History

The first written mentions of a stronghold located in the place of the fortress date back to the 10th century. The Czech stronghold, made of earth and stone with elements of wooden buildings, was first described in 981 by the Czech chronicler Kosmas. It was then that the Czechs built a stronghold and the first castle on the current Fortress Mountain (369 m above sea level), formerly called Castle Mountain. This proves, even then, the defensive nature of this place. And it is from this time that 1000 years of history of the Kłodzko Fortress begins. In 1300, the castle became a residential castle of high comfort and beauty during the prosperity of the Kłodzko County. In 1349, Arnoszt of Pardubice (the first Archbishop of Prague) brought regular Augustinian canons to Kłodzko. He builds them a monastery and a collegiate church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, located on the southwestern slope of Góra Zamkowa. The 15th/16th century was mainly the construction of two towers within the Castle Hill: the northern - larger one and the southern - smaller one.

In 1557, the architect Lorenzo Kirschke, at the request of Prince Ernest of Bavaria, built a "Lower Castle", called the Lower Castle, with a ring of ramparts with a bastion outline on the southwestern slope of the Castle Hill. In 1620, an unknown Dutch engineer builds the Small Rampart on the south-eastern side of the "Upper Castle". It consists of the St. Szaniec. Florian and the Cross Ramparts. The Large Rampart is also built - a crown work - consisting of bastions: St. Francis (Jabłonka), St. Leopold (Ludmila), St. Ludmiła (Wacław) and the curtains connecting them. The Upper Castle is intended for army barracks.

In 1622, the city and the fortress were captured by the Austrians. Since then, we have referred to the fortress as a fortification. As a result of hostilities during the Thirty Years' War, the castle burned down and underwent subsequent expansions. This year, right after the siege, Valenty Säbisch the Younger (builder of the Wrocław fortifications) is preparing inventory plans for the Kłodzko stronghold.

In 1627, gunpowder (5 tons) explodes in the fortress, damages the castle walls and destroys the church tower, resulting in the demolition of the collegiate church. In the years 1640 - 1670, due to the threat from the Swedish army, further expansion of the fortress began and the works lasted until 1670. In 1664, the Polny and Jabłonka ravines were built.

The reconstruction of the fortress during Austrian rule, in the years 1670-1702, was led by a local architect of Italian origin, Jacobo Carove. The Upper Castle is being rebuilt into barracks. Then, two bastions: Dzwonnik and Nowy Szaniec, together with curtains (Alarm bastion) and the Tumska curtain with the Orzeł half-bastion, are built.

Prussian rule was undoubtedly the time of splendor of the Kłodzko fortifications. It was under Prussian rule that the fortress underwent radical expansion. It passed into Prussian hands on April 20, 1742. Particularly noteworthy is the figure of the Prussian King Frederick II the Great, who contributed to the growth of the city's military character. It also makes the Prussian army have the most trained and disciplined army in Europe at that time. The history of Prussian soldiers is perfectly presented by the exhibition "In the ticks of the army" in our fortress.

Since 1973, numerous modernizations and expansions of the fortress have been carried out under Prussian rule. The Dutch engineer, General Gerhard Cornelius von Walrave, is developing plans to expand the fortress and build two new elements: a fortification located on the other side of the Nysa River in Owcza Góra, the Owcza Góra Fort, and mining galleries - countermines.

The years 1745-1750 in the fortress were mainly the reconstruction of the covered road in front of the ravelins into a counter-guard and the construction of a fore-ditch in front of them. In the years 1750-1760, Wielki Kleszcz was built. In 1756, construction works on Reduta Żuraw were completed.

As a result of military operations during the Second Silesian War, the fortress passed into Austrian hands. The Austrians recapture the fortress from the Prussians and rule the facility for the next three years.

In 1763, the conflict of the ongoing Silesian Wars ended. The Third Silesian War (lasting from 1756 to 1763) ends with Prussia's victory. The peace concluded that year in Hubertsburg confirmed the affiliation of Silesia to Prussia, while strengthening Prussia's position as a European power. As a result of the peace treaty, the Fortress returns to Prussian hands.

