Opolno-Zdrój, 2022
Only the church will remain
The first written mention of the site of today’s village of Opolno-Zdrój (Bad Oppelsdorf in German) dates back to the 14th century. At that time, it was called ‘Oppelsdorf’. The word ‘Bad’ (spa) had to wait a few more centuries. Surface coal mining brought the town its greatest prosperity. Paradoxically, it is probably also the reason why it will disappear.
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was built in 1902 for spa guests who came to visit the local healing springs. Unless current mining plans change, the church will remain in place after the pit is enlarged. But what awaits the rest of the village? The state-owned company PGE is working with two options for its demolition: half and full.
