Bardo was founded in the 10th century as a Polish defensive
gord on a medieval
trade route from
Prague across the
Sudetes via
Kłodzko to Wrocław and
Gniezno. The surrounding area was populated by
Lechitic tribes and became part of the emerging Polish state in the 10th century under first historic ruler
Mieszko I of Poland. Bardo's
castellans were
Polish knights. They secured the southern border of the
Lower Silesian lands with adjacent
Kłodzko Land in
Bohemia. In 1096 Duke
Bretislaus II of Bohemia captured and devastated the fortress, nevertheless in 1137 it returned to
Poland. The following year, due to the fragmentation of Poland, Bardo became part of the Polish
Duchy of Silesia. From 1278 it belonged to the
Duchy of Jawor under the
Piast duke
Bolko I the Strict, from 1321 to the
Duchy of Ziębice under Duke
Bolko II. With Ziębice, Bardo was vassalized by the
Kingdom of Bohemia in 1336, however, it remained under rule of local Polish dukes of the
Piast dynasty until 1428. Its chapel was built in the 10th century, and it was first mentioned in 1189 as being granted to the
Knights Hospitaller by the
Bishops of Wrocław. In 1210 it passed to the
Canons Regular at
Kamieniec Abbey. By 1290 the gord had lost its strategic importance and ceased to exist as a
castellany. In 1299 the whole area was purchased by the
Cistercian order and was owned by them until 1810. The image of the
Madonna dates back to the 13th century, probably the oldest in
Silesia. The
Baroque pilgrimage church was erected between 1686 and 1704. The sanctuary was visited twice by the future
Pope John Paul II, in 1957 and 1978. In 1981 a monument of Pope John Paul II was unveiled in Bardo, as the second in Poland after
Kraków. After the
First Silesian War, Bardo along with most of
Silesia was annexed by
Prussia in 1742. In 1826,
Fryderyk Chopin travelled through the town. From 1871 to 1945 it was part of Germany. During
World War II, the Germans established and operated a
forced labour subcamp of the
Stalag VIII-A prisoner-of-war camp in the town. After the defeat of
Nazi Germany in the war it became again part of Poland under border changes promulgated at the
Potsdam Conference. Also in accordance with the agreement, the German population was
expelled and Bardo was repopulated by
Poles, most of whom were themselves expelled from
former eastern Poland annexed by the Soviet Union. In 1949–1950 Greeks and Macedonians,
refugees of the Greek Civil War, were temporarily admitted in Bardo, before new homes were found for them in other towns. Following the
Korean War, in 1956–1959, Poland admitted 400 North Korean orphans in Bardo. Bardo had gained the status of a
town in the early 14th century, but this was lost as the result of the destruction caused by World War II. It became the seat of a gmina in 1954, and was granted town status again in 1969. ==Sights==