Castles

Chęciny Castle

The ruins of a royal castle on a limestone hill (360 m above sea level), for years the calling card of the Swietokrzyskie Mountains. Raised at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, the stronghold has seen a royal treasury, a state prison and the residences of queens — and its tower opens a panorama of the entire region.

From Wladyslaw Lokietek to the unconquered fortress

In 1306 Wladyslaw Lokietek granted Checiny to the Krakow bishop Jan Muszata, only to revoke the grant a year later. Excavations in 2013 suggest the oldest tower may in fact date back to Wenceslaus II. In 1318 the treasury of the archdiocese of Gniezno was hidden here for safety from the Teutonic Knights. Casimir the Great expanded the castle into a fortress that was not taken for more than 250 years. Its residents included Adelaide of Hesse, Elisabeth of Poland and Bona Sforza.

Prison and decline

The castle also served as a state prison — among those held here were captives from the Battle of Grunwald, including Michael Kuechmeister, later Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. In 1588 the land records were moved downhill, and in 1607 the castle was burned during the Zebrzydowski rebellion. Swedish troops caused further damage in 1655-1657; after another Swedish occupation in 1707 the castle was abandoned for good.

What you will see today

Two courtyards survive, walls up to 9 metres high and an impressive well hewn into the rock, some 100 metres deep. The climb up the tower is rewarded with a panorama of the valley and the successive ridges of the Swietokrzyskie Mountains. The hill has also served as a film set, including a production starring Zbigniew Cybulski and directed by Kazimierz Kutz. Allow about an hour for a visit — the path from the market square in Checiny is short but steep, so bring comfortable shoes.