Rozkochów Palace

Above the entrance to Rozkochów Palace you can still see the date 1734 and a cartouche with the arms of the family that owned the estate for almost a century. For decades this Baroque residence in the Walce district of the Opole region crumbled in the hands of a state farm, and since 2021 it has been coming back to life as a venue for art and culture. Locals call it the "palace of a hundred rooms" and tell of a White Lady said to wander its empty halls.

History: from the Pücklers to a foundation

A residence with a formal garden probably stood here by the middle of the 17th century. In 1734, under the von Pückler family, it was enlarged in Baroque style and the garden was redesigned – hence the date above the portal. In 1851 the estate was bought by the Seherr-Thoss family of Dobra, who held it until 1945. In 1909 Hermann von Seherr-Thoss moved in with his wife Muriel White, who came from an American diplomatic family.

During the Second World War the palace housed a Reich Labour Service camp for young women. After the war it went to a state farm, and in the 1950s Stanisław Szozda, later an Olympic cyclist, grew up in one of the first-floor flats. Without proper care the residence fell into decay. In January 2021 it was bought by businessman Grzegorz Wnęk, and the same year the Rozkochów Palace Foundation "Pomiędzy" (meaning "In Between") was set up to turn it into an arts and culture centre.

What to see

• The façade with a semicircular projection from which a square tower with a cupola rises; the building is U-shaped with a mansard roof.
• The portal with a round pediment, the date 1734 and the Seherr-Thoss coat of arms.
• The interiors – partly open during exhibitions, concerts and other events; there is also an ART-CAFE.
• The park – part of an almost 16-hectare park and farmstead complex with old trees.

The palace and park are on the heritage register (palace no. 596/59, park no. 184/88).

Tripto tip

Rozkochów has no fixed opening hours or official price list, so check the foundation's social media announcements before you go – the interiors are easiest to see during events. The building is still in poor structural condition: stay out of closed-off areas and keep an eye on children. Allow a quarter of an hour to see the palace from outside, or about an hour with the café and an exhibition. You can park in the village.

Nearby

Rozkochów lies south of Opole, a dozen or so kilometres from Krapkowice. Nearby you can visit Głogówek with the Oppersdorff castle and market square, Krapkowice with its tower and town walls, and Moszna Castle, one of the best-known residences in the Opole region.