Chęciny Castle - shared ruins of the royal stronghold in Podzamcze

The well-known and popular castle in Chęciny, or rather its ruins in Podzamcze, dominates not only the city but also the surrounding area, thanks to three towers and the lofty Castle Mountain on which it stood. This probably took place at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, on the initiative of Wenceslaus II - the king of Bohemia and Poland. Today, the castle is available for tourists for a fee and invites you to beautiful stories and wonderful views because it is one of the nicest strongholds in Poland!

History of the Chęciny Castle

The castle in Chęciny was erected at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle was first mentioned in 1306, in a document by Władysław Łokietek. In the middle of the fourteenth century, the castle was expanded by King Casimir the Great, becoming one of the most powerful strongholds in all of Poland. From the beginning, it was a significant center of political life and its defensive values were highly valued. For a long time it was not possible to obtain it and mainly for this reason the crown treasury or church valuables were deposited here. There were guests: Adelaide - the second wife of Casimir the Great and his sister - Elizabeth, who ruled on behalf of her son Louis of Hungary. Queen Bona Sforza, known for her wealth, also lived here.

And today you will see a treasury here with a huge amount of coins, thrown here for good luck. It was probably here that the treasury of the Archdiocese of Gniezno was temporarily stored. The period of glory of the fortress in Chęciny ended in the 18th century, mainly due to the attacks of the Swedes, who destroyed it twice. Since then, the castle has ceased to be an Old Town residence, and after the Third Partition of Poland, the uninhabited castle completely fell into ruin.

Bona Sforza and Neapolitan Sumy

And do you know what the Neapolitan Catfish is? After the death of King Sigismund the Old, his wife, the famous Queen Bona, residing in Chęciny, decided to return to Italy. On 24 wagons, she took with her the accumulated property, later called Neapolitan catfish. On the way, one of the bridges could not withstand the weight and some of the valuables drowned in the river. The rest of the property never returned to Poland. Bona sought rescue in the castle, but she did not receive it. The locals were glad that at least some of the property remained in Poland.

Visiting Chęciny Castle and attractions in the area

Currently, the Chęciny castle is reconstructed and secured as a "permanent ruin". The towers were rebuilt, and a lookout point was arranged in the eastern tower. The stronghold is divided into two parts: the older one extending between two round towers and the younger one in the lower part, with an ogival gate and a four-sided tower. Probably there used to be a fourth tower here.

The entire facility is open to the public, the car park is located at Jędrzejowska Street, about 350 meters below the stronghold. Chęciny Castle can be visited individually, after purchasing a ticket or with a guide after booking in advance. Night sightseeing in Chęciny is also an interesting alternative. Be sure to go down to the city, which offers a lot of interesting facts and a charming atmosphere. And there are natural attractions waiting around, such as the Paradise Cave, the Miedzianka Mountain or the Zelejowa Mountain.

Our video about the castle