Świerklaniec Palace

Świerklaniec Palace, known as the Little Versailles, was one of the grandest residences in Europe of its day – and it has been gone for more than half a century. Built in 1868–1875/1876 for Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck, it burned down in 1945 and its ruins were demolished. The park still holds its terraces, pools, fountain and sculptures by Emmanuel Frémiet, and next to them stands the family's only surviving palace, the Cavalier's Palace (Pałac Kawalera), open for regular tours since January 2026.

History: a French palace in Upper Silesia

Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck made his fortune from Upper Silesian mines and ironworks. The residence's French character reflected the influence of his first wife, Blanche de Païva, a figure of Parisian high society. The design is attributed to Hector-Martin Lefuel, the architect of the Louvre's extension; the original concept may have come from Pierre Manguin. The result was a horseshoe-shaped palace in French Neo-Renaissance style with tall mansard roofs. Because it stood on marshy ground in the Brynica valley, its foundations rested on more than 2,000 oak piles.

In January 1945 the palace was looted and set on fire by Soviet soldiers. Its burnt-out walls stood for a few more years before being pulled down, and some of the stonework went into building the Zagłębie Palace of Culture in Dąbrowa Górnicza. The estate's main cast-iron gate now serves as the entrance to the Silesian Zoo in Chorzów.

What to see

• The terraces and water parterre of the former palace – foundations, steps, pools and a fountain with three female figures holding up a globe, modelled on Carpeaux's fountain by the Paris Observatory.
• Four cast-iron groups by Frémiet beside the pools: a stag with a bear, a pelican with a fish, a horse with a lioness and an ostrich with a snake.
• The Cavalier's Palace (ul. Parkowa 30) – a Neo-Baroque guest house in red clinker brick designed by Ernst von Ihne, court architect to Emperor Wilhelm II. The façade bears the Donnersmarck coat of arms and the motto "Memento vivere" – "Remember to live".

Did you know?

The Cavalier's Palace was built for guests and hunting parties, which included Emperor Wilhelm II. Most sources date it to 1903–1906, while the heritage register gives 1900–1902. From 1924 to 1937 it was home to Felix Calonder, former President of Switzerland and chairman of the Mixed Commission for Upper Silesia. After the war it served as a PTTK tourist hostel, a mining training centre and, until 2015, a hotel.

Tripto tips

The remains of the Little Versailles and the Cavalier's Palace lie in the public park in Świerklaniec, Tarnowskie Góry County, by the Kozłowa Góra reservoir. Since 3 January 2026 tours of the Cavalier's Palace interiors have been run by the Świerklaniec municipal culture centre (GOK) – check dates and prices before you go. Allow about an hour for the terraces, sculptures and palace exterior, and combine it with a walk around the park.