Koźmin Wielkopolski Castle

The castle in Koźmin Wielkopolski, a small town on the Orla river in the Krotoszyn area, is a knightly stronghold from the second half of the 14th century, rebuilt many times and today housing a school and a museum. The masonry structure on a quadrilateral plan was probably begun by Bartosz Wezenborg, voivode of Poznań — successor of Maciej Borkowic, sentenced by Casimir the Great to death by starvation for treason, who had received Koźmin from the king.

From the Górkas to the Sapiehas

In 1419–1449 the castle was enlarged by Mościc Przedpełkowicz of Stęszew, castellan of Poznań, and in 1471 it passed to Bartłomiej of Iwanowice, whose family adopted the name Koźmiński. At the beginning of the 16th century the estate was bought by Łukasz Górka, and Andrzej II Górka, starost-general of Greater Poland, turned the stronghold into a residence: three storeyed wings and a curtain wall, dominated by the older octagonal medieval tower. In the 17th century Stanisław Przyjemski, voivode of Poznań and Kalisz, expanded the castle, drained the surrounding wetlands and hosted King Sigismund III. Hard times came under the Sapiehas — Piotr Sapieha provoked an invasion during which the castle was thoroughly looted.

The castle today

Apart from its Gothic brick tower the castle is plastered and has the shape of a horseshoe; seen from the gate it makes an impressive sight. After the First World War it housed a military hospital, and since 1945 a school has operated here. In 1988 the Museum of the Koźmin Region was opened (ul. Zamkowa 1), open on Wednesdays 16:00–18:00 and at other times by arrangement. The Gothic church of St Lawrence stands nearby.