So where are the tunnels we went to see? There are 2 sets of tunnels.
It turned out that throughout the city's history, generations of Kłodzko's merchants had developed an extensive net of underground basements and tunnels. They were used for storage and, in times of trouble, as a safe shelter from artillery fire. With time the tunnels were forgotten, especially after the original German population was deported, and during the years after World War II many of them started to collapse, along with the houses above. Since the 1970s the tunnels were conserved and the destruction of the city was stopped (wikipedia) These tunnels date back to the 13th century. Pictures were not easy.
The second set of tunnels, 40 km or about 24 miles, are under the fortress on the hill overlooking the city. This fortress was built and rebuilt many times over the centuries starting in 1129. It was used as a prison and for defense. They stored explosives in the tunnels at strategic spots and could blow up invading armies from below. They knew how to pack the explosives so all the power went up and did not destroy the tunnels….remember these tunnels were built in the 19th century by prisoners of war.
The city that the fortress protected from the fortress.
The fortress was entered by a drawbridge over a moat. The drawbridge still exists but the moat is filled in. We only got to visit a small portion of the fortress, since that is all that is open to the public.
The tunnels are very dark and some, not all, are this small. We were told before hand that there were low tunnels and we “could enter at our own wish”. We have been enjoying reading menus and advertisements and tour information that has been translated for us. The problem is when we see them we are not able to write them down.
The soldiers who watched in these tunnels had to work in the dark,,,full dark, because the powder was so explosive no torches could be used. Imagine, miles of tunnels you had to know by heart and run through blind.
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