Opaliński Castle in Sieraków

Of the great Opaliński residence on the Warta river, only the ground floor of one wing survived, used for years as an ice house. When richly decorated family sarcophagi were brought out of the crypt of Sieraków’s former Bernardine church in 1991, it was decided to rebuild the castle so they could be displayed. Today the Opaliński Castle is a museum with the family sarcophagi and the story of a family that produced a queen of France.

History: from the Nałęcz to the Opaliński family

The town was first mentioned in 1251 and the castle in 1397. Its builder may have been Maćko Borkowic, governor of Poznań, or his daughter Wichna. In 1450 the estate was bought by Łukasz Górka, and his son Uriel, later Bishop of Poznań, often stayed here. In 1591 Sieraków passed to Jan Opaliński, and the Opalińskis rebuilt the castle (work probably lasted until 1609): two storeys were added on the Gothic walls, the building was crowned with Mannerist gables, and the rooms gained stucco and painted ceilings.

In 1609 Krzysztof Opaliński, poet and governor of Poznań, was born here. He supported the Czech scholar John Amos Comenius and in 1651 turned a castle hall into a theatre. His career ended after the surrender at Ujście on 25 July 1655. In 1658 the castle received King John Casimir and Queen Marie Louise. The estate later passed to Katarzyna Opalińska, wife of Stanisław Leszczyński, and then to their daughter Maria, later Queen of France as the wife of Louis XV. Without resident owners the castle decayed, was damaged in the town fire of 1817 and its remains were demolished in 1829. The surviving south wing was rebuilt in 1993–1994.

What to see

• The Opaliński sarcophagi, including that of Piotr Opaliński, richly decorated and brought out of the crypt of the former Bernardine church in 1991.
• An exhibition on the history of the Sieraków area from prehistory to the present, with finds from the castle excavations: stove tiles, vessels, glass and everyday objects.
• Temporary exhibitions, for example on hunting weapons and accessories from the 18th–20th centuries.
• The building itself, with a tall tiled roof raised over the surviving Gothic cellars. From the moat side you can see how it stands on the steep bank of the Warta.

Did you know?

• The only known 17th-century view of the castle is painted on an altar cabinet in the church at Lutom.
• In 1749 the estate and castle were bought for a million złoty by the Saxon minister Heinrich von Brühl.
• In 1829 the Prussian king bought the manor farm and founded a stallion stud there, which still exists.

Tripto tip

The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Hours change around holidays and events, so check the museum website before you travel. About an hour is enough for the castle. In summer it hosts the “Colours of History” historical picnic, and the museum runs outdoor games and workshops. Afterwards, walk down to the Warta and to the former Bernardine church whose crypt held the sarcophagi.