KRAPKOWICE CASTLE

This imposing Renaissance structure dates back to the 13th century, existing even before Krapkowice received town rights in 1275. It was designed on a quadrilateral plan, with access to the courtyard limited to a single tunnel-like gateway.

At the height of its splendour, circa 1678, the castle boasted two upper storeys, a mirrored dining hall, and a courtyard surrounded by arcaded cloisters leading to a vineyard. Sadly, a fire broke out in the town in 1722, spelling the end of the castle’s golden age. Although it was subsequently rebuilt, it never regained its former glory.

Currently, the castle walls house a Vocational School Complex. When the school is open, visitors may enter the courtyard to view a historic well, likely dating back to the medieval period.

Little remains of the castle’s original appearance; on the upper floor, the arcades were bricked up and fitted with windows, transforming the cloisters into corridors. Of the original interior furnishings, only a few richly decorated tiled stoves and the beautiful oak panelling in the dining hall have survived.