Boleslawiec travel guide

Bolesławiec (Bunzlau) is a town in southwestern Poland with 40,837 inhabitants (2006). Situated in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, Bolesławiec was previously in Jelenia Góra Voivodeship (1975-1998). It is the administrative seat of Bolesławiec County, and of Gmina Bolesławiec (although it is not part of the territory of the latter, the town being an urban gmina in its own right). Bolesławiec in Lower Silesia was first mentioned in 1201 and took part in the battles against the Mongols in 1241. After that a renewed city with city walls was established. The city seal, still used today, was first used in 1316. 1346 Bolesławiec came under government by Imperial Bohemia. It was again heavily destroyed during the Hussite Wars in 1429. After that a double city wall was started in 1479.
In 1898, the German government established the "Keramische Fachschule" (Ceramic Technical Training School) to foster development of the art. With the majority of burghers in 1522 becoming Protestant early on, Bolesławiec became an important center of the Reformation. The city town hall was rebuilt by the famous Wendel Roskopf in 1525 and at the same time construction of a canalisation system was started. This was an unusual and difficult undertaking, that was finished in 1565 and it was the first canalisation system in that part of Europe. In 1558 the first apothecary was established. (...) more....