Ogrodzieniec Castle in Podzamcze. Famous ruins on the Eagle's Nest Trail. Sightseeing and legends

The Ogrodzieniec Castle in Podzamcze is a realpearl of the Kraków Częstochowa Juraand the most popular attraction in the region. It rises in the heart of the region, on the highest peak of the Upland, Janowski Mountain. According to the latest research, it is an altitude of 516 m above sea level. There is no other such spectacular castle on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. It makes a huge impression on tourists and attracts numerous visitors. It is available for a fee, all year round. Outdoor events are very often held at the Ogrodzieniec Castle, which is the largest ruins of the fortress in the Jura. Embedded in a historical scenario. The most spectacular in recent years is Juromania in September.

It dates back to the times of Casimir the Great, i.e. the beginning of the fourteenth century. And even the previous century, when the wooden buildings of the castle were erected here among white, massive rocks. And these rocks have grown and formed here so uniquely that they form aunique rock city,called the Rock City of Podzamcze. I love this place, because the views from it to the residence are fantastic. You don't have to go to the Czech Republic to see the beautiful rock labyrinth. In Podzamcze, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Learn practical information and interesting facts about the Ogrodzieniec Castle!

Castle in Podzamcze - worth seeing on the Eagle's Nest Trail

The castle near Ogrodzieniec is the largest Jurassic ruins. Perfectly integrated into natural limestone massifs, which additionally covered the building. To this day, the object delights and intimidates with its size. It is hard to imagine how such miracles were built in the past, which still take your breath away.

It is one of many defensive structures on the Upland, so located at the top of the isthmus. They rise above the area and are inaccessible, like eagles nesting on a rock. Hence the name of the main route leading through the entire Jura from north to south - the Eagle's Nests Trail.

And did you know that lime, eggs and carcass were used in the construction of Ogrodzieniec Castle? This is definitely not the only building in Poland where eggs and lime were used. A similar building material was used, for example, in the construction of the Gothic bridge in Kłodzko or the Krzyżtopór castle.

Visiting the Ogrodzieniec Castle in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland

We have visited this place many times. In order to enter the outer ward, i.e. the outer castle courtyard, you need to purchase a ticket. The sightseeing route is being revitalized on an ongoing basis and has been significantly extended in recent years. We have already visited the castle several times and each time the route is slightly different, which becomes more and more attractive and complicated. I recommend a walk among these walls, because it is difficult to find an equally magnificent object in a wide area! 

The tour is very interesting and varied. In addition, it offers several viewpoints. It's already interesting at the outer ward. Here you will see outcrops, rocks with a characteristic, high Camel. And then the outcrops integrated into the perimeter walls. This is where the Bear stands out, as well as the Two Sisters. It is worth seeing a torture chamber nearby.

The gate tower - the beginning of the tour

To get inside the Ogrodzieniec castle, you need to go through the main entrance gate, in the massive gate tower. This is where the sightseeing tour begins, leading through the Lord's Courtyard. Nowadays, you can visit almost all parts of this magnificent former residence, which have additionally been very well described. Sightseeing is also facilitated by the schedule attached to the tickets.

From the Lord's Courtyard, it is worth approaching the castle chicken kitchen. Then be sure to climb the high zipper while climbing the spiral stairs. Next, you will see the bedroom of Boner, the richest owner of this Renaissance castle. He exhibited it with such splendor that it was compared to Wawel!From this part, the stairs lead to the porch and to the Kredencerska observation tower. Below are the chambers of knights from the Castle Museum. From here, you will descend the stairs carved in the rock to Chicken Feet, where you can see several exhibitions.

Attractions on the route of visiting the Ogrodzieniec Castle

Then there is the economic courtyard, called the Birdman. Wooden cloisters on the Curtain Wall were reconstructed here. You have to climb it and walk through the bastion of the beluard to the tower of convicts. From here, you will descend to the treasury, passing the gate tower. This is where the chapel used to be. The same one in which Severin Boner's unfaithful wife died of hunger. Today, she shows up at the castle as the White Lady!

From below the treasury, you will descend by winding stairs to the Lord's Courtyard again, where the tour of the facility begins and ends. This is where the Knight's Inn invites you. Very atmospheric, it is worth sitting down for a while. There are also several souvenir shops.

On the tourist route, you will see, among others, mock-ups of residences, a torture room and several vantage points with a beautiful panorama of the area. Just looking at the huge ruins from above makes a great impression, and there are also beautiful remnants around.

