Polish palaces, castles and fortresses
"Versailles of Podlasie" - Branicki Palace in Białystok
Branicki Palace in Białystok is one of the most appealing historic buildings in Podlasie land and one of the best-preserved aristocratic residences from Saxon times in Poland. Palace complex in Białystok is also one of the most beautiful baroque mansions in East Europe. The design of the residence refers to Baroque palaces of French kings and led to naming the Bialystok palace the "Polish Versailles", or “Versailles of Podlasie”. Read morePalace in Choroszcz
In the small town of Choroszcz, not far from Bialystok (northeastern Poland) is located a charming small palace. The palace was the summer residence of the crown hetman and castellan of Kraków, Jan Klemens Branicki (1689-1771), a powerful Polish aristocrat. The palace was built on an artificial island, which is surrounded by canals modelled after those at Versailles. Read moreCastle of the Dukes of Mazovia in Ciechanów
The castle in Ciechanów was built on the swamps of the Łydynia River on the turning point of the fourteenth and fifteenth century. It was erected by the Masovian Duke Siemowit III, and his son Janusz I, Prince of Ciechanów and Warsaw. The brick stronghold was built on the mound made of layers of clay and timber. The towers located in the four corners of the castle's square formation help to defend the stronghold, and additional 10 metre high defensive walls. In the fifteenth century, the castle was raised by an additional level and a raised courtyard. Read moreEagles’ Nest - Royal Castle in Bobolice
The royal Castle in Bobolice was built in the Polish Jura as a part of the medieval defence system of royal strongholds (so-called Eagles’ Nests) with protected of the western part of Kingdom of Poland. The castle in Bobolice is one of the symbols of the Polish Jura and it is one of the most beautiful fortresses on the Eagles’ Nests tourist trail. The Trail of the Eagles' Nests is named after a chain of 25 medieval castles which the trail passes by, between Częstochowa and Kraków. Read moreZamoyski Palace in Zwierzyniec
Zwierzyniec is the picturesque town-garden located in the Roztocze Region (Eastern part of Poland). The settlement was established by Great Crown Chancellor and Hetman Jan Zamoyski at the end of the 16th century. He built a wooden manor house here, surrounded by a small zoological garden. In the 17th century, the manor house was changed into a palace. Near the palace was dug artificial lake with a number of small islands. Read moreKing's Palace and Garden in Wilanów
Wilanów garden and palace complex was erected in the 17th century as a summer residence of Jan III Sobieski (King of Poland). A visit to Wilanów provides an opportunity to experience the core of Polish tradition and history. King's Palace in Wilanów and its beautiful garden does not fall asleep in the winter. Read moreLublin castle
The castle in Lublin is one of the oldest preserved Royal residences in Poland, established by High Duke Casimir II the Just. The medieval castle is situated on a hill adjacent to the Lublin Old Town district. The oldest part of the castle was built in the first half of the 13th century. The tallest building of the castle was built from stone and keep to this day. It is the oldest standing building in the whole city. In the 14th century, during the reign of Casimir the Great, the castle was rebuilt with stone walls. Read more Radziejowice Palace
Radziejowice is a village in east-central Poland. It is situated in the slightly hilly and picturesque terrain of Mszczonów Heights. In the 15th the powerful Radziejowski family built their residence here. In the 17th century, Renaissance manor acquired the shape of a baroque palace complex. Primate Michael Radziejowski finished rebuilding a wing from the original palace configuration which presently constitutes a section of the palace complex. The palace was surrounded by spacious gardens. After the Primate’s death Radziejowice belonged to the Prażmowski family and subsequently Ossoliński family, and then in the end of the 18th century came into possession of the Krasińskis. Read moreSanniki - Fryderyk Chopin European Art Centre
Sanniki is a village in east-central Poland. It lies approximately 79 km west of Warsaw. There is a beautifully situated and renovated palace. The palace is concealed among splendid old trees in an extensive park and is surrounded by a white wall. This estate belonged to Aleksander Pruszak. Sanniki Palace acquired its present form in 1910, to a design by Władysław Marconi. Into the front wall of the palace tower is a marble plaque with the following inscription: 'In this manor house Fryderyk Chopin stayed in 1828'. Fryderyk Chopin, the famous Polish composer, vacationed here in July and August 1828. Currently is there the F. Chopin's European Art Centre. Read morePalace in Mała Wieś - beautiful monument of classicism in Mazovia
