Wałbrzych Palm House

The Wałbrzych Palm House (Wałbrzych is pronounced roughly "VAH-wb-zhikh") is a historic glasshouse built in the early 20th century by the aristocratic owners of nearby Książ Castle. Under its glass dome grow date palms and more than 250 plant species, while the grottoes and walls are lined with volcanic tuff shipped from Mount Etna. It is one of the oldest palm houses in Poland and a perfect rainy-day companion to a castle visit.

A gift for Princess Daisy

The palm house was commissioned by Hans Heinrich XV, Prince of Pless, for his wife Daisy – the English-born socialite Mary Theresa Cornwallis-West, one of the most famous women of Edwardian Europe. Sources give different construction dates (1908–1911, 1911–1913 or 1911–1914), but agree on its cost: roughly 7 million gold marks. Around seven railroad cars of solidified lava from Sicily were reportedly used to build the grottoes, waterfalls and planted walls.

After World War II the glasshouse was modernized in 1963 and 1978. Since 2012 it has belonged to the city of Wałbrzych and is managed by the company that runs Książ Castle.

What to see

The complex covers about 1,900 m². The central iron-and-glass pavilion, around 15 meters high, shelters date palms. Other greenhouses are arranged by continent:

• bamboo, figs and Asian shrubs;
• eucalyptus and conifers from Australia;
• African perennials;
• cacti and agaves from Central America;
• Mediterranean citrus trees.

A highlight is the permanent bonsai exhibition, described by the operator as the only one of its kind in Poland; its oldest tree is a 200-year-old juniper. Paths wind over bridges and past waterfalls, and outside there is a rose garden featuring a white rose named "Daisy."

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially combined with Książ Castle. Allow about an hour. Visits are self-guided. It is warm and humid inside, so dress in layers in winter. Kids tend to love the grottoes and bridges. There is a café and a plant shop on site. In winter, camera lenses and glasses fog up as you walk in, so give them a few minutes to adjust.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026, per the Książ Castle website:

• April–September 2026: Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.;
• winter hours had not been published at the time of checking – confirm on the castle website or by phone (+48 74 666 33 15).

A palm-house-only ticket costs 27 PLN (reduced 21 PLN). Better value is the Castle + Palm House combo at 72 PLN (reduced 62 PLN); the second site can be visited within 12 months.

How to get there

The palm house is at ul. Wrocławska 158 in the Lubiechów district of northern Wałbrzych, about 2 km from Książ Castle. Wałbrzych is roughly 70 km (about an hour and a quarter by car) southwest of Wrocław, the nearest major city and airport. The castle website offers separate directions for drivers and pedestrians. Nearby, consider the Old Mine science and art center and the Porcelain Museum in the city center.