Krzyztopor Castle - Trips around Poland - Castles & Palaces

Krzyztopor Castle - Trips around Poland - Castles & Palaces

Ujazd Castle was built in the 17th century and was one of the largest and most distinguished castles in Europe. Before the rise of Versailles, it had the title of the largest modern residence in Europe. The castle was built on a regular pentagonal plan and represents a rare in Poland type of "palazzo in fortezza", i.e. a magnate residence combining a defensive function with the comfort of the inhabitants. The building is based on the calendar. The castle has four towers (seasons), 12 halls (months), 52 rooms (weeks) and 365 windows (days). Despite many studies on the history of the castle, it is still unknown when exactly Krzysztof Ossoliński started the construction of the castle.
Construction began between 1619, when Krzysztof Ossoliński received the village from his father Zbigniew, and in 1627, from which comes the document confirming the existence of the residence. Its construction probably lasted until 1644, and its cost amounted to about 30 million 17th-century zlotys. In 1655, the castle was occupied by the Swedes, who stayed there for the next two years. The damage they made at that time meant that the castle was not used until 1720. The last resident of the castle was Stanisław Sołtyk, who stayed there in the years 1782-1787. During World War II, the castle was damaged, which was rebuilt in 1971. In 1980, however, there was a project to transform the castle into a holiday resort of the Ministry of National Defense. Unfortunately, the investment was interrupted by the imposition of martial law and ideas were not returned to this later. The castle was opened to the public in 1991. The castle can be visited individually or with a guide, and at certain times it is also possible to visit the castle by night.