Mała Wieś is a small village located 50 km south of Warsaw, near Grójec. In the village is located a beautiful palace surrounded by an English-style park, a French garden, as well as a fruit farm, and ponds. The palace is one of the most beautiful monuments of classicism in Poland, which after the renovation is returning to its former glory. The palace was built in the end of 18th by Walicki family. The palace served a business and service function. There are concerts, business meetings, gala dinners, weddings and other events. There is a great restaurant. There are also guided tours. Read moreMalbork - the world's largest brick castle
Malbork is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region (Vistula delta). There is located an impressive Medieval castle. This biggest brick castle in the world and the largest castle of the Gothic period is one of Europe's most imposing fortresses - "the largest pile of bricks north to Alps". The castle in Malbork was built by the Teutonic Order after the conquest of Old Prussia. The work was started in 1274 on the southeastern bank of the river Nogat. The fortress was named Castle of Mary - Marienburg in German. In 1309 the castle and the city became the capital city of Teutonic Order's state. Read moreTeutonic stronghold in Ostróda
The first Teutonic Order stronghold in the area comes from 1270. The castle was hit by a fire during a Lithuanian raid in 1381. Soon afterwards a new brick castle was built. During the wars of the Teutonic Order, this was a strategic site. The access point from the east of the castle was by a bridge, which led to a granite gate. The castle was surrounded by the village where served means for keeping storage, brewery and a forge. Getting ready for the new war with the Kingdom of Poland, the castle was surrounded by a moat filled with water. Read morePalace of Kiernozia
Kiernozia is a village located in the Lodz region, central Poland. Kiernozia was formerly a private town belonging to noble families. There is located a beautiful palace. Classicist, brick palace was built in the first half of the nineteenth century by Łączyński family. The residence is located in the centre of a landscape park with many plant specimens and monumental trees. There is also a neglected pond. Read moreZamość Fortress
Construction of the Zamość Fortress was initiated by Chancellor and Hetman Jan Zamoyski in the end of 16th century. Upon completion of these fortifications in 1618, it was the most modern fortress of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. By taking advantage of the terrain and the network of rivers and wetlands, an irregular seven-sided structure was built which consisted of seven bastions with curtain walls connecting them. In order to maintain contact with the city, three richly decorated gates were built into the curtain walls called “Lubelska”, “Lwowska” and “Szczebrzeska”.Read moreNiedzica Castle
Niedzica Castle also known as Dunajec Castle is located in the southernmost part of Poland in Niedzica (Pieniny Mountains). The castle was erected in the 14th century and for centuries was a border-post with Hungary. Nowadays the castle is used as a museum. Niedzica Castle is located, on a hill, 300 m upstream from the Dunajec River mouth, measured from the centre of the dam on Czorsztyn Lake. Czorsztyn Lake was created in 1994 by damming the Dunajec River downstream of the castle. Read moreEagles' Nest - Castle in Olsztyn
The ruins of the castle in Olsztyn near Częstochowa are among the best-known strongholds of the Polish Jura. The castle, situated on the top of a limestone hill, was constructed during the reign of king Casimir the Great (1333-1370) as a part of a defensive system for the trade routes from Krakow to the Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) region. It was built of white limestone and overbuilt with brown bricks. The castle witnessed many dramatic events, and from the mid-seventeenth century, it was falling into disrepair. Eventually, it became a tourist attraction, lying on the popular Eagles’ Nests Trail. Read moreWielopolski Palace in Pińczów
