The Way of St James along the Nysa Kłodzka (Nyska Droga św. Jakuba)

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Droga Nyskain GoogleEarth
by Adam Krasicki, www.olesnicamala.info

The Province of Opole is a twinning region for the Autonomous Community of Galicia in Spain, whose capital is the city of Santiago de Compostela - the destination of the European network of old roads known as the Way of St James. Along the Odra and the Nysa Kłodzka rivers there are numerous traces of the cult of St James the Apostle, so the twinning projects between the regions are not accidental. Most sites are situated along the main rivers, which means along old trade routes, as St James the Greater was the saint patron of all travellers. One of the roads ran along the Odra river and was called Via Regia. It went from Rus' through Cracow, Opole, Brzeg, Wrocław, Leipzig, Cologne to Paris (now A4 motorway in Poland and Germany is situated similarly to the old road). The Nysa Kłodzka was also a river that ran along the old trade routes from the capital of Silesia, Wrocław to Nysa, once known as Silesian Rome, and farther to Moravia. The Way of St James winds along the river, linking the spring of St James near Głuchołazy, St James' Basilica in Nysa and St James' Church (former hospital) in Skorogoszcz. Here the local Way of St James along the Nysa Kłodzka meets the Via Regia.

Pilgrims could find protection and care in shelters and hospitals. One of such places was Hospital in Old Town of Nysa - grounded 1239 by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Pilgrims to the area should not miss the charming pilgrimage church in Mroczkowa or one of Poland's three existing Benedictine monasteries in Biskupów.

It is possible that the Way of St James along the Nysa Kłodzka will be extended to include towns in the Czech Republic - and no wonder, since Jeseník and Javorník were historically part of Silesia and the Duchy of Nysa for almost 500 years.