Communes

DOMASZOWICE COMMUNE

Palace park in Gręboszów spreads over 6 hectares. Established in the 18th century as a regular baroque garden, next it was reconstructed in a classicistic style and finally transformed into a “landscape park”. The nearby ruins of the palace from 1784 and eclectic administrative buildings (presently forester’s lodge) with a baroque residence in the old household yard are directly connected with the park.
Prevailing stand are lime trees, oaks and maples. There are more than 30 domestic species of trees and shrubs and 31 species of foreign origin. Three natural monuments deserve special attention – two durmasts and a lime tree. Their trunks circumference is 400 cm. The park is recorded in the monuments register.

Artificial lake “Karier” is located near the village Wielołęka. It is called “Little Hell” by the local people. Fishing competitions for adults and schoolchildren often take place here. According to the commune strategy the lake and the surrounding area are going to be adapted as summer leisure area.

Church under the invocation of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother in Włochy village. The temple was erected between 1246 and 1270. for centuries it was a wooden church. In 1927 it burned but till 1929 new, brick church was completed according to the previous plan.

Jan Skala tomb
In 1944-45 Jan Skala, a Serbo-Lusatian poet and political activist, lived in the village Dziedzice. He collaborated with the Union of Poles in Germany, which was considered anti-German, and remained under the surveillance of Gestapo. He died tragically in January 1945 shot by Soviet soldiers and was buried in the graveyard in Dziedzice.

Włoskowice Górne
There are no records about the church under the invocation of St Joseph in Włoskowice Górne till the beginnings of the 16th century when it is taken over by the Protestants. In 1858 the former temple was disassembled and in 1896-97 a new pseudo-gothic church with a tower was erected.

Palace and park in Strzelce
The palace buildings in Strzelce come from the first quarter of the 19th century. The park, preserved till today, used to be a part of that complex. It spreads over 5 hectares. Unfortunately, over the centuries, the area lost its former, unique style. An interesting element in Strzelce village is the church under the invocation of St Martin. It is confirmed that the church existed before 1326. In the middle of the 15th century arched vault and presbytery were built. The tower was dated to the end of the 15th century.

NAMYSŁÓW COMMUNE

Palace in Woskowice Małe
Woskowice Małe lies 11 km north-east of Namysłów. The palace and park complex got its shape in the 18th and at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The present building was erected around 1800 on the foundation of the previous one. The final rebuilding took place in 1912 and it shaped the palace in a neo-gothic style. The palace was built on a rectangular plan with a tall east tower. In the central part of the yard there is a renaissance granary from 1872-74.

Palace and park complex in Przeczów is located by the road to Oława. It is situated in the place of a former garden and its present shape was created in the second half of the 19th century.

Palace in Rychnów
The first records about the land estate in Rychnów come from 1273. The palace dated to the third quarter of the 18th century dominates over the whole complex. It gained its present neo-classical shape in 1905. In the west of the palace there is an old two-floor residence from the turn of the 16/17th centuries. Other interesting buildings include a stable with two granaries. The palace interior possesses: a ceiling with stucco work, stony fireplace, woodwork with neo-gothic motifs, the stairs and gallery railing.

Palace complex in Minkowskie was erected in 1765-84 and is located 12 km south-east of Namysłów. It owes its shape to the influence of the Potsdam school of architecture. The building is richly decorated with baroque ornaments, surrounded by a landscape park with a neo-gothic tomb chapel from 1873 and so called romantic ruin with a tower and wall made of field stones. The park, which comes from the 18th century, used to be of baroque character but at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries it was transformed into a romantic-sentimental park.

Ligota Książęca
The sanctuary of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother in Ligota Książęca was erected in the middle of the 19th century. In the last days of May 1945 Soviet soldiers set the church on fire. The village residents managed to rebuilt the temple in 1956. In 1957 it was consecrated and the parish was established. Also on the same day the painting of “The Blessed Mother of Otynia” the church’s patron was enthroned. The painting with two side altars, a pulpit, baptismal font, the Stations of the Cross and even chandelier were brought from Otynia (present Ukraine)

Ziemiełowice
In the village situated 5 km south-east of Namysłów we can find a church under the invocation of St Maria Magdalena dated to the second half of the 14th century, rebuilt in 1958-60. Nearby we can also see palace and park complex from the end of the 19th century. The palace is preserved in good condition but lack of care and supervision is contributing to its gradual deterioration. The park, too, has lost its former style and now looks much more “natural”.

POKÓJ COMMUNE

Pokój commune is situated in the very heart of the most precious natural and landscape parts of Opole region, exactly in the middle of woody countryside and makes a perfect starting point for trips to the surrounding wilderness. Forests and groves, enchanting corners, not yet discovered, and also ponds, rivers, rich – almost eight century long history and culture, and hospitable people, preserving traditions, all these create ideal conditions to relax and rest.

Pokój is an interesting place because of its historical value. The most interesting monument is the whole park complex created as a combination of French and English park with a landscape part with vast ponds: Sophia, Wilhelmina and Matilda ponds. In the 166 hectare park it is still possible to find numerous statues, teahouse ruins on an island and also an iron cast of a sleeping lion made in 1864.

In Pokój commune particular attention should be paid to churches of various architecture located in almost every village, antique chapels and roadside crosses, peasants’ cottages with shingle and thatched roofs in Domaradzka Kuźnia and Dąbrówka Dolna, monumental houses with characteristic Prussian wall in Pokój, wooded bell tower in Lubnow. The peaceful atmosphere is also created by numerous ponds which can be found in the area of Krzyżowa Góra, Zieleniec, Dabrówka Dolna or Krogulna.

