Knight’s Castle in Sobków

Fortalice in Sobków is a place rich in Sarmatian history.

The castle currently belongs to a private owner who created an equestrian center. The facility is open to tourists. We will find here guest rooms and apartments. There is also a restaurant "Pod Zakutym Łbem" at guests' disposal. Additional attractions are:

• Horseback riding;
• Sleigh rides;
• Coaches, carriages;
• Knights' shows and fights;
• Archaeological town;
• Organization of special events;
• Cannon shots
• Court dances;
• Accepting school trips;
• Canoeing.

Come, see and experience Old Polish Hospitality

Worth seeing

In the lands of the village of Nida, which belonged to the Sobek family in 1529, Rafał Ryterski founded a manor house with an inn in the close vicinity of the Nida River. In 1560, the castellan of Sandomierz, Stanisław Sobek, and his wife expanded the building. The tower was destroyed by the flood (the flooding of Nida) and therefore it was decided not to rebuild it, but to transform it into a bastion. In 1563, on the basis of the permission of King Zygmunt August, Stanisław Sobek from Sułów, the Brochwicz coat of arms, the staroste of Małogoszcz and the castellan of Biecz, announced the privilege of incorporating the town of Sobków. The king's decree also ensured 15 years of freedom (land covered by economic reliefs). At the same time, he began the process of building a brick defensive seat. Due to the proximity to the Nida River, the building was to perform an administrative and commercial function. In those days, it was safer to transport goods by river than by land. The then estate of Stanisław Sobek, despite not having any special defensive advantages, proved itself in terms of the safety of the inhabitants and property against robbery robbers. This protection consisted of walls erected on three sides with dimensions of 130x80 meters. On the west side there was a palisade and a river. Flanking arrowslits were set on the towers. The entrance was specially located closer to the corner towers, because the terrain made it difficult to access from the outside, and the access was within the firing range. Inside the facility, apart from the living quarters for the hosts, there were, among others, service, crew and utility rooms.

His father's inheritance was taken over by his son of the same name, Stanisław, who died young at the age of only 30. Then the estate came into possession of his sister, Krystyna Sobek. It was thanks to her that the village and the castle were handed over to Kilian Drohojowski, coat of arms Korczak. For the next hundred years, the Drohojowski family was the ruler of Sobków. This period can be described as a constructive period for the entire city and the surrounding area. Thanks to them, the manor house was modernized and expanded, and small semi-bastion cannons were placed on part of the wall. At the end of the 17th century, the property was purchased by the voivode of Kraków, Jan Wielkopolski, Starykoń coat of arms. Unfortunately, he died in 1668, the same year as the acquisition. The inheritance was taken over by his son, also named Jan, who distinguished himself in his history as the ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Kingdom of France. Wielkopolski was a wealthy aristocrat because he owned e.g. Pieskowa Skała Castle and was the husband of Maria Anna de La Grange d'Arquien, who was the sister of Queen Maria Kazimiera Sobieska. Jan was a globetrotter, traveled all over Europe and took an active part in parliaments many times. As one of three Poles, he was a participant in the Academy of the Argonauts, which incidentally was the first geographical society in the history of the world. According to tradition, King Jan III Sobieski himself once honored with his presence.

In 1683, the Sarbiewski family of the Prawdzic coat of arms became the master of the Sobków estate, and the manor house was transformed at that time. The next owner in 1693 was the Myszkowski family of the Jastrzębiec coat of arms, who sold the property in 1725 to Konstanty Felicjan Szaniawski, the bishop of Kraków. In the inheritance, Konstanty passed it on to his nephew Józefat, the staroste of Chęciny, who was married to one of the richest heiresses in Poland, Anna née Ossoliński. Following the spirit of the times, the Szaniawski family adapted the palace to a style more close to the current era, in the Baroque-Classicist style. The splendor of Sobków ended in 1780, when Anna Szaniawska née Ossoliński died. The successor allocated the palace and its farm for lease. In the years 1814-1818, the complex was owned by Jan and Rozalia Zarzycki from Opatkowice Murowane, and then by Stanisław Roland. Finally, the Szaniawski family sold the Sobków properties to Teresa Rastawecka née Krajewska and Anna née Krajewska, a recognized writer of children's books. Henryk Nakwaski, Anna's son, took over the inheritance for a short period of time. In 1832, the property was taken over by Ignacy Dobrosławski of the Nałęcz coat of arms, who, according to records, was pitiable. In the period around 1832-1839, Ignacy made debts to Moses Rottenberg from Chęciny. The amount was so staggering that he did not manage to pay it back until his death (he died on February 27, 1839), due to which the debt passed to his widow. Unable to pay, the widow gave Sobków to Marcel Dobrosławski and his wife Leokadia née Lewicka. The successors were also indebted to the Jews and had no money to repay the debt, which was the result of the auction of the farm with the palace. Rajzman became the buyer.

It was 1912. The state of the manor at that moment gave me a headache. His condition can be described as fatal. The outbuildings were converted into warehouses, and apartments were arranged in the towers. In 1914, the estate was bought from the Rajzman family by Jakub Szalomonowicz Nowak. In 1919, the new owners were Szlama Henoh Kaminer and Judka Rozentrauch. They demolished the walls from the 16th-17th centuries and erected new outbuildings. Until the beginning of World War II, the fortalice remained in the hands of the Kaminer family. After 1944, the State Treasury became the owner. It was during this period that many acts of vandalism and theft of historical building materials took place. The room that served as an armory and a guardhouse was used as a sheepfold and pigsties. In 1956, due to the publicity of the case in the press and the material in the Polish Film Chronicle, it attracted the attention of conservators. The result of which was the removal of existing users. Over the next 40 years, the facility was impoverished.

In 1997, the ruins were purchased by a private entrepreneur. He made use of the area and other buildings to create a friendly and open place for tourists. At the beginning, he created an equestrian center with a hotel and catering base serving Old Polish cuisine and many historical attractions.