Lipa
Lipa, located on the border of the Kaczawskie Mountains and the Kaczawskie Foothills, is an old village, existing at least since the second half of the 13th century. Its beginnings may have been related to mining activities carried out in the vicinity, which continued until the 16th century. Before the Thirty Years’ War, the village belonged to the von Zedlitz family and was one of the wealthier ones in the area. In the later centuries, the village maintained its character as a large, predominantly agricultural settlement. In the mid-19th century, it was inhabited by nearly 1,500 people, and limestone mining was developing during that time.
The most valuable historical site is the ruins of the castle in the upper part of the village. It was initially built as a small watchtower in the 13th century, then rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the 17th century and in the Neo-Gothic style in the 19th century. Legends associate the castle with the Templars, although there is no evidence to support this. The residential building and a three-story tower have survived, along with a small courtyard and the entrance gate. Currently, there are ongoing reconstruction efforts for the castle.
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul was built in the 13th century as a Romanesque structure, later rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 15th century, and then renovated in the Renaissance style. The most valuable interior element is the Gothic altarpiece in the form of a triptych. Epitaphs of members of the von Zedlitz family from the 15th to 17th centuries are embedded in the cemetery wall surrounding the church. Two palaces, located in the central and lower parts of the village, remain in ruins. Along the road to Grudno, there are the ruins of a medieval stone gallows, preserved to a height of 6 meters.
Description: Piotr MIgoń
