Książ Castle

Książ Castle (pronounced roughly "kshonzh") in Wałbrzych is the largest castle in Lower Silesia and the third-largest in Poland, after Malbork and Wawel. Perched on a rocky spur above a wooded gorge in southwestern Poland, it was home to the powerful Hochberg family for more than 400 years and later became part of Hitler's secret Project Riese. In 2025 it was named a national Monument of History, and it is one of the most rewarding day trips from Wrocław.

Where is Książ Castle and how do you get there?

The castle stands on the northern edge of Wałbrzych, a former coal-mining city at the foot of the Sudeten Mountains. It is about 70–80 km southwest of Wrocław – roughly an hour by car – and roughly 3–4 hours by road from Katowice or Kraków. Wrocław Airport is the nearest international airport.

Without a car, take a train from Wrocław to Wałbrzych and then city bus 8 or 12; both end right below the castle. The nearest railway station to the castle itself is Świebodzice, about 3 km away. Drivers will find a paid main car park by the castle and a second lot near the State Stud, about a 900-meter walk away.

A short history: dukes, princes and Project Riese

The first stone castle was built in 1288–1292 for Duke Bolko I the Strict, a Piast ruler of the Duchy of Świdnica-Jawor. In 1509 the estate was bought by Konrad von Hochberg, and his descendants – later Princes of Pless – rebuilt it repeatedly: in Renaissance style in the 16th century, as a Baroque palace in 1705–1732, and once more in 1909–1923, when Prince Hans Heinrich XV added new wings, fountain terraces and a taller main tower. Until 1945 the castle was known by its German name, Schloss Fürstenstein.

Hans Heinrich's English wife, Daisy, Princess of Pless (born Mary Theresa Cornwallis-West), was a society beauty, memoirist and philanthropist, and her story is woven into the visit today.

During World War II the Nazis seized the castle, and from 1944 it was converted under Project Riese, a vast network of tunnels in the region. Prisoners from a subcamp of the Gross-Rosen concentration camp were forced to dig tunnels beneath the courtyard. Whether the castle was intended as a headquarters for Hitler is still debated, and tales of hidden treasure remain legends. After the war the castle was looted and left to decay; restoration started in the 1970s, and since 1991 it has belonged to the city of Wałbrzych. A presidential decree of July 31, 2025 made the castle and park complex a Monument of History (Pomnik Historii), Poland's top national heritage status.

Things to do at Książ Castle

• Castle interiors with an audio guide, including the Baroque Maximilian Hall with its painted ceiling and marble fireplaces. The castle has over 400 rooms, only part of which are open.
• Terraces – tiered formal gardens with fountains and boxwood parterres, offering the classic view of the castle hanging over the gorge.
• Underground route – WWII-era tunnels visited at fixed times. It is cold inside (about 6°C / 43°F), and children under 4 are not admitted.
• Palm House in Lubiechów, about 2 km away – an early 20th-century glasshouse with exotic plants and a Japanese garden.
• Książ State Stud – historic stables from 1844, today breeding mainly Silesian horses.
• Hochberg Mausoleum – a seasonal add-on in the park.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

Individual prices valid from May 6, 2026 (standard/reduced), in Polish złoty (PLN):

• Castle + Palm House: 72/62 PLN
• Castle + Underground + Palm House: 92/82 PLN
• All Day Ticket (castle, terraces, underground, Palm House, stud, mausoleum): 104/94 PLN
• Explore Wałbrzych combo (castle, Palm House, Old Mine, Porcelain Museum and more): 139/109 PLN

Reduced tickets apply to children from age 4, students up to 24 and visitors over 65; under-4s enter free. The audio guide is available in English, German, Czech, Ukrainian and Polish. Buy tickets online through the castle's official booking system to skip the line.

From April to September the interiors and Palm House open 9 am–6 pm on weekdays and 9 am–7 pm on weekends. The terraces normally close after September 30, and autumn–winter hours are not published alongside the main schedule, so check with the visitor desk (open daily 8:30 am–5 pm) before an October or winter visit.

Is Książ Castle worth visiting? Tips for planning

Yes – especially if you combine it with the terraces and tunnels. Allow about an hour for the interiors alone, 3–4 hours with the underground route and gardens, and a full day if you add the Palm House and stud. Arrive early on summer weekends, book the underground time slot in advance, and bring a warm layer for the tunnels. Large backpacks must go to the cloakroom. The spring Flower Festival and winter light shows are spectacular but crowded.

Nearby

Pair the castle with the Old Mine science and art center in Wałbrzych, the spa town of Szczawno-Zdrój, Grodno Castle, or the Project Riese tunnels at Osówka and Włodarz in the Owl Mountains.