The tower of the Evangelical church in Żagań

The 70-meter tower of the Evangelical Church in Żagań is a remnant of the Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1709 as one of the six Silesian Churches of Grace. In 1842, due to the risk of structural collapse, it was decided to construct a new stone tower based on a design by Berlin architect Karl Heinrich Eduard Knoblauch, inspired by the neo-Gothic tower in Bolesławiec. Construction began in 1843 and was completed in 1846, with the tower crowned by an openwork spire. The ground floor of the tower houses the burial chapel of the Biron dukes, featuring epitaphs and cast-iron crypt gates adorned with angelic tondos. Among the rulers buried there is Peter von Biron, the last Duke of Courland, as well as other female members of the family. In the 1960s, the church was demolished, leaving only the tower, which at one time reached a height of 84 meters. After the crypt was looted in the late 1960s, the tower underwent a comprehensive renovation between 2000 and 2004, transforming it into a tourist attraction. Today, the tower offers exhibitions for visitors, serving as a significant tourist site and a symbol of the region's historical and cultural heritage.