Szlaki województw śląskiego i opolskiego

The monument of the Duke of Opole, Jan II the Good, the last of the Opole Piasts, stands in front of the entrance to the main building of the University of Opole. The stone sculpture was unveiled on October 3, 2000. It depicts the duke in a thoughtful pose, sitting on a throne. Jan the Good was born around 1460, and he took over the rule of the Duchy of Opole in 1476, initially with his younger brother Nicholas II. The main goal of his policy was to enlarge the territory of the Duchy of Opole, which he achieved by acquiring new lands through buying out the debts of Silesian dukes and applying a well-thought-out dynastic policy. In this way, he enlarged the territory of the duchy with the lands of Gliwice, Koźle, Bytom, and Racibórz. By issuing numerous privileges, he also led to its significant economic development. The duke died childless on March 27, 1532, in Racibórz and was buried in the Holy Cross Church in Opole. Practical information: The facility is not open to visitors. Free parking spaces on Krakowska Street.