Evangelic church in Pokój was erected in 1765-75 and named after princess Sophia. The horizontal projection of the temple has an oval shape, but the four additions to the building are square. At the church entrance there is a tower crowned with a sand clock and a dome. The altar is decorated with paintings by Beuthes “Last Supper” and “Transfiguration” and by Ernst “Resurrection” and “Ascension”.

Roman Catholic church in Pokój under the invocation of St Cross is a neo-baroque structure. The consecration of the temple took place in 1908. The first wooden Catholic church in Pokój was located nearer the roundabout but unfortunately it was consumed by fire. The brick church was built thanks to the generosity of the princes and Pokój residents. The main altar is a gift from Wrocław archbishop.

Tourists who take a rest in Pokój commune can take advantage of interesting natural routs, bicycle routs and numerous viewpoints. Curved meanders and old riverbeds of vivid rivers such as the Stobrawa, Budkowiczanka and Bogacica rivers overflow each year transforming the valley into a kingdom of water birds. Meadows and pastures, flooded every spring, bloom with yellow marsh marigolds thus creating extraordinary scenery. The region is full of enchanting, exceptional places which cannot be forgotten.

ŚWIERCZÓW COMMUNE

Świerczów commune lies in the area of the basin of the Odra two right-bank tributaries – the Sobrawa and Smortawa rivers. In the Sobrawa valley there are numerous breeding ponds made by artificial damming up of water with dikes. The total area of the ponds is 265 hectares. The water reservoirs have great natural value because they make home for plenty of animal and plant species many of which are rare and protected, often in danger of extinction within the country.

Palace in Bąkowice built around 1800 was next extended by the addition of the east wing, porch and additional buildings on the west side. In the 20s of the previous century in the place of the original balcony in the garden façade a glass veranda was built over the porch. The palace is of baroque classicistic character. Nowadays it is a private property.

The first records about the church in Bąkowice come from the middle ages. Its present shape is owed to a bricklayer master who renewed the building in 30s of the 20th century. The paintings by Joseph Schweil from Prague seem to be valuable and also a gothic sculpture dated to the second quarter of the 15th century and two folk crucifixes from the 19th century.

Palace and park complex in Starościn
Near the forest area in the beginnings of the 15th century a hunter residence for Wrocław starost and his guests was erected. Around the house the village Starościn was built. In 1470 the residence was reconstructed into a castle.
At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries subsequent repair and building works were started, then, the building’s front was directed west and the structure got a typical baroque style. The palace garden was also changed, composed of four squares each of which were differently cultivated. Nowadays, the palace is the property of the commune and serves as a seat of Youth Centre. Landscape park in Starościn deserves attention because of numerous plant and tree species: lime trees, durmast, beech trees, Yellow Poplar, rare Brawer spruce, Colorado Douglas Firs, Red Cedars and Cypresses.

Church in Dąbrowa was probably erected on the initiative of the wealthy Kotuliński family around 1600. It was an evangelical church which was taken over by the Catholics in the 17th century. The church possesses valuables such as a crucifix and richly decorated baptismal font with a craftsman mark.

WILKÓW COMMUNE

Park and palace in Wilków. Over two-hectare park of natural style was created in the first half of the 19th century. The park is surrounded by a brick wall and the palace is situated inside the park, almost in its middle.
The building comes from the last quarter of the 19th century. Partially original window and door woodwork is preserved. Nowadays, the palace is registered as a monument and remains a private property.

Ecological artificial lake in Wilków belongs to Hunters Society “Elk”. It is situated in the south part of the commune near the Widawa river. The reservoir is composed of ponds and dikes whose total area is 15 hectares. The ponds are stocked and surrounded by forests from the south.

Distillery and flaker mill in Pszeniczna
The building is composed of two adjoining parts: two-floor distillery built in the second half of the 19th century and the mill building erected in the second decade of the 20th century.
The cellar comprises a vast malt house, potato washer, spirit storage and boiler room with a steam boiler. On the first floor there are rooms with a complete original technological equipment. The structure is registered as a monument and nowadays is the property of Agricultural Company PAGRO in Pągów.

Palace and Park Complex with a Farm in Pągów.
Situated in the centre of the village the complex consists of the residential part with the palace, park and annex  and the farm part of two household yards. The park kept in free natural style occupies a vast area in the south. The palace was erected in 1875-76 and the household and farm buildings were successively completed in the end of the 19th century.
In 1918-19 the palace was extended by building of the west part and a few years later the east part was added. At present, the rooms of the palace are occupied by the offices of Agricultural Company PAGRO which owns the whole complex.

Church in Wilków is built of brick in a gothic plan. The first historical records about the temple under the invocation of St Nicolas come from the end of 1290. Unfortunately, the Second World War did not spare this priceless monument. The church burnt and after 13 years was rebuilt but without a tower.

Wojciechów
Filial church under the invocation of St Wojciech in its present shape was probably erected in the 15th century. The first records about the temple come from 1376. The church is built of brick but the lower floor is stony. From the 16th century till 1945 it was an evangelical church.

Bukowie
The church under the invocation of Candlemas in Bukowie. The exact date of its erection is not known, possible time is the 15th century. Brick church, late gothic (the tower is built in late baroque). Octagonal cupola has spherical shape with a lantern.

Pągów
The church was erected before 1300 but it was disassembled in the middle of the 19th century. Wooden structure was replaced with a brick one (only the tower is still wooden of post construction with a splendid spherical cupola and a lantern on the top).