Castle in Rytrze: History, Legends, Viewpoint

The Castle in Rytrze, or rather its picturesque ruins, is the main attraction of the area and a beautiful viewpoint. The history of this place dates back to the 13th century. The castle is associated with several stories and legends.

The Castle in Rytrze - Location and Views

The main advantage of the castle ruins in Rytrze is its magnificent location: on top of a forested hill called Zamczysko, rising over 120 meters above the flowing Poprad River at its feet. Thanks to this, the castle is perfectly visible, for example, during hikes along the slopes of the neighboring Radziejowa Range:

From the castle walls, you can enjoy beautiful views of the surroundings: the Poprad Valley, Radziejowa Range, and the Beskid Wyspowy:

History of the Castle in Rytrze

No one knows exactly how the first fortress on the Poprad River in Rytrze was built. The castle definitely existed here in the early 14th century (it appears in documents from that time). Perhaps it was built by robber knights, known as raubritterzy, from whom the name of the village (German: Ritter = knight) originates. Most likely, it was built to fortify the Polish-Hungarian border in the 13th century. In later centuries, it belonged to the starosts of Sądecki and served as a customs guardhouse.

Famous Historical Figures at the Castle in Rytrze

One of the historical owners of Rytrze and the castle was the knight Piotr Ryterski of the Topór coat of arms, who fought, among others, at the Battle of Grunwald. Polish kings often visited the castle, mainly during their journeys to Hungary, including Władysław Łokietek, Kazimierz Wielki, Queen Jadwiga with King Władysław Jagiełło, and Kazimierz Jagiellończyk.

Destruction of the Castle in Rytrze

The castle fell into ruin already in the early 16th century and was completely destroyed during the Swedish invasion in the mid-17th century. To this day, the tower, defensive walls, and foundations of the two-part residential building in the western part of the fortress have survived.

Legends and Tales of the Castle in Rytrze

Even more interesting than the facts are the legends associated with this extraordinary place! Among them, you will find stories about treasures and castle ghosts.

Rytro: Castle and Treasure

Did you know that supposedly the ruins of the castle in Rytrze hide mysterious treasures? This legend is connected to the mentioned castle host, the castellan of Nowy Sącz, Piotr Wydżga. Allegedly, he believed in the existence of gold veins in the rocks on which the castle stands. He forced the local population to work as slaves in extracting gold nuggets and hid them in the castle's underground chambers. In the end, the greedy castellan ordered the killing of those who worked for him to prevent them from revealing the locations of the deposits and treasures.

Later owners supposedly searched diligently for the hidden treasures, contributing to the destruction of the castle itself.

The Legend of Bojomir

Bojomir was one of the former owners of the castle in Rytrze. He lived there with his wife, son, and tamed bear named Bartek. When Bojomir went to fight the Teutonic Knights, their emissaries attacked the castle, killed his wife, and kidnapped his son. Filled with grief, Bojomir sought revenge, capturing Teutonic prisoners and keeping them in terrible conditions in the castle dungeons.

On Christmas Eve, the local priest begged the ruthless Bojomir to show mercy and allow one of the dying prisoners to die in a chamber instead of a dark dungeon. To Bojomir's surprise, the bear Bartek began to be affectionate towards the Teutonic knight. Around the neck of the prisoner, the host noticed a chain belonging to his missing son...

Ghosts at the Castle in Rytrze

Are the ruins of the castle in Rytrze haunted? Of course! Like any decent castle, Rytrze has its own ghost. The specter haunting the ruins was mentioned, among others, by Maria Kownacka in the story "Rogaś from Dolina Roztoki". Interestingly, she mentioned the appearance of a knight's ghost on the castle and a goat named "rogalec" - a messenger from hell.

Is it the ghost of the castellan Piotr Wydżga, guarding his treasures, the beloved son of Bojomir, or the spirits of treasure seekers or deceased Teutonic prisoners in the dungeons? If you are curious, come and see for yourself!

Ruins of the Castle in Rytrze - Visiting and Practical Information

• Admission to the castle is free
• Open daily from dawn till dusk
• Access by wheelchair is possible on the castle grounds (without access to the walls and tower)
• Access to the walls is via metal lattice steps, access to the tower is currently closed (July 2023)
• Toilet facilities (portable toilets) are available at the parking lot
• There are no dining facilities in the ruins or its immediate surroundings
• You can visit the ruins with a dog

How to Get to and Reach the Castle in Rytrze?

You can reach the castle by car (small, free parking available) or take a comfortable but steep forest path:

Easy

directions_walk child_friendly

From Rytrze to the castle ruins

straighten 2.0km

timer 48min

north_east 123m

south_east 31m

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Author: Marfusza
Publish Date: 2023-07-13