History

The medieval town of Krosno Odrzańskie was most probably initially circumscribed with wooden and earthen ramparts which, in the late 13th century, were replaced with walls. The defensive walls are built mainly of brick, and only some of their parts - of field stone. The town could be accessed through two gates: Odrzańską gate from the north-west and Głogowska gate from the south. On the eastern side, near the castle, the third gate was built - Kamienna gate. In the 15th and 16th century, the gates were re-designed and most probably transformed in more massive buildings. Apart from the gates, there were also two wicket gates in Krosno - Piaskowa and Strzelecka. In 1633, the Swedish started to build bastions and transform the town into a stronghold. At that time, they also reinforced the walls. However already in the 17th century, the defensive walls were slowly falling into decay. Nearly all fortifications were dismantled in the second half of the 19th century.

Description

The fragments of the defensive walls of Krosno are located near the bus station as well as castle and school, and a road to the stadium. They are comprised of brick sections preserved to a height of a couple meters. The fragment of the northern wall section along with remains of a rectangular tower, which has survived between the bus station and the Oder, underwent full-scale conservation works in 1965. All the facilities had defensive purposes, therefore the castle with the gatehouse and fragments of the defensive walls are located in the north-eastern section of the old town complex. In the area, there are also surviving traces of a band of ramparts built at the time when Krosno was transformed into a stronghold by the Swedish in the 17th century.

The building is accessible all year round.

compiled by Krzysztof Garbacz, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Zielona Góra, 16-03-2015.

Bibliography

• Kowalski S., Miasta Środkowego Nadodrza dawniej. Historia zapisana w zabytkach, Zielona Góra 1994, s. 75.
• Muszyński J., Krosno Odrzańskie, [w:] Kaczmarczyk Z., A. Wędzki (red.), Studia nad początkami i rozplanowaniem miast nad środkową Odrą i dolną Wartą (województwo zielonogórskie), t. 2: Dolny Śląsk, Dolne Łużyce, Zielona Góra 1970, s. 272-273.