Old Castle in Żywiec

The Old Castle in Żywiec passed through the hands of the Skrzyński and Komorowski families, Queen Constance, the Wielopolskis and the Habsburgs — and each of them left a mark. The most valuable is the Renaissance arcaded courtyard, modelled on Wawel Castle in Kraków. Today the castle houses the Municipal Museum, and a few steps away begin the park with the Habsburgs' New Castle and the old town.

History: a castle captured twice

The oldest surviving structure, the so-called Skrzyński fortalice, most likely dates from the 15th century: a two-storey brick residential tower with outbuildings, surrounded by a timber-and-earth rampart and a shallow moat. Jan Długosz records that around 1460 the Skrzyńskis' castle was captured by royal troops. In 1465 the Skrzyńskis sold it to King Casimir IV, and in 1467 the Żywiec estate went to Piotr Komorowski. When the Komorowskis' loyalty came into doubt, in 1477 the king had the castle taken and razed. It was most likely rebuilt in 1485–1500.

Renaissance, a queen and the Habsburgs

Around 1569 Jan Spytek Komorowski began a major expansion: a three-winged palace with an attic, sgraffito decoration and an arcaded courtyard inspired by Wawel. In 1624 the castle and the whole Żywiec estate passed to Queen Constance, and King John Casimir stayed here in 1666 or 1669. From 1678 the Wielopolskis owned it; in the early 18th century they added a new wing, laid out an Italian garden and installed a fountain. In 1838 the castle was bought by the Habsburgs, who remained its owners until 1939. After a fire in 1870, Karol Pietschka remodelled the building in the historicist style.

What to see

Since 2005 the Old Castle has been the seat of the Municipal Museum in Żywiec. Permanent exhibitions include:

• History and Traditions of Żywiec,
• Folk Culture of the Żywiec Region — complementing the Wooden Architecture Route,
• Archaeology and Birds and Mammals of the Żywiec Region,
• "Konfessaty": Courts, Sentences and Torture in Żywiec,
• Sacred Art of the Żywiec Region and an exhibition on local people in the fight for independence, 1830–1945.

Start with the arcaded courtyard, then walk into the Habsburg Park, which links the Old Castle with the New one. The park also contains the Chinese House, which the museum looks after too.

Did you know?

The Wielopolskis' alterations were described in great detail by the Żywiec chronicler Andrzej Komoniecki in his "Chronicle of Żywiec", which is why we know what the castle looked like in the 18th century. During the Swedish Deluge in 1656, the garrison surrendered the castle to the Swedes, so it escaped major damage. In 2014 part of the Habsburg family renounced its claims to the Old and New Castles and the park.

Tripto tips

According to the museum's website, the Old Castle is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–16:00 and closed on Mondays; current prices are on the museum's website. Allow about an hour and a half for the exhibitions, and half a day with the park and a stroll around the old town. The castle is at ul. Zamkowa 2, a few minutes' walk from the market square. The visit combines well with the Żywiec Brewery Museum or a trip to Lake Żywiec.