Nowa Ruda appeals to travelers who want to choose between architecture, views and mining history during their stay. Religious and secular buildings offer contrasting features; observation towers and an underground tourist route round out the picture.
Reading the city’s history through its buildings
The town hall is the city’s third town hall building. It was built in 1884 in the Biedermeier style and expanded between 1892 and 1894. The portal, bay window and window pediments define the building’s later decorative features. At its northwestern corner stands a fountain with a Baroque statue of Saint Florian dating from 1756. The fountain and town hall thus point to different periods: the statue clearly predates the construction of the present town hall.
St. Nicholas Parish Church offers another way to explore Nowa Ruda’s architectural history. It has historical, scientific and artistic value and is one of the largest and most strikingly designed Neo-Gothic churches in the Kłodzko Land. The church is the work of a well-known architect. Those interested in religious architecture will find a clear contrast here with the town hall’s Biedermeier forms.
Weavers’ houses dating from around the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries stand on Nadrzeczna Street. Their vaulted arcades cover today’s sidewalk—a distinctive architectural feature that differs from the town hall’s representative forms. The Loreto Chapel is also worth seeing for its religious architectural history: consecrated in 1768, it is one of 20 Polish buildings of this type and is included in and marked on the nationwide route of Loreto chapels. A different historical image is presented by the bronze monument to Saint John the Baptist. Dating from 1909, it depicts the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist.
Viewpoints and mining history
The “Dwie Wieże” (Two Towers) trail connects two viewpoints in Nowa Ruda. Each has a brick tower made of red sandstone. The connection between the viewpoints is itself a useful point of reference when choosing an outing that suits your interests; check local conditions before setting out.
The two observation towers on the city’s hills also each have their own features. On Góra św. Anny stands a 14-meter-high tower made of red sandstone. It was built in 1911 and reopened on October 5, 2014, following modernization. If you would like to visit, check current visitor access in advance. At 648 meters above sea level, Góra Wszystkich Świętych is the highest elevation within the city limits. A stone observation tower with a gallery stands at its summit; from there, panoramic views extend across the eastern and central Sudetes. The figures refer to different things: 14 meters is the height of the tower on Góra św. Anny, while 648 meters is the elevation of Góra Wszystkich Świętych above sea level.
Those interested in the industrial past can learn about the origins of the “Kopalnia Węgla” underground tourist route: it was first established as a mining museum in 1996. The idea was to preserve part of the mine as it existed at the time as a museum. At Dawna Kopalnia Nowa Ruda, the educational program accompanying a visit to the coal mine also includes a ride on the mine train through the LECH gallery. Check current visitor conditions with the operator in advance.
To decide whether Nowa Ruda matches your travel interests, you can weigh its different highlights: architectural history and religious architecture sit alongside viewpoints and mining history. The places and activities offer different reasons to explore the city, without requiring every visitor to have the same kind of experience in mind.
Discover more destinations: Polanica-Zdrój, Stojków, Ołdrzychowice Kłodzkie, Stronie Śląskie, Potoczek, Nowa Morawa, Nowy Gierałtów, Konradów
Return to the main travel overview: Kłodzki.
