Kłonice is located in the Kaczawskie Foothills in the Sudetes, on the border with the Sudeten Foreland, in the Chełmy Landscape Park. The elevations around the village are composed of Old-Paleozoic greenstones, while the foot and stream valleys are covered with Quaternary sediments, including alluvial clays, sands, and gravels.
Kłonice were widely regarded as one of the four oldest villages in the Chełmy Landscape Park. It was suspected that the village might have been founded by the Cistercians. In 1346, Duke of Jawor, Henry I, granted Conradus von Dornheim, the prior of the Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene in Luban, the rent from the forests in the vicinity of the village, which belonged to Catherine, the widow of Vlmannus de Nossin. It was a knightly estate, and it is not known whether there was a residence for the owner here from the beginning. It is more likely that Kłonice were subject to the owners of Paszowice and became separate only in the 16th century. In 1577, a Renaissance manor of the von Reibnitz family was built here, and the village belonged to them until 1622. During the Thirty Years’ War, the village became impoverished. In 1765, In Kłonice at that time, there were 7 smallholders, 10 cottagers, 6 craftsmen, and 7 free people. In 1786, in the village, there was a manor, a farm, a watermill, two windmills, an evangelical school, and 27 houses.
In 1837, the estate was bought by K.G. Zimmer, who immediately began to convert the farm into a brewery. In 1840, Kłonice had a palace, a farm with a brewery, an evangelical school, a water mill, 2 windmills, 3 inns, and among the residents, there were 4 craftsmen and 1 merchant. At that time, the village was of interest to tourists. The palace and gardens were admired, and people went on hikes to Radogost and Kaiserquelle. In Kłonice, there was also a tavern with accommodations on Scheerberg. The next owners of the village were: Heinrich Wuthe, Hugo Seidel, and Paul Dunkel. From 1915 – 1945, the palace in Kłonice served as the residence of the von Hochberg family. After 1945, the palace and farm were turned into a State Agricultural Farm (PGR). Then, the property was taken over by the State Treasury’s Agricultural Property Agency (AWR Skarbu Państwa) and eventually sold into private hands.
Among the most important historical landmarks of Kłonice are:
Radogost Tower
The observation tower was built in 1893 It was constructed in the shape of a circle using stone, basalt, and clinker brick, and it was topped with a wooden roof. The observation deck is accessible via winding stairs on a brick pillar. The hexagonal terrace, which is the highest level of the tower, was originally glazed. The window openings and the door opening are pointed arches enclosed in profiled brick frames. In 1977, the tower was adapted for use as a fire watchtower. In addition to its undeniable historical value, the tower also serves a tourist function, being located near hiking trails and within the “Chełmy” Landscape Park. The viewing platform is located at a height of 22 meters and offers a panoramic view in all directions, with prominent features including the Strzegom Hills, the Jawor Plain, the eastern part of the Kaczawskie Mountains, and the Kaczawskie Foothills in the foreground.
Renaissance Palace
The Renaissance Palace in Kłonice was built around 1577, as indicated by the preserved tympanum of the original portal with a date and a depiction of the Crucifixion, supported by a colorful frieze made up of heraldic shields. The palace underwent a complete expansion starting in 1878, with the architect Carl Johann Bogusław Lüdecke leading the project. In 1909, the palace was electrified with its own power and lighting system. Another renovation took place in 1981. The Kłonice Palace is a masonry palace, with the central part following a rectangular plan with an axial projection. The palace was enlarged from the garden side, and a quadrangular annex with a tower was added on the east side. The western wing is two stories high and has a gable roof. The preserved observation tower from 1893 is crowned with an open gallery. Plans of the palace are kept in the Museum of Architecture at the Berlin Institute of Technology. Currently, the palace is privately owned.
Kaiserquelle – the Emperor’s Spring
Drinking water spring, a well-like structure encased in masonry, designed in the style of ancient wells. During the interwar period, it was a popular destination for tourists from Berlin.
Bibliography:
- https://www.gorykaczawskie.pl/palac-klonice/
- http://www.paszowice.pl/strona-65-klonice.html
- https://polska-org.pl/
- Staffa M., (2010). Słownik Geografii Turystycznej Sudetów. Tom 7. Pogórze Kaczawskie. (meaning “Dictionary of Tourist Geography of the Sudetes. Vol. 7. The Kaczawskie Foothills”) Publishing house: I-BiS, Stare Miasto.
