Castle in Szydłowiec

Picturesquely situated on an artificial island among the backwaters of the Korzeniówka River, the Szydłowiec castle is one of the most beautiful Polish aristocratic residences from the Renaissance period.

At the beginning (probably as early as in the 13th century) there was a settlement with an earthen and wooden embankment, near which the village of Szydłowiec was located. These lands belonged to the Odrowąż family. Representatives of the Chlewiska branch of the family - brothers Sławko and Jakub, adopted the name "Szydłowiec" from the name "Szydłowiec" in the 14th century.

It was Jakub's son - Stanisław - who initiated the construction of the stone, Gothic castle, which has been preserved in the northern wing of the complex to this day. Then a gate tower and a perimeter wall were built. A fragment of this wall is in turn visible in the curtain wall on the south side of the castle.

The next generation of the Szydłowiec residence made changes in the Renaissance style, giving it the form of a quadrilateral closed with a curtain wall. It was then that the residence gained splendor and could easily compete with the seats of European magnates.

The marriage of Krzysztof Szydłowiecki's daughter with Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Black meant that the residence became the property of the wealthy Radziwiłłs. Although Szydłowiec was not their main seat, they still cared for the residence, constantly expanding and beautifying it.

During the times of the Radziwiłł family, an interesting two-story loggia was built between the turrets. The interior was decorated with portals made of local sandstone, stoves covered with colorful tiles and intricate polychrome coffered ceilings.

The castle served as a magnate seat until the beginning of the 19th century. It was then that the space between Szydłowiec and the castle turned into an English-style park.

Hard times for the castle began when it was sold by the Treasury of the Kingdom of Poland. A brewery operated here, and during World War II, refugees from the then Third Reich lived in the castle. Later, the Nazis set up a place here from which Jews were sent to the extermination camp in Treblinka.

After World War II, archaeological research was carried out in the castle, and in the 1960s a thorough renovation began.

Today, the castle hosts an exhibition of the unique Museum of Folk Musical Instruments.