Pińczów is one of the oldest and most historically meaningful cities in Poland. The city lies in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, on the banks of the picturesque Nida river valley. This region is named Ponidzie (Nida Riverside). Ponidzie, which lies halfway between historic centres of Lesser Poland, Kraków and Sandomierz, in the late Middle Ages, it was one of the most important regions of the Kingdom of Poland. One of the city's attractions is the 18th-century palace of the Wielkopolski family. Bucholtz Palace in Supraśl
The Charming town of Supraśl laid down by the Supraśl river, surrounded by forest complexes of Puszcza Knyszyńska is located 15 km from Białystok - the main city of Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. The origins of the village are related to the founding of the monastery in 15th century. In the centre of town is located Eclectic Bucholtz Palace built in the years 1892-1903. Today it houses the Art School. Read morePoznański Palace in Łódź - impressive 19th-century manufacturer's residence
The monumental a 19th-century palace of Israel Poznanski at the crossing of Ogrodowa and Zachodnia Streets in Łódź was initially a tenement building. It was transformed into a Neo-Renaissance and Neo-baroque style residence in years 1888-1903. It was still a rather modest-looking two-storeyed building, soon replaced by a large residence, which the grandeur and lavishness overshadowing a majority of the other factory owners residences in Łódź. The palace was originally designed as based on the patterns of the French Renaissance showcase and commercial and residential building. At the beginning of 20th century, the residence acquired architectural shape similar to the present day’s one. Read moreNeo-Gothic castle in Opinogóra Górna
Most charming building in the Museum of Romanticism complex in Opinogóra (Mazovian Voivodeship) is the castle - situated on a hill in a landscaped park. The construction of the castle started in 1828 and the building was finished in 1843. It was probably designed by a Henryk Marconi. Before 1843 the castle was extended from the north with two big chambers. In 1894 the castle was restored and repainted. Again it was rebuilt in 1912. By the time of first and second world war castle was destroyed. It was rebuilt from 1958 to 1960 eliminating some of the changes made in a second half of the 19th century. Read more
Modlin Fortress
Not more than 34 km north of Warsaw, on the territory of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, in the fork of the Vistula River, the Narew River and Wkra River, is located Modlin Fortress, one of the largest fortresses in Poland and all of Europe. The fortress is a monument of defensive architecture of international significance. In Europe, only Verdun can compete with it. The fortification complex is unique on a global scale. It combines two-hundred-years-old segments of French fortifications, innovative solutions introduced by the Russians and concrete forts and shelters from 1939. Almost completely preserved elements of the fortress and constructions such as walls, citadel, ditches, sheds and outer defences make the citadel an open-air museum of a special kind. Read moreZamoyski Palace in Zamość
The Zamoyski Palace in Zamość was erected in 1579-1586. Bernardo Morando designed the palace at the western end of the main axis of the town. Palace was separated from the town with its own fortifications. For several centuries the palace many times has been changed - for example after the fire in the 1658 year. In 1809 the palace and the town of Zamość were sold to the State Treasury. Palace lost much of its character when it was converted into a military hospital in the 1830s. In 1918, when Poland became independent, the palace was taken over by the town court. In the period between the two World Wars around object was established a park. Nowadays the building is the seat of court and in the objects added at the back of the palace, there are flats. Read moreInowłódz castle
Inowłódz was first mentioned in documents from 1145 but the village was granted town rights in the mid-14th century. In 1370, the town was surrounded by a defensive wall, and a stronghold was built. For the first time, the castle is mentioned in the 14th-century chronicle as a fortress founded by the Casimir III the Great (Kazimierz III Wielki). Castle origin dates back to 1356-1366. The Inowłódz castle was a part of the defensive system of the Kingdom of Poland. It protected the ford (crossing) over the river Pilica and customs chamber located on the trade route. Read more
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