Rabsztyn Castle

Rabsztyn Castle, or rather its beautifully reconstructed ruins, rises in the Jurassic town of Rabsztyn, near Olkusz, at the top of a limestone hill. The magnificent ruins are a trace of a once beautiful, royal, medieval stronghold, which was built in the 13th century. Over time, this Gothic castle grew into a huge complex consisting of the oldest castle of the upper, middle, lower and Renaissance palaces from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. 

For years somewhat forgotten, today beautifully revitalized and with an idea prepared for tourists who are welcome here all year round (in winter only on weekends). The smell of coffee and delicious cake in the new cafe did the job and quickly attracted many tourists to the castle. And what does the name Rabsztyn mean? It is from the German Rabenstein, which gives us the Raven Rock after translation. There are several cities, districts or castles with this name in Europe. In the Middle Ages, it was referred to as the place of execution. We invite you to a story about the Podolkusz fortress on Krucza Skala!

Visiting Rabsztyn Castle in the Jura

Since May 2015, Rabsztyn Castle has been open to tourists, but in 2019 and 2020 it was closed again due to renovations. Currently, the guardian of the castle is the Municipal Cultural Center in Olkusz. The Rabsztyn Castle was opened to tourists in the spring of 2021. A small exhibition devoted to the history of the castle awaits tourists in the gatehouse. A spatial model of the castle, copies of engravings depicting the castle, replicas of medieval weapons and armaments, and stone architectural details found during archaeological works at the castle are presented here. 

A novelty is visiting the partially reconstructed upper castle and the tower, on which there is an observation deck and balcony, as well as a small prison.However, in the debris-free basements of the palace from the 17th century, a cafe was created, as well as cash registers and toilets. A stone amphitheater for outdoor events stood in the courtyard. In a few years, however, the farm buildings of the medium-sized castle - the former bathhouse and kitchen - will also be made available to visitors. Works are already being carried out here in the glazed pavilion.

Events at Rabsztyn Castle

Every year in July, the Knightly Tournaments are organized at Rabsztyn Castle, and the Knightly Brotherhood "Kruk" is also active here. In autumn, around mid-September, a lot of tourists are attracted to the castle by Juromania - the festival of the Jurassic and the Eagle's Nests Trail, when reconstructions of battles are organized and other attractions are available. Then, under the Rabsztyn castle, cannons stand on the membranes, horses and participants of the game in outfits from the era arrive. This is accompanied by culinary delights and souvenir stands.

Café at Rabsztyn Castle

For many years, the castle in Rabsztyn was revitalized and reconstructed. As a result, today it is a very interesting place for tourists, where not only the observation tower, the gatehouse and other fragments of the stronghold await, but in the former basements of the palace, which were buried and inaccessible for centuries, a cafe has now opened during the availability of the castle. 

That's a shot at 10! The café with delicious coffee in several types, and a delicious cake at a reasonable price for this place, immediately attracted more tourists to Rabsztyn. Soon after its opening, we ourselves enjoyed a coffee and enjoyed tasty cakes eaten on the terrace of the castle, overlooking the medieval tower. Something unique and wonderful!

History of Rabsztyn Castle

The castle in Rabsztyn was built at the end of the 13th century as a wooden building. It stood on the Rabsztyn Hill, or Krucza Rock, with a height of over 440 meters. In the next century, King Casimir the Great erected a brick fortress here, which was expanded over time. In the 17th century, it most likely consisted of four parts - the upper, middle and lower castle and the Renaissance palace. The access road to the castle in Rabsztyn led from the north, where the traces of the drawbridge are still visible. 

On the south side, there was a courtyard surrounded by a wall and a palace. The greatest damage to the castle was done by the Swedes in the 17th century, during the famous flood, shortly after the magnificent Renaissance palace was built here. Then the stronghold was never completely rebuilt. The tall tower of the Gothic castle survived the Swedish invasion, but at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, robbers looking for treasures blew it up. This is how the castle remained in ruins throughout the 20th century.

