Apart from the Upper and Lower Castles, they founded a parish church and town hall, which represent examples of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. A distinctive feature is a Renaissance sundial placed in the corner.

History

Initially, the buildings in the market square set in the 14th century features a wooden structure. The town hall was built in 1538 as part of the mid-marketplace block founded by Bishop Jakub von Salza. Masonry stalls were built to the west of it in 1575. Bishop Martin of Gerstmann granted a permit for their construction and also financed the corner sundial at the town hall. The tower was erected in 1678. During many renovations and modernisations, the Renaissance character of the building has been partially obliterated, among others, the sixteenth-century gables were dismantled (1827). In 1933, inspired by the late Renaissance sgraffito decoration partially preserved on the tower façades, similar decoration was applied on the southern wall of the main building.

Description

The Renaissance town hall was built on a rectangular floor plan with a square tower on the axis of the east façade. To the west, it is separated from the former stalls by a narrow street. The three-storeyed building is covered with a half-hip roof clad with roof tiles. The tower which has the shape of a square on the ground floor turns into an octagon on the third storey. It is surmounted by a Baroque cupola clad with sheet metal. Stairs added in 1827 lead from the east. The façades of the masonry town hall are plastered and feature partially preserved sgraffito decoration. The corners are accentuated with rustication. The upper octagonal part of the tower is divided by cornices and topped with a gallery. Over the entrance to the tower, there is a stone cartouche with the coat of arms of Bishop Jakub von Salza and the date "1538", which was originally placed on the main body. In the south-east corner of the building, at the first floor level, there is a two-sided sundial adorned with stucco, painted decorations, and surmounted by the founder's coat of arms and provided with medallions with an inscription and a chronogram containing information about the renovations performed. The layout of the town hall interior underwent numerous alterations.

The tower is open to the public as a viewpoint.

compiled by Joanna Szot, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Opole, 19-08-2014.

Bibliography

• Biller L., Neisse, Ottmachau und Patschkau, die Städte am Mittelauf der Glatzer Neisse (Veröffentlichungen der Schlesien Gesellschaft für Erkunde E.V. und des Geographischen Instituts der Universität Breslau, H. 15), Breslau 1932.
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, vol. VII: Województwo opolskie, issue 3: Powiat grodkowski, prepared by T. Chrzanowski, M. Kornecki, Warsaw 1964.
• Lutsch H., Verzeichnis der Kunstdenkmäler der Provinz Schlesien, Bd. 4: Die Kunstdenkmäler des Reg.-Bezirks Oppeln, Tl. 1, Breslau 1890.
• Steinborn B., Otmuchów, Paczków (Śląsk w zabytkach sztuki), Wrocław 1982.
• Zabytki sztuki w Polsce. Śląsk, Warsaw 2006.