Kopice Palace

Kopice Palace (say "ko-PEE-tseh") is a romantic Gothic Revival ruin reflected in a pond in a wooded landscape park in Poland's Opole region. Its turrets, gables and lacy stone tracery have earned it nicknames like "Poland's Disneyland," and its story centers on Joanna Gryzik, the "Silesian Cinderella" who inherited an industrial fortune. Since 2022 a new owner has been stabilizing the walls and opening the interior on selected dates, making it one of the most photogenic stops in Silesia.

Where it is and how to get there

Kopice is a village in the Grodków district, about 35 km west of Opole and 25 km south of Brzeg. From Wrocław (nearest airport) it is roughly an hour's drive, partly on the A4 motorway. Public transport is sparse, so come by car; park in the village near the park gate.

History in brief

A knightly seat stood here by the 14th century, and in 1783 it became a classical-style manor. In 1859 the estate was bought by Count Hans Ulrich von Schaffgotsch and his wife Joanna (née Gryzik), the adopted heiress of the Upper Silesian industrialist Karl Godulla. From 1864 they turned it into a fairy-tale palace in Gothic and Renaissance Revival styles; the design is traditionally credited to Carl Lüdecke, while newer research also names Konstanty Heidenreich and Richard Jung. A large landscape park with ponds, an Oriental pavilion (1870) and a mock ruin known as the Mouse Tower (1873) surrounded it. The couple celebrated their golden wedding here in 1908.

The palace survived World War II undamaged, but after 1945 it was looted and in the 1950s it burned (sources give 1956 or 1958). Owners after 1990 failed to rebuild it. In January 2022 it was bought by Opole businessman Joachim Wiesiollek, who had already restored the palace at Żyrowa, and in 2024 Poland's Culture Ministry granted PLN 500,000 for emergency works.

What to see

• The pond-side facade, best on a calm morning for reflections.
• Gothic Revival towers and gables with brick and stone detail.
• The ruined interiors, with vaults and traces of decoration (guided visits only).
• The park with ponds and old trees.
• The Schaffgotsch mausoleum by the parish church, where the family's remains were reburied in 2019.

Tickets and tours (as of October 2026)

The palace is an active construction site, so the interior can be visited only on guided tours on announced dates. Tickets cost 40 złoty (PLN) per person and are limited; book by phone at +48 516 001 090 (weekdays 10 am-4 pm) and pay by bank transfer. More dates were announced for October 2026, but no winter schedule has been published; check palackopice.com.pl. Tours are in Polish. Viewing the exterior is free. Allow 1-1.5 hours for a walk, about 2 hours with a tour; the ground is uneven for strollers.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, for photographers and lovers of romantic ruins. Combine it with Brzeg's Renaissance town hall and castle or with the fortress town of Nysa for a full day.