Ruja is an old village located on the Średzka Upland, founded during the medieval colonization period. It was crossed by the so-called “Wysoka Droga” – a trade route from Wrocław to Legnica, where it intersected with a road running from south to north along the Cicha Woda river. It was mentioned in 1333.
The relatively good soils favored agriculture in the area. In the early 20th century, a disused railway line from Malczyce to Jawor was built near the village, which facilitated the transport of agricultural products to the port in Malczyce. The Church of St. Luke was originally a small Gothic building from the 14th century. It underwent several renovations and was restored in the 1980s. A tower was added to the single-nave structure from the south, with the lower part made of masonry and the upper part wooden. In the churchyard, there is a German memorial to those who fell during World War I.
The Baroque palace located in the centre of the village fell into ruin after World War II and was subsequently demolished. Nearby stands an impressive building of the former manor, later an inn, with a Baroque portal. To the south of the village, there are several glacial landforms, and along the country roads, you can come across interesting specimens of Scandinavian-origin rocks, such as glacial erratics. In the nearby village of Wągrodno, the stone cross of reconciliation located in the wall surrounding the church is noteworthy.
Description: Piotr Migoń
