Paczków, Medieval town in Lower Silesia, Poland
Paczków is a medieval city in Lower Silesia completely surrounded by fortification walls that form a complete circuit around the historical center. The defensive system includes 24 towers spaced along the perimeter and features the Gothic church of St. John the Evangelist as a major landmark.
Bishop Tomasz I of Wrocław founded the town in 1254 as a strategic market settlement in southern Poland. Over time it evolved into an important defensive stronghold whose fortification system influenced the region for centuries.
The Market Square displays townhouses in Renaissance, Baroque, and Classicist styles that shaped the city's appearance over centuries. Many of these structures from the 1500s tell the story of the place through their varied facades and architectural details.
The best time to explore is during daylight hours when the church and museum are open and you can walk along the walls. A full circuit around the defensive walls takes about one to two hours depending on your pace and how long you stop to look around.
The Gas Industry Museum documents a chapter of industrial history often overlooked by visitors, showing equipment from the era when gas powered street lighting and household illumination. This collection reveals an important but forgotten stage in how cities provided utilities to their residents.
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