Palaces

Palace in Kurozwęki

On an artificial embankment amid the former floodplains of the Czarna river stands one of the more interesting strongholds of the Świętokrzyskie region: a castle from the 14th century that over the centuries evolved into a Baroque-Classical residence. The oval of the medieval walls with the entrance gate survives to this day.

From knightly stronghold to residence

The Kurozwęcki family flourished in the Middle Ages, and in the 16th and 17th centuries the Lanckorońskis extended the castle, weaving the Gothic core into two wings that reached beyond the ring of walls. Its present shape was given by the remodelling of 1768–1772 led by the Gdańsk architect Ferdynand Nax: a great ballroom on the upper floor was created, along with a garden, pavilions from 1770, outbuildings and a granary. The fronton bears the coats of arms of Anna Dembińska née Rawicz and General Maciej Sołtyk, whose 1752 marriage united the estates.

A royal overnight stay

In June 1787 King Stanisław August Poniatowski stayed here on his way back from meeting Tsarina Catherine II on the Dnieper.

Bison by the walls

Today the palace operates as a hotel, and the surroundings offer an unexpected programme: a bloodless safari among American bison, a mini zoo, a labyrinth, zip lines and treasure hunts in the Gothic cellars. Visits are possible only with a local guide, and the 18th-century park was reshaped in 1811–1820 and again in 1859–1873.