See our ranking: The most beautiful castles in Poland with Ogrodzieniec Castle

Ogrodzieniec Castle - information for parents with small children

The property is not wheelchair accessible. It is even difficult to leave the stroller in a  safe place. There are a lot of stairs on the tour, so it is best to take a stretcher or a scarf. I do not recommend carrying your child in your arms, as this can be dangerous. Although the tour is not very long, it is quite high or tight in places, and on slippery stairs in some places you have to hold on. Slightly older children, who are already climbing the stairs on their own, will have a lot of fun penetrating all corners of the castle.

Ogrodzieniecka Fortress of Light

Do you like lights and illuminations? It is a good thing, because since autumn 2021 there has been a Fortress of Light in the Castle. Throughout the tour, there are illuminated installations that make a wow effect after dark! In addition, magical fire shows are available on weekends, be sure to go to this fantastic Fireshow! And what will you see in the Fortress of Light? First of all, the castle itself is beautifully illuminated, and besides, you will meet legendary figures associated with the castle, such as the Black Dog, into which the evil soul of Warszycki or the White Lady transformed. Everything is accompanied by music!

The Witcher and Vengeance Gardener's Castle

A real treat is the fact that in 2019 it was here that the scenes for the Netflix "The Witcher" were shot, which can be watched on the platform. This old castle presented itself wonderfully in the final frames of the series. This definitely translates into an increase in the popularity of the already eagerly visited castle. In 2002, the Ogrodzieniecki Castle became the setting for the film "Revenge", directed by Andrzej Wajda. At that time, celebrities of Polish cinema appeared here - Daniel Olbrychski, Janusz Gajos, Katarzyna Figura, as well as Roman Polański.

Events at Ogrodzieniec Castle

In the high season, outdoor events often take place in this very popular Jurassic castle. Knight tournaments, ghost encounters and concerts that attract crowds of tourists. One of the most popular events is the Barbarian Raid in May, when a lot of tents are pitched under the building. You can then travel back to the distant times of our ancestors. Recently, Juromania has also become a cyclical event, taking place every September in many places throughout the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. On summer Sundays, knightly shows are held here, and on Fridays, Ghost Evenings, i.e. a walk with a guide, with legends and ghosts.

Recently, the Balloonade has also been organized at the castle, during which not only balloons fly into the air, but also helicopters or motor gliders. In addition, interesting shows and concerts take place here.

Our balloon flight over Ogrodzieniec Castle

During Ballooning II, we had the great pleasure of flying in a balloon over this amazing residence. It's a fantastic experience and an extraordinary adventure that will remain in our memories forever!It's a beautiful feeling to make your dreams come true.

Legend of the Black Dog

When in the middle of the 17th century the Swedes attacked the Ogrodzieniec castle, as well as other nearby watchtowers and castles in Poland, the magnificent Ogrodzieniec residence suffered greatly. At that time, Stanisław Warszycki became the owner of the property. A famous gentleman in the area, but covered with bad reputation. He was a cruel man and sowed fear among the local residents. He often resorted to torture and was known for his tendency to tyranny. Although he rescued the residence from the fall, Warszycki gained the name of Slavic Dracula. 

He did not spare even his wife, whom he ordered to be flogged in public when she opposed his cruelty. It is said that this Warszycki did not die a natural death, but was kidnapped by the devil himself. Many a resident saw here in the moonlight a great Black Dog, with a chain around his neck, raging in the dark. It is said to be the ghost of Mr. Warszycki, guarding the treasures hidden in the castle.

The legend of an unfaithful wife

Apparently, the rich owner of the castle, Seweryn Boner, a castellan, a Krakow banker and sheriff, had a beautiful and young wife. She flirted with the soldiers while he was away on business. Once, her conscience moved her and she went to pray in the chapel. Then a strong wind sprang up and slammed the iron door. When Boner returned, he did not find his wife in the chamber and ordered her to look for her. It was only after some time that they discovered that the door to the family temple had been slammed shut. They ripped them out and found a dead woman inside. 

Desperate, Boner arranged her funeral and left, while the robbers robbed the castle and kidnapped the torn door. The battalion of the band placed them in the Great Window to protect their belongings. Today, this legendary door is located in the church in Ogrodzieniec, at the entrance to the sacristy.

History of Ogrodzieniec Castle

Already in the thirteenth century, during the reign of Bolesław the Wrymouth, the first buildings of the castle were built among the rocks, which were destroyed by the Tatar invasion in 1241. The first castle in this place was built in the middle of the fourteenth century, during the time of King Casimir the Great. 20 years later, the castle, by granting the king, became the property of the Forebearer Brzezie of the coat of arms of Zador, the Marshal ofthe Kingdom of Poland. At the end of the fourteenth century, by the order of King Władysław Jagiełło, the object passed into the hands of the Włodek family from Chrabimowice of the Sulima coat of arms. In the 15th century, there was a three-storey tower of a high castle and a building on the southern rock. This is the current level of the knight's chambers in the Museum, as well as the powder room and the treasury. At that time, the South Tower, called the Convicts' Tower, was two stories high. The main entrance gate then led through the gap between the rocks, on the south side. From the north, uncovered by rocks, the castle was defended by a high wooden and ground rampart.

