Park in Pokój

The historic park in Pokój (pronounced "POH-kooy", meaning "peace") is a former ducal palace garden in the Opole region of southern Poland and one of the most remarkable landscape gardens in Silesia. It is all that remains of Carlsruhe, the summer residence of the Dukes of Württemberg: the palace is gone, but a Baroque French garden, a romantic English park, a temple on an island, a famous sleeping lion and mysterious ruins in the forest survive. Recently restored, it is again a lovely place for a long walk.

Where it is and how to get there

Pokój is a village in Namysłów County, on the road between Opole and Namysłów. It is about half an hour's drive from Opole and roughly an hour and a half from Wrocław, the nearest city with an international airport. Katowice is around 1.5–2 hours away. A car is the easiest way to get here; there is a small forest parking area on the road to Opole, next to the statue of Frederick the Great. The park lies within the Stobrawa Landscape Park, a large protected area of forests and ponds.

History: the Württemberg dukes' Carlsruhe

In 1748 Duke Charles Frederick of Württemberg-Oels chose these forests for a summer residence, replacing a small hunting lodge. His son, Charles Christian Erdmann, continued the work. The settlement was laid out on a star-shaped plan modeled on Karlsruhe in Germany, hence the name Carlsruhe ("Charles's rest"), and the streets still radiate from the site of the former palace.

The first wooden palace burned in 1751; a square masonry residence followed in 1752, with an octagonal tower added in 1779. Composer Carl Maria von Weber worked at the ducal court in 1806–1807, and a festival of music in historic parks and gardens now bears his name. After World War II, when Silesia became part of Poland, the palace was blown up and the park slowly fell into decay.

What to see

• The French garden, with its formal layout and a tea house on an island.
• The Temple of Matilda, a rotunda on an island in a pond, built in the 1820s in honor of the first wife of Duke Eugen.
• The Sleeping Lion, a cast-iron monument by sculptor Theodor Kalide from 1863, commemorating Duke Eugen of Württemberg; the regional tourist board describes it as a symbol of peace after the defeat of Napoleon.
• The Water Salon, a romantic ruin on a small island.
• Elysium ("Dark Porches"), the ruins of a rotunda with niches that once held statues of generals.
• The plinth of the Germania monument (1874), a weathered statue of Frederick the Great and ruins on Vineyard Hill.
• A white pine about 210 years old, with a trunk girth of around 5 m, protected as a natural monument.

Rhododendrons bloom in May and June, and wood anemones carpet the forest floor in early spring.

Restoration and visiting tips (as of October 2026)

The municipality took over the park from the state and spent about five years restoring it: the French and English gardens were recreated, paths and monuments renovated, the Water Salon and tea house secured, and an amphitheater and educational pavilions built. According to the Polish Press Agency, the park was gradually reopened to visitors from autumn 2023. The historic core covers about 40 hectares (almost 200 hectares including woodland), so allow 2–3 hours.

• The park is open ground; no official opening hours or admission fees are published.
• Cyclists must dismount near the Water Salon.
• Paths are partly unpaved, so wear proper shoes after rain.
• Contact: Pokój Municipal Office, ul. Sienkiewicza 8, phone +48 77 469 30 80.

Is it worth visiting?

If you enjoy historic gardens, quiet forests and a touch of melancholy romance, yes, and it makes an easy half-day trip from Opole or Wrocław. In the village, see the Baroque-Rococo Lutheran Church of Duchess Sophia (1765–1775) and the cemetery with the Württemberg family crypt.