Prussian rule meant a constant process of modernization of the facility. In 1769, before the construction of new fortifications, the church of St. Martin (so-called "Pagan"). The years 1770-1774 saw the complete demolition of the remains of the medieval castle buildings and the Little Rampart. At that time, a pincer-type donjon with an observation tower was built. It was the central defensive structure of the fortress, which included artillery casemates, an armory, food warehouses, a bakery and numerous rooms for the fortress's crew. Słoniczoło Podzamcze, the High Bastion and the Bastion Tower were also built - these works were supervised by Colonel Ludwig von Regeler. In the years 1773-1787, the Orzeł semi-bastion was expanded and the High Rhone was built in place of the Bonet fortifications. In 1779, the forecourts in front of the mantle were deepened. The fortress is surrounded by another ring of fortifications and redoubts from the west and south. Further expansion concerned mining galleries - countermines (1790-1793). In 1792, a caponier - a trunk - was built in front of the Jabłonka bastion and the facing of the Eagle Elephant.

In 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars in Silesia, the Kłodzko Fortress was besieged. The Kłodzko Fortress was one of the last points of Prussian resistance in Silesia. The remaining fortresses, if they had not already been conquered, defended themselves with the last of their strength. The siege covered the entire area, leading to significant exhaustion of the fortress's crew. After three months of fighting, on the night of June 23-24, 1807, the French launched a decisive attack on the fortress. The general of the fortress decided to surrender the fortifications. He negotiated a surrender, effective after 32 days. The act of surrender was signed on June 25 and was to enter into force on July 26. In the meantime, a general armistice came into force and the Peace of Tilsit was signed (July 7, 1807). Thanks to this, the fortress still remained in Prussian hands. The history of the fortress during the Napoleonic Wars can be presented during the performance "Night tour of the Kłodzko Fortress". A historical reenactment of the French siege is the main theme of the annual "Battle for the Fortress". It takes place every year in August, and only the determination of the reconstruction groups determines whether the fortress will surrender or perhaps change the course of history.

In 1867, the process of defortification of Kłodzko began. The Main Fortress, Owcza Góra Fort, the city fortifications, the fortifications of Przedmieście Wojciechowickie and the ramparts of the fortified camp were then modernized. Pursuant to a cabinet order, the fortress loses its status, but remains under the control of the army. It begins to be used for economic purposes, among others. it was gradually transformed into warehouses and a prison.

The last moment in the history of the Kłodzko Fortress when the facility was put into combat readiness was 1914. It was then that barbed wire fences were built. Until 1918, the fortress was armed with light and outdated equipment.

In 1933 and 1934, King Frederick Days were celebrated in the fortress and in the city center, commemorating the Prussian King Frederick II the Great. The celebrations included military parades, uniform shows and cultural events related to the fortress, the cradle of Prussian history.

The fortress serves as a heavy prison and a place of arms production in the last years of the conflict. Prisoners of war, deserters from the German army and those suspected of acting to the detriment of the Reich were imprisoned in the fortress. There was a heavy prison for political prisoners, a place of execution and a labor camp here. Russians, French, Italians, Belgians, Czechs, Finns and English were imprisoned here. The fate of prisoners, prisoners of war and forced workers in the years 1944-1945 is presented in detail at the "AEG Exhibition" in the fortress. It should be mentioned that during World War II, Poles played an important role in the functioning of the fortress. Until 1958, the fortress housed military depots and warehouses.

In the post-war period, from 1958, most of the fortress area was occupied by food production and construction plants (Kłodzko Przedsiębiorstwo Przemysłu Drzewnego, LAS, Rosvin Winery, concrete plant).

In 1960, the Kłodzko Fortress was entered into the register of monuments. Then, part of the facility is opened to tourists.

In 1970, part of the last episode of the TV series Czterej pancerni i pies was filmed in the fortress - the episode "House".

Since 2007, the Fortress has been taken over by the Kłodzko Municipality.