WOK’S TOWER IN PRUDNIK

The Castle Tower, also known as Wok’s Tower, located on Castle Square in Prudnik, is the town's oldest monument and the sole remnant of a 13th-century stronghold built by the Czech magnate and knight, Vok of Rožmberk, the founder of Prudnik. The medieval castle, a scale model of which can be viewed before entering the tower, burned down in the early 19th century, leaving only the tower standing. Following a thorough renovation completed in 2009, it now serves as a vantage point. From the top of the 41-metre structure, visitors can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the town and the Opawskie Mountains. Wok’s Tower is the oldest castle tower in Upper Silesia and the oldest private defensive structure within Poland’s current borders. This unique status stems from the medieval law of regale grodowe (the royal fortification prerogative), which dictated that only kings, princes, and high church dignitaries could construct fortified strongholds. However, in the 13th century, Prudnik belonged to the Kingdom of Bohemia, where this restriction did not apply.