Rogów Opolski Castle

Rogów Opolski Castle, near Krapkowice, is a Renaissance and Neoclassical residence set in a 19th-century landscape park. Since 1965 it has belonged to the Provincial Public Library in Opole, which keeps its most valuable collections here: medieval manuscripts, early printed books, old maps of Silesia and prints. Instead of armour and furniture you will see treasures of the written word, and the visit combines easily with a walk in the park.

History of the castle

The first mention of an owner of Rogów, Cunado de Rogow, dates from 1339. Around 1600 the Rogoyski family from Rogoźnik in Moravia expanded the earlier stronghold into a residence – its oldest part is the two Renaissance residential wings with a corner tower. In 1765 the estate was bought by Karl Wilhelm von Haugwitz, and the Haugwitz family stayed until 1945.

In the 19th century Christian Heinrich Kurt von Haugwitz – a Prussian politician and diplomat, first minister and foreign minister in the Napoleonic era – added the Neoclassical west wing and laid out an English-style park. After the war the castle was nationalised; the Opole library took it over in 1965 and has kept its most precious collections here since 1976. In 1947 the Haugwitz coffins were removed from the devastated chapel and buried in an unmarked grave; in 2010 the grave was found, the remains identified and, in November, laid to rest again in the chapel by the palace.

What to see

The library's treasures kept in the castle include:

• parchment manuscripts from the 14th century,
• the land register of the town of Niemodlin from 1581,
• early printed books, including the "Missale Vratislaviense" of 1499,
• maps of Silesia from the 16th century onwards and prints by Dutch, Italian, French and Polish masters.

The library presents these collections in exhibitions and displays, and holds academic sessions, author meetings, lectures and educational sessions for groups. The Haugwitz coat of arms is above the castle entrance, and the neo-Gothic House under the Cockerel stands next door.

The park

The castle is surrounded by a 19th-century English-style landscape park with old trees and historic features, listed as a monument. The western part of the park is temporarily closed because damaged trees pose a risk. Use of the park is governed by separate regulations.

Tripto tips

The castle is open Wednesday to Friday 12:00–18:00 and on Saturdays and Sundays 10:00–18:00; entry is on the hour, with the last entry at 17:00. A standard ticket costs PLN 10, a reduced one PLN 7 (as of October 2026). The library recommends confirming your visit by phone in advance: tel. 77 467 21 08, e-mail zamek.rogow@wbp.opole.pl. Allow about 1.5 hours for the castle and park, and arrive a few minutes before the hour. Address: ul. Parkowa 38, 47-300 Rogów Opolski.