Dobczyce Castle

The dam of Lake Dobczyce literally leans against the castle hill, so from the walls of this royal fortress you look at medieval stonework and at the waters of a reservoir created by damming the Raba river at the same time. This is where the chronicler Jan Długosz taught the sons of King Casimir IV Jagiellon, and in the time of Casimir the Great the walls were 5 to 9 metres thick. Today the rebuilt part of the castle houses the PTTK Regional Museum.

History: a royal stronghold above the Raba

The hill above the Raba river was fortified by the early 14th century. In 1311, during the revolt of Wójt Albert in Kraków, Władysław the Elbow-high issued a document here in Dobczyce stripping the rebellious burghers of their property. The castle itself appears in records in 1362. At first it was a round tower about 9 m across with earth-and-timber defences, guarding a customs post. From 1359 to 1379 it was run by the family of the Kraków patrician Mikołaj Wierzynek.

In 1398 King Władysław Jagiełło and Queen Jadwiga stayed here. In 1467 the castle was seized by the so-called Beggar Brothers, unpaid soldiers who were driven out by the troops of the Kraków governor; their camp on nearby Wapienna Hill was afterwards nicknamed "Trupielec" (roughly "Corpse Hill"). The castle's best years came under Sebastian Lubomirski, governor from 1585 to 1613, who in 1593–1594 turned the Gothic fortress into a Renaissance residence with a tower clock, a chapel and a fountain. By 1620 it had about 70 rooms and three towers.

Decline and rescue

The Swedes destroyed the castle in 1702, and a fire in 1735 finished the job. In the 19th century locals took the walls apart for building stone, reportedly also hunting for hidden treasure. The first conservation work began only after 1901. The turning point came in 1960, when local teacher Władysław Kowalski started excavating the hill. After years of work part of the castle was rebuilt, and the regional museum now bears his name.

What to see

• Upper and lower castle – two courtyards, the upper one serving as a bastion that was hard to take.
• Tower and rock-cut cellar – a square tower from the first building phase is thought to be the oldest part.
• The "well of death" – traces of an irregular well next to the tower wall, plus a room that served as a prison with iron doors.
• PTTK Regional Museum named after Władysław Kowalski – in the reconstructed part of the castle.
• Viewpoint – a panorama over Lake Dobczyce, the foothills and the Beskid ranges.

Tripto tip

Allow about an hour for the castle and museum, and another hour if you want to walk along the dam crest and down to the water. Check current opening hours and ticket prices before you go, on the Dobczyce municipality website or directly with the PTTK museum. The castle stands right in the centre of Dobczyce, so it is easy to combine with a stroll around the small town and a meal break.