House of Day, House of Night

Travel Guide

Nowa Ruda

Nowa Ruda, which features rather unheroically in House of Day, House of Night is a town in south-western Poland near the Czech border, which lies partly on the Włodzica river. Following World War II the region became part of Poland, and the Germans there were expelled. Ostpolitik was then adopted by the German Chancellor Willy Brandt, and so the former German inhabitants were allowed to travel to their hometowns and many tried to establish relations there. It’s a strange place – nice and creepy all at once.

There are lots of locations in that area described in House of Day, House of Night – e.g. Wambierzyce (huge cathedral and stations of the cross in tiny town) – Wambierzyce is called the “Silesian Jerusalem”, and is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in southern Poland.

Broumov (Czech town across the border but very nearby), Klodzko (lovely) and of course Walbrzych (depressing as heck).

Krajanow

Olga’s actual village, which is Krajanow, in the Gory Stolowe/Table Mountains. This is where House of Day is largely set. Olga holds an annual literary festival here in July. Again, the film Pokot was made around here, so you can see it in detail there!