The history of Twardocice in the northwestern part of the Kaczawskie Foothills dates back to the end of the 12th century. From the beginning of the 13th century, it was owned by the Cistercian nunnery in Trzebnica, probably until the beginning of the 15th century. During the Reformation, it became an important centre of Protestantism, particularly for the Schwenkfelders, a radical branch initiated by Daniel Caspar von Schwenckfeld (1490–1561). In 1726, most of the Schwenkfelders, suffering from persecution and harassment by Jesuits leading the Counter-Reformation, emigrated.
In the second half of the 18th century, the village expanded, and in the mid-19th century, it had over 1700 residents. Remnants of the Evangelical community include the ruins of the church in the village centre. It was built in the 17th century as a so-called “church of refuge,” expanded in the early 18th century, and soon rebuilt after a fire. In 1726, a tower with a visible spire was added. The church was abandoned after 1945 and fell into disrepair. The interior, filled with galleries, could accommodate 2400 worshipers. Schwenkfelders are commemorated by a partially damaged monument standing on the grounds of the former cemetery to the south of the village. It was erected in 1863 as a neo-Gothic obelisk. In the vicinity of the church ruins, there is a late Baroque palace with a simple structure. The village is home to numerous impressive residential buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, showcasing rural Baroque and Neoclassical architectural features. Some of these buildings have gable walls adorned with patterns made from slate roof tiles.
Description: Piotr Migoń