In 2000, the Rabsztyn Castle Association was established to save this magnificent building from complete destruction. Today, the building is beautifully revitalized, partially reconstructed, the gatehouse of the lower castle and the upper castle have been rebuilt. 

During recent archaeological research in the castle, archaeologists found many artifacts, including well-preserved fragments of the altar base from the castle chapel, a floor made of glazed ceramic tiles and the remains of a hypocaustic stove, which heated the castle. In addition, many elements of a stonework or a coin were found. The reconstruction of the castle is still ongoing. Currently, other parts of the stronghold, including the former kitchen, are being prepared for exploration.

Chateau amenities for people with disabilities

Parking spaces have been created at the Rabsztyn castle, which can be used by people with disabilities. The Customer Service Point is equipped with a wheelchair that allows you to travel from the car park to the main entrance and allows you to move around the Lower Castle. The Customer Service Point at the main entrance on the first floor is equipped with a staircase allowing access to the Upper and Middle Castle.

The Customer Service Point is equipped with canes for the blind. There is a typhlographic plaque with a projection of the castle of the Castle and a legend in the Braille language. On the first floor, i.e. at the Lower Castle, there is a model of the castle and three typhlographic boards with descriptions in Braille.

The Tourist Information Point issues audio guides with a tour of Rabsztyn Castle using the audio description method. Guided tours using this method are also possible using the mobile application available in the Google Play store and AppStore under the name "Rabsztyn Castle". With the help of a mobile application, you can also visit the Castle in Polish Sign Language.

Association "Rabsztyn Castle"

The association was founded in 2000 and brings together lovers of local history. The aim of the association was to save Rabsztyn Castle, which succeeds with great success. The founder and first president was Marian Maryszewski. Since 2018, a commemorative plaque dedicated to Mr. Marian - the founder of the association and initiator of knight tournaments, which have been held at the castle in Rabsztyn since 2003 on the first weekend of July, has been hung in the castle gatehouse.

The stronghold in Rabsztyn on our Instagram

The post about Rabsztyn Castle on our Instagram profile went sensational, which certainly proves that it has recently become a very popular place in the Jura among tourists. The café largely contributed to this🙂 The number of comments is very large, see for yourself 🙂 

Our videos about Rabsztyn Castle

We often return to the Jura because we love this region. Check out our videos featuring Rabsztyn Castle.

Kocjana Cottage

Near the castle, by the parking lot, you can visit the Kocjan Hut, where an exhibition was created dedicated to Antoni Kocjan - an outstanding glider constructor and head of the Home Army air intelligence, who discovered the secrets of German V1 and V2 weapons. It is a reconstructed old wooden house from the mid-nineteenth century, in which Antoni Kocjan was born.

Practical information

mon closed
VI-VIII Tue-Fri 10.00-18.00, Sat-Sun 10.00-20.00
III-V and IX-X Tue-Sun 10.00-18.00
XI-IISat-Sun 9.00-16.30
Last entrance to the castle 30 minutes before closing

Tickets: Tue-Fri normal PLN 12, reduced PLN 8
sb-nd normal PLN 15, reduced PLN 10
Weekend tickets provide the services of guides who wait at 11.00, 13.00, 15.00 and 17.00
Current opening times and ticket prices can be found at: https://zamekrabsztyn.pl/
You can pay with a card at the castle.

Parking: PLN 5 for the whole day
From the parking lot to the castle there is 500 meters, access to the castle, as well as the castle itself is not very adapted for prams, the stretcher will work better

The facility is accessible to dogs under conditions. Dogs must not be brought into the cash desk/ café area, except for the guide dog. Dogs in the rest of the Castle area must be kept on a leash. The entrance to the tower with the dog will be difficult, but if you decide, it must have a muzzle in this place.
The castle itself is not accessible for bicycles, but they can be left in organized places near the parking lot near the Kocjana Cottage with a bicycle repair station or directly under the walls of the Castle

Rabsztyn Castle - MOK OLKUSZ
Eagle's Nests Trail, Rabsztyn
tel. 32/ 706 52 36 - reservations, guides
32/ 706 52 31 - cash register