Dzierżoniów and Bielawa, the Gwiazdka Trail

Set in the Dzierżoniów Valley, on the river Piława, lies the town of Dzierżoniów, and right next to it Bielawa. Two very charming little towns, lying at the foot of the Owl Mountains. I began my tour of Dzierżoniów at night, in the rain. And the goal of the whole trip was to find an inscription on the viewing tower in Bielawa.

The Town Hall and the Market Square in Dzierżoniów have very pretty lighting. At midnight the square is empty and quiet. Drops of water hit the lens and get in the way of taking a photo. A moment later, someone asks me for cigarettes. Time to look for somewhere to stay. It's already late.

I only started my walk around the town and tour of the monuments the next day. The first monument I visit is the former Protestant church (now Roman Catholic, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church). Near it are the town's defensive walls.

They were taken down at the end of the 13th century on the orders of Bolko II, Duke of Świdnica. After the Hussite War, outer walls were added, thus creating a belt of greenery between the walls.

In the afternoon I set off on foot towards Bielawa. The destination of the trip was the viewing tower on Góra Parkowa (455 m above sea level), situated south of the town centre. On the way from Dzierżoniów to Bielawa, it's worth climbing Łysa Góra, from which a beautiful view of both towns opens up.

The viewing tower was built at the commission of the Bielawa Owl Mountains Society in the local locksmith's workshop of Curt Steuert, and opened on 20 June 1925. The tower is 9 metres tall and has two viewing platforms. The tower was named "Wolfgang Turm" (Wolfgang's Tower) — after the founder's first name.