Ducal Palace in Żagań

The palace in Żagań was begun by Albrecht von Wallenstein, the Thirty Years' War commander who also brought the astronomer Johannes Kepler to the town. Completed by the Lobkowicz family, the residence blends French and Italian palace features in a way that has no counterpart in Polish architecture. In 2025 the palace and park won the Lubusz region round of National Geographic Traveler's "Wonders of Poland" poll.

History: from Piast castle to Lobkowicz residence

The palace stands on the site of a medieval castle of the Silesian Piast dukes of the Głogów line, which lay about 3 m lower than today's building. In 1627 the Duchy of Żagań was bought by Albrecht von Wallenstein, supreme commander of the imperial armies. Around 1630 he began building a residence designed by the Italian architect Vincenzo Boccacci, a fortified Renaissance-style seat. Wallenstein also brought Johannes Kepler to Żagań, where Kepler made astronomical and weather observations. Kepler's son-in-law, Jakob Bartsch, opened a printing house in the town and published the scientist's last works there, including Somnium (1634).

After Wallenstein's death in 1634, work stopped. In 1646 the duchy passed to Prince Václav Eusebius Lobkowicz, and building resumed in 1670, continuing until 1686. The design clearly echoes the Lobkowicz palace in Roudnice in Bohemia. The palace only took its final Baroque shape at the end of the 18th century.

The era of Duchess Dorothea

In 1842 the duchy passed to Dorothea de Talleyrand-Périgord. Under her rule, until 1862, Żagań became a cultural and political centre of more than regional importance, and Franz Liszt, Božena Němcová and Honoré de Balzac all spent time in the town. The interiors were renovated to designs by the architect Christian W. Schultze, and the surrounding park was given a romantic character. Her descendants ruled Żagań until 1935, when the Nazi authorities confiscated the palace.

What to see

• The mascarons above the windows, grotesque carved heads with a legend attached. After nearly two hundred faces, the sculptor ran out of ideas and asked the devil to pose for him. When the devil revealed his true face, the artist died of fright.
• Devil figurines in the cellars, a collection by local artist Jerzy Kupczyk inspired by the legend.
• The Ducal Park, covering 77.49 ha, laid out in the 17th century and reshaped by Duchess Dorothea. The Bóbr river divides it into three parts. Fountains and statues funded by her son survive.
• The palace layout, with a screen wing typical of French palaces and a courtyard opening towards the park as in Italian residences.

Tripto tip

• Visiting: the palace and park are open all year, and the interiors are seen with a guide or an audio guide, so plan around the tour times. The palace at ul. Szprotawska 4 is home to the Żagań Palace of Culture, the town's main cultural institution.
• Time needed: about an hour for the interiors and the same again for a walk in the park.
• What to look for: count the mascarons on the façade and look for the one with the most devilish grin.