Włodowice Palace

In July 1683, on his way to the relief of Vienna, King John III Sobieski stopped here. Today all that remains of Włodowice Palace on Krakowska Street is a burnt-out shell with a Baroque gable – the ruin of a residence built in 1669–1681 for Stanisław Warszycki, castellan of Kraków, on the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (the Polish Jura). You can only see it from outside, but its story would fill several manor houses.

History: from Warszycki to a farming school

On the site of a larch-wood manor of the Firlej family, burned during the Swedish invasion of the 1650s known as the Deluge, Warszycki built a brick palace in the Polish Baroque style: two storeys, cellars and a mansard roof. A courtyard lay in front and a garden on the slope behind, a layout echoing French entre cour et jardin residences. According to the diary of Prince Jakub Sobieski, King John III stayed here on 26 July 1683, and on 12 March 1734 King Augustus III spent the night on his way to Częstochowa.

In the 18th century the Męciński family owned the palace and redecorated the interiors in Neoclassical style. Around 1870 the naturalist Michał Poleski, a veteran of the January Uprising of 1863, settled here. He founded an agricultural school with chemistry and physics laboratories, a large library and collections of minerals and Jura plants. Around 1900 the building was remodelled and gained Gothic Revival features.

Fires and a return to the register

Fires in the 20th century and decades of neglect destroyed the palace. Sources differ on the date of the first fire: some give 1924, the regional tourist portal 1931. They agree on the fire of 1956, which burned for six days. The palace and its outbuilding were removed from the heritage register in 1989 and 2010, leaving only the park protected. By a decision of 31 August 2023 the palace ruins were entered on the register again. The site belongs to the Polish State Treasury.

What to look for

• The façade gable, decorated with crosses set in lozenges, and remains of a balcony on cast-iron brackets.
• Brick cellar arches and chimneys, visible through the empty window openings.
• Remains of the palace park, for years the only protected part of the complex.
• An information board by the ruins with the history of the palace.

Tripto tip

The ruins can be viewed from outside at any time and free of charge. Signs on the walls warn that the building may collapse and that entry is forbidden – do not go inside and keep an eye on children. The ruin itself takes 15–20 minutes, so treat it as a stop on a Jura road trip. Nearby are the Baroque Church of St Bartholomew in Włodowice (about 250 m), the Rzędkowice Rocks (about 3 km), Góra Zborów in Podlesice (about 5 km) and the ruined Bąkowiec watchtower in Skarżyce. Zawiercie is a short drive away, and Kraków or Katowice are about 1–1.5 hours by car.