The history of Lesna can be traced back to prior to 1247, when the fortified town of ‘Lesna’ was founded at the initiative of the Czech king, Vaclav I. Though the castle fell into ruins in the 14th century, the nearby village, which took its name from the castle, bloomed from a small settlement into a town. It is not known when and from whom the settlement received the status of a town. Perhaps this person was Henry I, prince of Jawor, lord of the town since 1319, but perhaps it is related to th... ( more >>)


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