Fort XIIIb Bolestraszyce: location and access

Fort XIIIb Bolestraszyce is in the village of Bolestraszyce, northwest of Medyka, in Poland’s Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Administratively, it belongs to Żurawica commune in Przemyśl County.

The fort sits within the Bolestraszyce Arboretum rather than at an isolated roadside site. That setting matters for planning: access is arranged through the Arboretum, and the heritage record says visitors should arrange a visit by telephone beforehand. The fort is also on the northern green cycling route through the forts of the Przemyśl Fortress.

Fort XIIIb Bolestraszyce developed through several phases of construction and rebuilding as the Przemyśl Fortress changed its defences. The National Institute of Cultural Heritage records it in both the register of monuments and the monuments record.

Built in 1854–1855 as artillery redoubt no. 15, it was first a work of the FS (Feuer-Schanze) type. In 1878 it was rebuilt as a provisional artillery redoubt called W XIII Bolestraszyce. Weather damage led to another rebuilding in 1887.

The fort took its final form in 1896–1898, when it was extensively rebuilt as an artillery fort. Around 1913, it was modernized for close defence and renumbered GZW XIIIb. It belonged to the San Rideau fort group in the fifth defensive district and supported Fort GHW XIII “San Rideau.” The nearby fortification network also includes Fort XIII San Rideau.

During the fortress’s surrender on 22 March 1915, the ammunition magazine in the central shelter, the caponiers and part of the barracks were blown up. The barracks and central shelter were later dismantled during the interwar period.

Today, surviving features include exposed brick walls, sections of the barracks, a postern, a well niche, rampart access ramps, caponier foundations and fragments of original paving.

By car, Fort XIIIb Bolestraszyce is about 33 minutes from Apartamenty Medyka Park. The fort is within the Arboretum, so make the telephone arrangement before setting off rather than treating it as an unscheduled roadside stop.

The site’s visitor route was laid out during a restoration project carried out from 2013 to 2015. That work cleared vegetation, debris and earthworks, secured dangerous locations, and marked the former outlines of the barracks and central shelter with pergolas. Information boards and a bicycle rack were also installed.

If you are cycling the northern green route through the Przemyśl Fortress forts, the fort is one of its stops.

For a visit on foot within the Arboretum, stay on designated paths: its visitor rules prohibit entering closed plant collections or experimental areas, and do not allow dogs or other domestic animals. Another fort in the area is Fort XIIIa Zabłocie.

Access to the fort is arranged through the Bolestraszyce Arboretum, and the heritage record specifies a prior telephone arrangement. Opening schedules and admission details can change, so check the official site before you go. The Arboretum’s visitor rules also prohibit visiting during a thunderstorm and lighting fires or grilling without the director’s permission.

Allow time to follow the marked visitor route and view the surviving fort features from designated paths. The route and safety work were part of the 2013–2015 project; the site’s historic fabric includes exposed brickwork, earthworks and remnants of the fort’s defensive structures.

Where is Fort XIIIb Bolestraszyce?

It is in Bolestraszyce, in Żurawica commune, Przemyśl County, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland. The fort is within the Bolestraszyce Arboretum.

Can you visit Fort XIIIb Bolestraszyce without arranging ahead?

The heritage record says visits are available by prior telephone arrangement. Contact the Bolestraszyce Arboretum to confirm access before setting out.

What can you see at the fort?

Surviving features include exposed brick walls, sections of barracks, a postern, a well niche, rampart access ramps, caponier foundations and fragments of original paving.