The biggest and most popular of the Eagle Nests!

Ogrodzieniec Castle is a true celebrity among the Jurassic fortresses! Its ruins are picturesquely located on the highest elevation of the Jura - Janowski Mountain at 504 m above sea level. The castle was used as a filming location for the iconic "Janosik", "Zemsta (Revenge)", and in April 2019, some scenes for the series "The Witcher" were also shot here. No wonder it attracts about 200,000 tourists every year!

• the castle ruins are located 2 km east of Ogrodzieniec
• evening shows of castle ghosts are popular at the castle
• additional attractions include free shows of knight fights and old dances held on Sundays in the large courtyard
• you can enter the castle grounds and courtyard by wheelchair, but touring the ruins is not accessible for wheelchairs

Ogrodzieniec Castle - a bit of history...

The stone castle, replacing a wooden fort, was built by King Casimir the Great - it was during his reign that the famous "Eagle Nests", fortresses defending the borders of the Kingdom of Poland and trade routes, were created. In 1523, Ogrodzieniec Castle was purchased by Jan Boner - a burgrave and salt mine owner of Krakow, one of the closest advisors to King Sigismund the Old. During the Boner family's time, the castle gained the nickname second Wawel! Like other castles in the Krakow-Częstochowa Jura, Ogrodzieniec also couldn't resist the Swedes, who during the Swedish Deluge looted and burned the castle. It gradually fell into greater ruin, and in 1810 the last residents left this once significant residence.

Podzamcze

After purchasing the entrance ticket, we enter the Podzamcze - it is a vast green area surrounded by a limestone wall. Here were the stables, carriage houses and other utility rooms, including a brewery and distillery, the foundations of which still remain today. At the beginning of the 20th century, the beer from Ogrodzieniec was reportedly highly esteemed. Today, Podzamcze is the venue for many events, concerts and picnics. There are horse shows, knightly shows, and at the beginning of July, Viking and Slavic reenactors set up their tents here, who will live as in ancient times for several days.

Torture chamber - Warszycki's torture room

There is also a torture chamber on the Podzamcze grounds - a room definitely not for the faint-hearted. You can see ancient torture tools there and learn about the medieval profession of an executioner. Among the items on display are the Witch's Chair, Spanish Boot, Garrote, Judas Cradle, and Iron Maiden.

Castle tour

After crossing the drawbridge, we enter through the gate directly onto the spacious main courtyard (known as the Lord's Courtyard). The lower floors housed rooms for the servants and utility rooms. Representative halls and chambers were located on the second floor.

Next to the courtyard is a room with a nearly 30-meter deep well carved into the rock - a key element of life in the castle. The story of its creation is interesting - the well was carved into the rock for the castle owner by Anzelm from Józefów. He asked for work at the castle that would allow him to spend more time at home. However, digging the well took up his entire days, and he only reached the first drops of water after 20 years.

We go to the oldest part of the castle, built during the time of the Włodków, through a hole drilled by miners in limestone rock, which was created for tourist purposes to facilitate sightseeing. Here you can see characteristic drill holes.

The castle owners were known for their love of books - the room below is a library, which was equipped with a rich collection of books. The room has small windows and is dimly lit - probably because sunlight negatively affects the condition of manuscripts and books. Reading was done by candlelight.

Through winding stairs, you can climb the Kredencarska Tower. It offers a panorama of the surrounding area. Look for the ruins of Smolen Castle, Katowice Steelworks and Łagisza Power Plant, Zborów Mountain, and with good visibility, you can even see the peaks of the Beskids!

The economic courtyard, also known as the Birdhouse - in the local wall there were shooting holes, access to which and manning of fire positions were facilitated by wooden platforms. In peacetime, the platforms served communication functions between the two wings of the castle.

There is a designated tour path at the castle, which allows you to get to know its nooks and crannies in order and make sure that you have visited all its parts.

Legend of the black dog and a coloring page for children to print

Apparently, a huge black dog appears in the vicinity of the castle at night, dragging a long, clanging chain behind it. The legend dates back to the times when the owner of the castle was the castellan of Krakow, Stanisław Warszycki - a very wealthy man, but also very greedy. He had a heavy character and was not a good lord to his subjects. He had the cave located under the castle turned into a torture chamber, henceforth known as “Warszycki's Torture Chamber”. One day, he even ordered his wife to be flogged in front of all the servants, and he did not give his daughter a single thaler in dowry, even though he had a rich estate. After the castellan's death, people say that Warszycki returned in the form of a huge animal with a clanging chain around its neck and still guards his hidden treasures to this day.

Ogrodzieniec Castle - practical information

• Visiting with a wheelchair: you can go to the castle with a wheelchair. You can also move around Podzamcze, the large courtyard, and enter the castle courtyard with a wheelchair. However, touring the ruins (including access to the museum hall and armory) requires climbing many stairs – including steep, winding ones. There may be a problem with passing with a larger carrier-backpack.
• Handrails on terraces are adapted for adults – you need to keep a close eye on younger children.
• There is a seasonal catering point on the castle grounds and a Knight's Inn restaurant in the castle's basement (down the stairs). WC – portable toilets. There are many benches in the courtyard, but the spacious lawns encourage you to spread a picnic blanket.

Near the castle:

Ogrodzieniec Miniature Park

Right next to the castle is a Rope Park, Miniature Park, where you can see, among others, a model of Ogrodzieniec Castle. On its grounds, there is a playground, a toilet for the disabled with a changing table. Nearby, it is also worth visiting the reconstructed wooden fortress on Birów Mountain (about 2 km from Ogrodzieniec Castle):

Park Miniatur - Ogrodzieniec

Park Miniatur w Ogrodzieńcu - zwiedzaniePark Miniatur u podnóża ruin Zamku Ogrodzieniec. Zobaczymy tu modele zamków ze S ...

Here is Ogrodzieniec Castle yesterday (in miniature) and today - in the background:

Ogrodzieniec Amusement Park

Located at the foot of the castle ruins, the Amusement Park offers the youngest a gravity slide, two interactive flight and landing simulators, a house of legends and fears, and many other attractions!

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Author: Marfusza i Adelina
Publish Date: 2021-09-08
Last Updated: 2024-03-04