Świerklaniec Park

Around 200 hectares of greenery, more than 8 ha of ponds and canals, and avenues laid out in the spirit of Peter Joseph Lenné: Świerklaniec Park is one of the finest landscape parks in Upper Silesia. It was the setting of the Henckel von Donnersmarck residence; of the palaces, mostly terraces and foundations remain, but the park has kept its layout and is now a public place for walks by the Kozłowa Góra reservoir.

History: from a Renaissance garden to a landscape park

The first garden by the castle was probably laid out in 1670–1680. In the 18th century the marshland along the Brynica was drained, streams were regulated and ponds dug to create an informal landscape park. The key phase came in the 19th century: the overall design is attributed to Peter Joseph Lenné, and from 1865 the work was continued by Gustav Meyer, who designed the formal setting of the new palace. Models included the parks at Muskau and Sibyllenort.

The centrepiece was the palace known as the Little Versailles, built in 1868–1875 for Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck and his wife Blanche de Païva. In 1945 both it and the old castle were looted and burned, and their ruins were later blown up and cleared. The park survived and was opened to everyone after the war.

What to see

• The water parterre and fountain – three female figures holding up a globe, plus four cast-iron groups of fighting animals by Emmanuel Frémiet beside the pools.
• The Cavalier's Palace – the Donnersmarcks' Neo-Baroque guest house from the early 20th century, the family's only surviving palace.
• The Church of the Good Shepherd with the mausoleum – a former Lutheran palace chapel from the 1890s designed by Julius Carl Raschdorff, now a filial church.
• Ponds and canals – the Great Park Pond, Junak pond and the old moat around the castle with remains of its walls.
• The historic cast-iron flagpole, the guardhouse and the former bandstand, plus a small zoo in the old garden nursery.

Did you know?

The Donnersmarck residences had full sewerage, water came through copper pipes, and the park was lit by biogas lamps. More than a hundred species of trees and shrubs grow here, including swamp and red oaks, eastern hemlocks and honey locusts. Among the wildlife are beavers, kingfishers and nuthatches.

Tripto tips

The park is open and free. Allow 2–3 hours for a relaxed walk around the ponds, terraces and the Cavalier's Palace; the avenues are also good for cycling. On warm weekends it gets busy, so come early. The park hosts open-air events and concerts, and since 2026 the municipal culture centre has offered guided tours of the Cavalier's Palace interiors. Bring insect repellent for the ponds.