In the following years, the owners of the building changed quite often, who contributed little in its history. Around 1520, the castle fell into the hands of the Boners and they had a very significant influence on the stronghold. They were oneof the richest families in all of Poland during the time of theJagiellonians. This is the Krakow familyof royal bankers, who ruled the salt mines, i.e. the mines of Wieliczka.

A castle as rich as Wawel

The most important of this family for the residence in Podzamcze turned out to be Seweryn, and later Stanisław Boner, who arranged a magnificent Renaissance residence here. The splendor and wealth equal to the Wawel Royal Castle itself. Initially, a four-bay wing was built on the rock massif, in which a well 100 meters deep was carved in the rock. The central castle and the south tower werebuilt with two additional condi­tions. Seweryn also erected the Creation Tower and the Gate Tower with a drawbridge, a moat and access to the arcades. 

Stanisław Boner erecteda two-storey west wing with a loft anda library, built shops and economy buildings next to the heir, Kurza Stopa and a curtain wall. He exhibited porches, balconies and loggias on the courtyard, which to this day constitute a communal arrangement ofthe castle. Stanisław also surrounded the front wall from the south and probably built a brewery and a distillery there.

Under the successive owners, the Firlejs, a defensive bastion with a dry moat and a knights' courtyard were also built. Only the ruins of this huge building have survived to this day, but they are also very impressive. Perfectly integrated into the white spurs, they make a colossal impression against the blue of the sky and the green of the Jurassic landscape!

Under the Firlejs, the brick castle gained a bastion and ornaments in line with the spirit of the Baroque era. At that time, the Marble Hall was built, which a year after its construction was destroyed by the Swedish army during the flood, in the middle of the 17th century, and more precisely in 1655. Then the dark stage of the castle's history began, because after the flood, the stronghold was taken over by Stanisław Warszycki, who was infamous! It is true that he rebuilt the castle after the flood, and additionally built a stable and a carriage house, the foundations of which are still standing today, but he was cruel and gained such fame, and in the stories it has survived to modern times. 

Later, the names Męciński and Jakliński appeared among the owners, but in 1810 the last owners left the castle and it began to fall into ruin. Interestingly, in 1885, the ruins were visited by a young, 19-year-old Aleksander Janowski, called the creator of Polish tourism. Inspired by the local view, he founded the Polish Sightseeing Society (later PTTK) in 1906, and the local ruins of the castle became a symbol of this organization. Today, his "name" is borne by the mountain on which the Ogrodzieniec stronghold stands. Janowski Mountain, otherwise known as the Castle Mountain, is also the highest peak of the entire Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. After World War II, the Polish state carried out conservation and preservation works on the ruins of the castle, after which the stronghold was opened to the public. To this day, the ruins are systematically renovated and shown to tourists in an increasingly interesting way!

Birów Mountain

Near the castle, also in Podzamcze, you can visit the reconstructed Fortress on Mount Birów(you can buy a common ticket). This is a much earlier matter than the castle. Settlement here took place from the Neolithic, and later, in the Bronze Age. Archaeologists discovered traces of Lusatian culture, life also flourished here around the 5th century AD. The reconstructed and shared castle on Mount Birów dates from the end of the 13th century.

Experiences in the area

The castle in Podzamcze is located in the Ogrodzieniec commune. Next to the castle, there is the Ogrodzieniec Park with several amusement parks, including a miniature park, the AdrenaLinaPark rope park and the aforementioned unique labyrinth. It is a so-called rock city, climbing rocks with a hiking trail and cross-country skiing trails. Recently, a tiny viewing platform was created here, which offers a magnificent view of the Boner's stone residence. It's the perfect place for a sunset!

Our video about the castle

The most famous Jurassic castle took first place in our TOP 5 castles in the Highlands. We invite you to the video!

Castle and balloon flight on our social media

Check out our post about the balloon flight over the castle on Facebook, which our Fans really liked. If you want more info from us, follow our FB and IG profiles!

Practical information

Current hours of visiting the Castle and ticket prices can be found on the castle's website:
www.zamek-ogrodzieniec.pl Gastronomy: on-site Knight's Inn, fast food on the street leading to the facility
Parking: none, parking is available at the nearby hosts, PLN 20/whole day
The facility is not available for prams, although from poverty you can use the pram to move around the outer courtyard, along a rocky limestone path

Castle Ogrodzieniec
ul. Zamkowa 28, Podzamcze, Ogrodzieniec