Książ Castle Park under scientific scrutiny

The Książ residential complex is one of the largest and most topographically varied estates in Silesia. Its protection poses a huge challenge for land managers, as this area is simultaneously under three equal forms of nature protection (nature reserve, Natura 2000 area, and landscape park) as well as historical conservation protection. In 2019, substantive support was offered by two universities, UPWr and TU Dresden, which invited eight key stakeholders to cooperate.

Among the project partners were: Książ Castle in Wałbrzych, State Forests, Wałbrzych Forestry, Polish State Water Holdings, the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Wrocław, the Provincial Office for Monument Protection in Wrocław, Delegation in Wałbrzych, the Lower Silesian Landscape Parks Complex, Branch in Wałbrzych, Wałbrzych City Office, and the Princess Daisy von Pless Foundation. The project coordinators were Dr. Justyna Jaworek-Jakubska from Poland and Dr. Marcus Köhler and Marlen Hösselbarth from Germany.

Conference to conclude the project

–The effects of nearly four years of cooperation were presented during the official conclusion on April 17 at Książ Castle in Wałbrzych. Starting the project, we knew that we were dealing not only with an object of historical and natural value unique to the region but also with a very fragile heritage that was disappearing before our eyes. Therefore, we incorporated methods and tools that support integrated and more dynamic heritage management – emphasizes Dr. Justyna Jaworek-Jakubska.

The research showed that the Pełcznica Valley still stands out with a high saturation of historical substance. Over 75% of all paths are historical paths, of which 30% date from the years 1795-1840. This was the period when, on the initiative of Count Hans Heinrich VI von Hochberg and under the direction of the architect and painter Christian Wilhelm Tischbein, an early Romantic landscape park was created. A large portion of the historical objects also dates from the years 1860-1909. This was the period when Prince Hans Heinrich XI von Hochberg-Pless initiated the reconstruction of the castle and terraces, as well as expanded the path system connecting the terrace gardens with the Pełcznica Valley. It is from this period that the famous Devil's Bridge originates.

Innovative actions in the forest park

It’s worth adding that prominent designers were involved in the project work - Berlin architect Georg Friedrich Heinrich Hitzig and the director of the Tiergarten gardens in Berlin - Eduard Neide. The latter contributed to the completion of the construction of the famous Kunststrasse road, which at the time was considered a masterpiece of garden art and road engineering. The final shape of the Książ residential complex was achieved in the years 1909-1923, during the great expansion of the castle initiated by Prince Hans Heinrich XV von Hochberg-Pless. It is from this period that the well-known rhododendrons, the favorite shrubs of his famous English wife, Princess Daisy, come.

– About 1909, innovative actions were initiated in the Książ forest park – the first successful introduction of rhododendrons under the existing beech stand on an unprecedented scale – notes Dr. Robert Sobolewski.

– The concept was created as a result of close cooperation between scientists, key stakeholders, and external experts, who were involved in deciding on the concept. The project team aimed to find common goals for the protection of nature and monuments, which helped achieve a compromise between the need to preserve cultural heritage, the development of tourism, and the requirements of protection in the reserve area. This approach to concept building strengthens cooperation among land management entities – add Dr. Hab. Agnieszka Latocha-Wites and Dr. Karolina Królikowska, authors of the sustainable tourism concept.

Coherent vision for the development of the Pełcznica Valley

Ultimately, at the conceptual level, a coherent vision for the development of the Pełcznica Valley was achieved. It was decided that cultural heritage would be the central theme of the designed tourist routes, which will be created based on the existing system of tourist trails, extended in short sections by historical park promenades. In the nature reserve along the walking paths, protection and exposure of clear relics (e.g., from the Old Swiss trail) and conservation of construction objects (e.g., grottos) are planned. Outside the nature reserve, revalorization of the forest park with a rhododendron collection is possible. At the detailed concept level, some differences in opinions occurred, so workshops and expert meetings were organized during the project, during which the optimal variants were selected, and accepted by all stakeholders. More importantly, the Wałbrzych Forestry has already taken the first steps to obtain funds for their implementation, including the restoration of the Luiza and Karolina viewing platforms and the regulation of tourist traffic in the area.

– The project is pioneering in many respects. We tried to develop a new approach to cultural heritage. We moved away from conventional conservation thinking focused on protecting objects to protecting entire landscapes and managing changes. However, I believe that the greatest success of the project is the creation of a foundation for lasting cooperation, which opens up new possibilities for joint actions to protect the cultural landscape around Książ Castle – explains Dr. Justyna Jaworek-Jakubska.

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  UPWr scientists: royal gardener designed the Książ Castle Gardens

  The Książ Castle Gardens in the 1870s were designed by Eduard Neide, the director of the Royal Gardens Tiergarten in Berlin – this is the latest discovery by UPWr scientists who have been researching the history of this site for several years.