Top 8 Things to do in Kamienna Gora, Southern Poland

Reviewed By endrju_74 - Ipswich, United Kingdom

So, the word Arado refers to German project run to design and produce jet planes. It all started in 1917 and hugely accelerated when Hitler got into power - from that moment they concentrated on war aircraft, still with jet engines. It was all going good, manufacturers were going from strenght to strenght, till Nazi Germany troops started loosing on both fronts, and the allied forces started their carpet bombings, which put in danger the whole project. So they moved their factories to Kamienna Góra (Landeshut during German times), as this town was out of the range of allied planes and Germans never thought they would loose control over the town after the war. So they digged many underground corridors and halls to accommodate factories form other parts of their country. The plan was good, but not so much, as shortly Soviet and Polish troop took over this area, and new post WWII borders were designed in a way , that all these territory found itself under Polish administration. And former underground constructions were for many years closed for public, and treated as military areas. Only recently this place, now called simply Arado has become latest adition to Dolny Śląsk tourist attractions. Very small car park in front of the pavillion. Ticket office in new concrete WWI stylised block. Guided tour only. Some of their staff are dressed in Nazi German troops uniforms and they do suddenly appear in the middle of the tour, scaring people out, checking documents and so on, to give tourists real WWII experience. Definitely a must see. I would recommend after visiting thi place a short tour in the park just above Arado, where there's a lot of armament on display, randomly scattered by the paths, to extend the excitement.