Palace in Lewków

Lewków Palace ("LEV-koof"), just outside Ostrów Wielkopolski in western Poland, is one of the earliest classical-style palaces in the Greater Poland region and today a well-presented museum. Its design is attributed to Jan Christian Kamsetzer, court architect to Poland's last king, Stanisław August Poniatowski, and its salons are decorated with illusionistic murals by the painters Franciszek and Antoni Smuglewicz. After a major restoration, the palace and its 8-hectare English-style park make an easy and rewarding stop between Wrocław and Poznań.

A bit of history

The palace was built in 1786–1791 for Wojciech Walenty Lipski and his wife Salomea. The motto over the Ionic portico reads, in Polish, "For Ourselves, Our Family, Our Friends and Posterity." The Lipski family owned Lewków until World War II. After 1945 the communist state took over the estate and used the palace for a state farm and staff apartments. It was restored as a museum in 1970–1986, became an independent institution in 2017, and after an EU-supported renovation in 2018–2021 reopened to visitors on October 3, 2022.

The architecture

The three-story, rendered palace is perfectly symmetrical, with nine window bays on both main facades. A four-column giant-order portico with a triangular pediment, flanked by two reclining knight figures, marks the entrance. On the garden side, a semicircular projection topped by a cartouche dated 1791 and three female statues holds the round salon. Rich stucco work – garlands, trophies and medallions with busts – covers the facades. According to Poland's National Heritage Board, the design was modeled on the palace in Sierniki, also attributed to Kamsetzer. Two matching outbuildings were added in 1792–1795.

What to see

• The rotunda salon, the centerpiece of the palace.
• The landscape salon, with painted illusionistic scenery by the Smuglewicz brothers.
• The permanent exhibition on the palace and the Lipski family, plus temporary shows.
• The landscape park of about 8 ha (20 acres), with a pond and island, monumental old oaks, a 19th-century icehouse, a gloriette and a recreated rose garden featuring 18th-century varieties.
• The former stables, now a conference venue and restaurant.

How long to stay

Allow about an hour for the interiors and another for the park. Visit on a Tuesday and the permanent exhibitions are free (temporary shows are not). Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Labels are mainly in Polish.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026:

• Season (April 1–October 31): Tuesday–Friday 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Mondays. Winter hours are not published yet; check the museum website.
• Tickets: 15 PLN regular, 10 PLN reduced, 40 PLN family (Polish złoty).
• Address: Kwiatkowska 6c, Lewków, 63-410 Ostrów Wielkopolski. The main gate is at the junction of Lotnicza and Powstańców Wielkopolskich streets.
• Contact: +48 721 996 521, info@muzeumwlewkowie.pl.

How to get there

Lewków lies about 6 km from the center of Ostrów Wielkopolski. From Wrocław or Poznań (both with international airports) it is roughly a two-hour drive. Ostrów is a rail hub with connections to both cities; from the station, a short taxi ride gets you to the palace.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you enjoy historic interiors and gardens without the crowds of Kraków or Warsaw. Lewków is compact, beautifully restored and pairs well with a visit to nearby Kalisz, one of Poland's oldest towns.