Castle of the Dukes of Masovia, Rawa Mazowiecka

The octagonal tower of the castle in Rawa once held prisoners straight out of the history books: a son of the King of Sweden, a Swedish army commander and a self-proclaimed ruler of Moldavia. This Gothic castle, set in the marshy fork of the Rawka and Rylka rivers, was the second residence of the Dukes of Masovia after Płock and, in 1455–1462, the capital of an independent duchy. What remains is a reconstructed tower, a section of wall and the outline of the foundations in a town park.

History of the castle

The castle was built in the second half of the 14th century as Masovia's south-westernmost stronghold, on the trade route from Pomerania to Ruthenia. According to the chronicle of Janko of Czarnków, it was commissioned by Duke Siemowit III. Siemowit III, IV and V and Władysław I and II all resided here. After Masovia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Poland, the castle became the seat of the royal starost (district governor), and from 1569, on the orders of King Sigismund Augustus, it held the "quarter tax" that funded the royal army.

A fire in 1507 destroyed the building, which was rebuilt in the first quarter of the 16th century. As the castle lost its military value, it began to hold prominent prisoners, among them Karl Gyllenhielm, son of King Charles IX of Sweden, the commander Jacob De la Gardie, Christopher of Mecklenburg, coadjutor of the Archbishop of Riga, and Ivan Pidkova, a pretender to the Moldavian throne. From the 17th century the castle declined: the Swedes damaged it during the "Deluge" invasion, it was dismantled from 1794 and under Prussian rule, and lightning wrecked the surviving tower in 1859. In 1954–1958 the foundations were uncovered and the tower and a stretch of curtain wall were reconstructed.

What to see

• The octagonal tower – it once guarded the entrance and served as living quarters and a state prison. It was entered directly from the top of the walls, which stood 10 m high.
• The exhibition in the tower on the history of the castle, the town and the region, plus the steps down to the dungeon.
• A section of curtain wall and the outline of the foundations – the almost square layout, 66 × 64 m, gives a sense of the castle's scale.

Good to know

The Rawa Land Museum considers the castle one of Poland's finest examples of a regular castle with a corner tower. Opposite the entrance stood a long residential palace modelled on buildings in the castles of the Teutonic Order and its bishops. The gate was protected by a barbican and a drawbridge.

Practical information (as of October 2026)

• The tower interior is opened by the Rawa Land Museum from June to September on Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00–15:00. On other days organised groups can visit by arrangement with the museum.
• Tickets: standard PLN 8, reduced PLN 4.
• Museum: ul. Łowicka 26, Rawa Mazowiecka.

Tripto tip

The ruins stand in a park, so you can see them from outside at any time of year – allow 30–45 minutes for a stroll. If you want to go inside the tower and down to the dungeon, come on a summer weekend. Out of season, groups can book directly with the museum. Rawa lies halfway between Łódź and Warsaw, making it a convenient stop on the way.