CASTLES AND PARACES
1.
KSIAZ –It is the third largest castle in
Poland, after Malbork and Wawel. Once referred to as the jewel of Lower
Silesia, it is picturesquely situated on a majestic rock cliff. The castle,
with its history going back to the 13th century, has truly
captivating interiors. Visitors can also enjoy the thrill of going down a
mysterious tunnel constructed by the Germans during the Second World War. The
tour of the castle includes a fragment of this historical curiosity.
2.
DUNAJEC –The medieval castle in
Niedzica, nested over the Crsztyn Lake, offers truly magnificent views: the
Pieniny mountains, the huge dam on the lake, the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle and
in the distance even the Tatras.One of mysteries of the castle, unsolved to
this day, is the fact of having found traces of the presence of the Incas:
descendants of Tupac Amaru II, fleeing from persecution in Spain. Hence the
legend about the hidden treasure and the ghost of an Indian princess roaming
around the castle halls.
3.
WILANOW
It was built in the 17th century;
this palace was the summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski and his beloved
wife, Marie Casimire Louise. Together with the park which surrounds it, the
palace is one of the most precious examples of Baroque. It’s even called the
Polish Versailles and it is home to the oldest museum of art in all Poland.
4.
ROYAL LAZIENKI PARK
Spread over the area of 76 hectare, it is one
of the most beautiful garden and palace complexes in Europe. While visiting
this favourite park of the locals, one can take a look inside the historical
interiors of the summer residence of the royals, the Palace on the Water, as
well as the nearby Amphitheatre and the Old Orangery. On summer weekends, the
park becomes a venue for open air piano concerts during which Frederic Chopin’s
music is played of the feet of his famous statue.
5.
BARANOW SANDOMIERSKI
It located in the lowland of the
lower Vistulla, this castle is justly nicknamed the “Little Wawel”. It was
designed by the Italian architect Santi Gucci, the court artist at the Royal
Wawel Castle in Krawkow. This pearl of Renaissance architecture is surrounded
by a 14 hectare park. The interiors of the old residence of the Leszcynski
family are now home to a museum, a restaurant and an elegant hotel.
6.
BRANICKI PALACE IN BIALYSTO
The spatial arrangement of the best
preserved Barouqe gardens in Poland bewilders the visitor with its perfect
symmetry. Due to the ingenuity of the 17th century architect Tylman
van Gameren, the seat of the aristocratic Branicki family is referred to as the
Versailles of the North and finds no equal in this part of Europe. Many
cultural events are held in its fascinating setting. The most esteemed one is
the international soul music festival called “Poztywne Wibracje” (Good Vibrations)
.
7.
KOZLOWKA
This 18th century palace
is the only aristocratic residence in Poland which was not affected by the
turmoil of World War II or even the 50 years of communist rule. Its interiors
are decorated with authentic furnishings from the turn of the 19th
and 20th centuries. The immense art collection, which includes
copies of the most famous European
painting masterpieces , can really make one’s head spin. The former carriage
house has been turned into the Socialist Realist Art Gallery , which has over
1600 authentic sculptures, paintings and posters made by Polish artists in
1950s, at a time when art was used as a tool for communist ideology.
8.
WISNICZ NOWY
This castle, whose earliest history
dates back to the 14th century, is one of the most precious examples
of early Baroque military architecture in Poland. During the times of the
Renaissance, this residence of the Kmita and Lubomirski family was rebuilt to become one of the most
fortified strongholds in the whole country. The castle , constructed on the
plan of a quadrangle with an inner courtyard and 4 towers – one in each
corner began to dilapidate in the
following centuries . These days, the restored castle is home to a museum, a
restaurant and a hotel.
9.
KRASICZYN
This castle, justly considered one of
the gems of Polish Renaissance architecture, is situated on the right bank of
the river San, only 10 kilometres from Przemysi, a splendid town full of
historical monuments. When in the courtyard, one can admire very rare sgraffito
decorations on the walls, depicting biblical and hunting scenes, along with
great wall medallions portraying emperors and Polish Kings. The corner towers
are also very impressive, each of them bearing a different name: Divine, Papal
,Royal and Noble.
10.
PIESKOWA SKALA
The situation of the castle along,
nested on a protruding rock with precipices on is 3 sides, testifies to the
military past of Pieskowa Skata. It is one of the best preserved constructions
forming the “Trail of the Eagles’Nests” (Szlak Orlich Gniazd). The museum
exhibition in the castle interiors takes one on a journey back in time through
the history of European art. Each room is dedicated to a different epoch:
beginning with Gothic, through Rococo, all the way to the Interwar period.
11.
PSZCYNA
This old medieval magnate family’s
residence, which acquired its present neo Baraque style thanks to modernization
in the 19th century, is surrounded by an English park with the area
exceeding 150 hectares. The museum in the castle displays 19th and
early 20th century interiors. Visitors can also admire the
Miniatures Room and the castle armoury.
12.
MOSZNA
The number of rooms reflects the
number of days in the year and there are 99 towers and turrets. These numbers
already reveal a lot about how unusual this castle is. Dating back to the 17th
century, this fairytale palace lies amid a truly fantastic setting, with exotic
plants in a palm house, old specimens of azaleas and rhododendrons, or a 200
year old linden alley interspersed with water and bridges.
13.
KORNIK
The castle remembers the middle Ages,
but it owes its present shape to the 19th century refurbishment in
the English neo Gothic style. The castle accommodates one of the most valuable
book collections in Poland, with around 350 thousand volumes, including the
manuscripts of the most distinguished Polish writers. After visiting the most
intriguing part of the castle, the Mauritanian Hall whose style echoes the
Court of the Lions in the Alhambra, why not take a walk around the oldest and largest
arboretum in Poland? On the area of 40 hectares there are as many as 3500
different plant species. Some specimens are 200 or even 300 years old.
14.
CZOCHA
Beautifully situated at Lake Lesnia,
this castle erected in the 13th century as a defence stronghold. It
is full of secret passages, underground corridors and trap doors waiting to be
discovered by excited tourists. These days Czocha Castle is also home to a
hotel and conference centre and thanks to its location it often becomes the
setting for shooting films and TV series.
15.
LANCUT
Walking around the grand English park
stretching over 30 hectares, in the heart of which lies one of the most
spectacular aristocratic residences in Poland, abounds in aesthetic
impressions. The Lancut Castle is known for its vast collection of horse drawn carriages.
Every year in May the park is filled with music thanks to the Music Festival
organized there annually.
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