Wleń is a small historic town in Lwówek Śląski County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is located on the Bóbr river in the historic Lower Silesian region, approximately 13 km south-east of Lwówek Śląski, and 97 km west of the regional capital Wrocław. The town is the seat of the administrative district (gmina) called Gmina Wleń. , it has a population of 1,759.

History

Wleń was established in 1214 by the Silesian duke Henry I the Bearded and his wife Hedwig of Andechs, as part of fragmented medieval Poland. It was located near the Wleń Castle, one of the oldest castles in Poland, which served as a seat of a castellany that was probably founded in 1108 by Polish ruler Bolesław III Wrymouth. The castle was expanded in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by Dukes Bolesław I the Tall and Henry I the Bearded, and Henry I with his wife often stayed in the castle. The name comes from the Polish word wał, which means "rampart", referring to its plausible role as a Polish defensive stronghold against possible incursions from Bohemia. In 1215, the Saint Nicholas church was founded. Wleń was granted town rights before 1261. As a result of further fragmentation of Poland into smaller district principalities, Wleń formed part of the duchies of Legnica and Jawor. The town was flooded on 16 September 2024, during the 2024 Central European floods.

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