OWL MOUNTAINS: TOP TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Lower Silesia hides a lot of secrets. That includes the long, and turbulent history of the Owl Mountains. Have you ever heard about Project Riese? It’s a huge system of underground tunnels built in this area between 1943 and 1945. What Nazi Germany was planning to do here is one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of WWII. Some say it was supposed to be Hitler’s headquarters. Others suggest it was meant to be a nuclear weapons factory. Learn more about the top tourist attractions in the Owl Mountains.

UNDERGROUND CITY OSÓWKA

Project Riese consists of seven underground structures built by the Nazis in the Owl Mountains during WWII. The Underground City Osówka is one of them. A guided tour is a must if you want to get inside. They offer a couple of different tours, the historical one is the most common choice, and was a choice of mine too. For a non-Polish speaking guide, booking is essential. If you want to use an audio guide instead, it’s also possible, and no booking is required then. The ticket for the historical tour is 30 PLN for an adult. An extra 150 PLN is to be paid for a non-Polish speaking guide. The audio guide is cheaper, only 5 PLN per person.

Guided tour: yes (Polish, English, Spanish, German, Czech)
Booking: needed for a non-Polish speaking guide
Duration: around 60 minutes
Opening hours: check here

WALIMSKIE DRIFTS

The Walimskie Drifts, also known as Complex Rzeczka left me speechless. Maybe because it was the first object belonging to Project Riese I have ever visited, or maybe because the guide’s narrative was very interesting and engaging. This wasn’t just a walk through some underground tunnels, it was an hour-long history lesson that featured WWII facts, and the horror of people who lost their lives digging out the tunnels for the Nazis. The ticket is 24 PLN for an adult, and it covers the Polish-speaking guide. If you don’t speak Polish at all, you can rent an audio guide for an extra 14 PLN (English, German, French, and Czech available).

Guided tour: yes (only Polish)
Booking: not needed
Duration: around 60 minutes
Opening hours: check here

SREBRNOGÓRSKA FORTRESS

The Srebrnogórska Fortress is a former military fort built in 1765 – 1777 by the order of the King of Prussia. Currently, one of Poland’s historic monuments that remains open for tourists. A guided tour is a must to see the fort from the inside, along with the exhibitions of fortress artillery and a demonstration of musket firing. The tours are held in Polish, but if you do decide to visit, you will get a paper booklet in English, German or Czech, so that you can follow the tour and understand the guide. The ticket is 32 PLN for an adult. The tours start every 20 minutes between April and October. Off-season waiting time is up to 1 hour.

Guided tour: yes (only Polish)
Booking: not needed
Duration: around 70 minutes
Opening hours: check here

SPITZBERG-OSTRÓG FORT

The Spitzberg – Ostróg Fort was built in 1769 – 1772 on the top of Ostróg mountain as a military support to the Srebrnogórska Fortress. Is this one also worth visiting? Absolutely! The best part is that the fort is located on the other side of the road, so all you need to do after leaving the Srebrnogórska Fortress is to have a short walk. Unfortunately, they don’t offer guided tours in any other language than Polish, but it’s a cool place to visit anyway. Especially if you have a drone, and want to play with it. Honestly speaking, both fortresses look epic from above. The ticket to the Spitzberg – Ostróg Fort is 25 PLN for an adult. Have fun!

Guided tour: yes (only Polish)
Booking: not needed
Duration: around 60 minutes
Opening hours: check here

OWIESNO CASTLE

I don’t know about you, but I love visiting castles, even if there’s not much left, only ruins. The one in Owiesno, a village located not too far from the Owl Mountains, was quite special due to its circular plan. Back in the day, the medieval castle had a round courtyard, surrounded by a stone wall and a moat. Interestingly enough, the building remained untouched until the end of WWII, but it didn’t survive the 1980s. This is when it got devastated, and the square tower fell down indivertibly. Today you can view most of the castle’s walls, and a baroque portal. Take caution when entering the ruins. The building may collapse.

QUARRIES

My list of top tourist attractions in the Owl Mountains wouldn’t be complete without these two locations, the Quarry Świerki and the Quarry Kamyki in Głuszyca Górna. If I had to choose one, I would definitely go and check the latter. To get there, make sure to follow the road “Na kamieniołomy” from Głuszyca Górna. Park your car on the side of the road, close to the quarry, and look for a forest path. It will take you to the best viewpoint. Both quarries are local favourites. They often go fishing there, have picnics and barbecues.

WALKING TRACKS

The Owl Mountains have a network of walking trails perfect for all hiking enthusiasts. Wielka Sowa at 1015 m is the most-visited peak in the area, and the highest peak of the Owl Mountains. The second highest is Mała Sowa at 972 m, and the third highest is Kalenica at 964 m. Other peaks reach heights from 600 m to 950 m, and they are all great for a day hike. If you enjoy visiting caves, don’t miss out on Smocza Jama. It’s such a cool place! For more details, go to a separate blog post about walking trails in the Owl Mountains.

These are the top tourist attractions in the Owl Mountains. Are you going to visit the Underground City Osówka or the Walimskie Drifts? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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