Szlak JelonkówBolko III
Bolko III – a prince-knight with a sword and shield. A guardian of tradition at the foot of Chojnik Castle, whose walls still remember his line.
Fun fact: Duke Bolko III of Świdnica-Jawor (1310–1368) raised Chojnik Castle as a defensive stronghold of the Karkonosze. Legend has it that the ghost of Princess Kunegunda still wanders the walls of Chojnik – according to the tale she threw herself from the cliff when none of her suitors could pass the trials she set.
Figurine author: Marcin Znamienkiewicz (nauczyciel)
Bolko III is the knight little deer of the Szlak Jelonków trail in Jelenia Góra, who keeps watch in Sobieszów, at the foot of Chojnik hill with its famous castle ruins. With a sword and shield he nods to the ducal house of Świdnica-Jawor, whose fortunes were tied to this corner of the Karkonosze.
Where to find Bolko III
The figure stands in Sobieszów, once an independent town and today a district of Jelenia Góra, at the foot of Chojnik. It is a natural starting point for one of the most popular trails in the Karkonosze: a marked tourist trail will take you to the summit with the castle ruins in about 40–60 minutes. Bolko III combines a walk along the Szlak Jelonków trail with bagging a real mountain attraction.
Chojnik Castle – legend and history
The ruins of Chojnik are one of the symbols of the Jelenia Góra Valley. The stronghold was built and expanded from the 13th century under the dukes of Świdnica-Jawor; for centuries it guarded the area and the trade routes. With the castle comes the legend of the cruel Princess Kunegunda, who promised her hand to a knight able to ride on horseback around the walls above the precipice – many daredevils paid for the attempt with their lives. Today Chojnik hill lies within the Karkonosze National Park, and from the castle's viewing tower a panorama of the whole valley opens up as far as Śnieżka. Several marked trails lead to the summit – the gentle, cobbled red one and the adventurous black one through the Robbers' Rocks (Zbójeckie Skały) and the Holey Stone (Dziurawy Kamień).
What to see nearby
Sobieszów and neighbouring Cieplice are a rich part of the Szlak Jelonków trail. Nearby you will find Lalkarz by the Animation Theatre and the duo Ciepliczanka i Zdrój in the heart of the spa, and higher up, in the highest district of the city, Kubuś in Jagniątków.
Frequently asked questions
Who made the Bolko III figure?
The little deer was designed and sculpted by Marcin Znamienkiewicz, a sculpture teacher at the Stanisław Wyspiański School of Artistic Crafts in Jelenia Góra.
Where does the name Bolko III come from?
It nods to the Piast dukes of Świdnica-Jawor tied to Chojnik Castle, which towers over Sobieszów.
Where exactly does the little deer stand?
In Sobieszów, a district of Jelenia Góra, at the foot of Chojnik, by the route up to the castle.
