Fort Srebrna Góra
Fort Srebrna Góra or Srebrnogórska Fortress (German: Festung Silberberg, lit. Silver Mountain Fort) is a former military fort, now a monument and a museum, located in the town of Srebrna Góra (lit. Silver Mountain), Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It was constructed in 1765–1777 when the territory was part of the Kingdom of Prussia.
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The fort is one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated May 1, 2004. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.[1] It has been declared a rare example of a surviving European 18th century mountain stronghold.[1]
The fort has been called a "Gibraltar of Prussia", or "Gibraltar of Silesia", a reference to its foundation in solid bedrock.[1][2]
History
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The fortress in Srebrna Góra was built in 1764–1777 by the order of Frederick II, the King of Prussia. It was designed by Prussian architect Ludwig Wilhelm Regeler, aided by a number of Prussian military engineers.[1] Minor additional works took place in the following years, but no major alterations were made; construction of a nearby flanked fort was begun but was quickly abandoned.[1] The complex is composed of six forts, several bastions, and associated elements.[3] The main fort of the complex is the central Donżon Fort on the Warowna Góra hill.[3]
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The complex is located on the heights of the Sudety Mountains, a body which forms a natural border between the Kłodzko Valley and the Silesian Lowlands.[1] It controls the passage through the Silver Valley (Polish: Przełęcz Srebrna, German: Silberbergpass). The fort spans three hills: Ostróg (627 meters above sea level), Warowna Góra (686m), and Wielki Chochoł (740m).[1] The fort could shelter a garrison of 4000 soldiers, supplied to survive a year-long siege.[1] It was defended by 264 artillery pieces.[1] The fortress was intended to guard a route linking Prussian territories with Bohemian lands in the south, and thus help repel any possible incursions from Austria.[1][2] The cost of the construction was reported as 4.5 million Prussian thalers.[2]
The fortress was never captured by the enemy while besieged. On 28 June 1807 it successfully resisted a siege by Napoleonic forces during the War of the Fourth Coalition; this was the only time the fortress was the site of an active battle.[1][4] By 1860 it was declared obsolete and the garrison reduced in size; it was abandoned as an active military stronghold in 1867.[1][4] The fortress has survived till modern day with relatively little modernization or damage, contributing to its valuable status as a historical monument of its era.[1] It served as a military training grounds, and by the end of the 19th century was already a tourist attraction, with a restaurant opened in the fort by 1885.[1] A youth hostel opened there in 1913, a museum in 1931,[4] and by the 1930s it was visited by 50,000 tourists each year.[1]
During World War II the fortress served as Prisoner-of-war camp (Oflag VII „b” 1939-1941, Stalag 367 1941–1945). It was used as a prison for Polish officers imprisoned by the Germans. Notable prisoners included Counter Admiral Stefan Frankowski, General Tadeusz Piskor and Rear-Admiral Józef Unrug. After the war, the fortress was parts of the lands transferred from Germany to Poland.[1] In 1961 it was added to the Polish register of objects of cultural heritage.[1] In 1973 a military museum was opened in the Fort.[4] In 2002 it was declared a culture park, and in 2004 it was recognized as a Historic Monument (Pomnik historii).[1]
Current status
The fort is open to tourists.[5]
A historical reenactment group in the region continues the tradition of the Prussian infantry unit station in the fort.[1]
References
- "Pomink historii: Srebrna Góra – Twierdza Srebrnogórska, nowożytna warownia górska z XVIII wieku" (in Polish). Nid.pl. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
- A Handbook for Travellers on the Continent: Being a Guide to Holland, Belgium, Prussia, Northern Germany, and the Rhine from Holland to Switzerland, with Maps and Plans. J. Murray. 1858. p. 426.
- "E-zabytek: Twierdza Srebrnogórska - nowożytna warownia górska z XVIII wieku" (in Polish). Nid.pl. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
- "Twierdza Srebrna Góra - Historia" (in Polish). Forty.pl. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
- "Twierdza Srebrna Góra - Twierdza Srebrna Góra" (in Polish). Forty.pl. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
Further reading
- Tomasz Przerwa; Grzegorz Podruczny (2006). Twierdza srebrnogórska. Srebrnogórska Oficyna Wydawnicza Jacek Grużlewski. ISBN 978-83-914176-2-1.
- Tomasz Przerwa; Grzegorz Podruczny (2008). Twierdza Srebrnogórska II: wojna 1806-1807 - miasteczko. Oficyna Wydawnicza "Atut" - Wrocławskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe. ISBN 978-83-7432-351-2.
- Tomasz Przerwa; Grzegorz Podruczny (2010). Twierdza Srebrnogórska III: Miasteczko i fortyfikacje. Oficyna Wydawnicza "Atut" - Wrocławskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe. ISBN 978-83-74326-56-8.
- Wolfgang Bleyl. Silberberg, die Paßfestung Schlesiens. Kunst- und Denkmalpflege in Schlesien: Niederschlesien (in German).
External links
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