Sarny Castle in Ścinawka Górna. Revitalized complex in the Kłodzko Valley
The Sarny Castle in Ścinawka Górna gives the lie to the statement "Silesia, the land of dying palaces". It is an amazing complex, picturesquely located in the western part of the Kłodzko Valley, among the Ścinawskie Hills, in the central Sudetes. It is true that it still requires a lot of work, but it also has great potential. We were captivated by this place! We visited the interiors of the ruined building, tasted delicacies in the cafe and stayed overnight in the already renovated buildings of the farmhouse.
Visiting Sarny Castle
The castle is open to tourists. It is true that the oldest part is currently being renovated, but the works do not exclude sightseeing. Whenever the gates are open, you can look inside and admire what is left. In some places, the building is in a deplorable condition, but a private investor has been trying to bring these walls back to life for 10 years. It is very pleasant to penetrate these ruins. He looks into every nook and cranny. This is accompanied by a thrill.
Castle chapel
The chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, which was built in the 1920s, is extremely valuable. 18th century and is decorated with baroque polychromes. It is currently undergoing renovation, but we managed to look inside. The paintings are quite impressive. And why does he carry such a summons? Yes, all the Catholic counts of Götzen (the builder of the chapel) had John as their first name.
The atmospheric Sarny Castle
Opposite the chapel, the door leads to the castle, where several rooms have been prepared in strict interiors. It is this strictness that speaks to me very much. The whole preserved an incredibly poignant atmosphere, reminding me of the one from the Rozkochów Palace, the castle in Głogówek or the nearby Gorzanów Palace. The rooms upstairs are empty, but you can also see them. The stairs cause a slight tremor of the heart! In the past, the walls of the entire ensemble were covered with sgraffito decoration, made in wet plaster, still from the 16th century. Its fragments can still be seen on the eastern wall of the castle.
Castle café
The café is one of the first places that has already been beautifully revitalized in the castle. It is located in a historic gatehouse and captivates with its decor. Modest and beautiful at the same time. During the renovation, a small fragment of polychrome was discovered here. It dates from 1661. It was probably once the Götzen library and the court archive.
A visit to this place helps in the revitalization of the complex. I must admit that both the stylish café and the Column Hall, which becomes a delicious restaurant after breakfast, have a very atmospheric decor. You can feel the recovered spirit of this place here. And a new, huge restaurant hall is already being created in the outbuildings.
Landscape Park
The buildings clustered around the courtyard (there is free parking here) are surrounded by a historic landscape park, which also houses the Summer Palace. The Włodzica River winds here picturesquely. You will meet 10 monumental trees, including an approximately 300-year-old pedunculate oak. This park was designed by Eduard Petzold, a student of the famous creator of 19th-century park compositions, Prince Hermann von Puckler-Muskau.
Events at Sarny Castle
In the summer, concerts are held here. Noteworthy is the International Summer School of Early Music. Especially focusing on the sounds of the early Baroque.
An interesting fact is that since 2019, the Sarny Castle in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship has been one of the stages of the Festival of Mountains of Literature. It is run by the Olga Tokarczuk Foundation, a Polish Nobel Prize winner. It lives 5 km from the castle of Sarny in the Sudetes.
History of the Sarny Castle
The palace complex has medieval roots, when a knight's tower was built. His larger career began in the 16th century, more precisely in 1590. At that time, there was a Renaissance manor house with fortifications. But true prosperity is linked to the Götzen family. It expanded the building into a beautiful palace, which is the ancestral seat. At that time, it was one of the most impressive residences in the Kłodzko Land. It was called Scharfeneck, only in the times of the Polish People's Republic this place was called the Sarny Castle. At that time, it was pgr, which is one of many state farms in Poland.
In the 18th century, a chapel was added here, called the court church. It was founded by the Archbishop of Prague in 1738. It was built as a separate building and was available to people outside the count's family. It is decorated with beautiful baroque polychromes, and the chapel is currently undergoing renovation. At the same time, thanks to the family, a parish church was built, and now a smaller basilica in Wambierzyce, called Silesian Jerusalem. These temples are an expression of Count von Götzen's attachment to the Catholic church. At that time, when the chapel in Sarny was built, the tower of the castle was rebuilt on the model of church towers. Back in the 1950s, Of the twentieth century, it was a bell tower.
Prince Charles at Sarny Castle
And did you know that in 2010 Prince Charles himself, today's King of England, became interested in the castle? Almost, and this is where he would spend his holidays. His Save Britain's Heritage foundation took this very seriously. There were also talks between the prince and the minister of culture regarding the takeover of the monument. Procedures got in the way. The castle was put up for tender, to which the foundation did not go because the original contract was different. Over time, the entire complex was bought out by a private investor and undertook the reconstruction of the Sarny manor house and gave tourists the opportunity to visit the castle.
Black card of the history of the castle and the von Götzen family
Gustav Adolf von Götzen, a figure who was a bad card of the family, was born in this castle. He was the governor of German East Africa at the time when the Maji-Maji uprising broke out there. He brutally suppressed them, burying up to 300,000 Africans. They died mainly because of the famine caused by the German army burning houses and fields. At that time, the German army lost only 404 soldiers.
Roe deer Castle on the European Route of Castles and Palaces
The castle is located on the European Route of Castles and Palaces. Among such Lower Silesian celebrities as the Czocha Castle in Leśna, the famous throughout Poland Książ Castle near Wałbrzych, the Grodno Castle in Zagórze Śląski or the beautiful: the palace in Kamieniec Ząbkowicki or the Wojanów Palace. Ścinawka Górna is actually the castle itself, no one would probably look here if it were not for this former residence, which is now regaining its splendor.
Other attractions in the Kłodzko Basin and in the Kłodzko Land
There are many more objects worth visiting in the Kłodzko Valley itself. This region can delight with both landscapes and architecture. The heart is the romantic Kłodzko. There are many mountain ranges around here, thanks to which you can reach as many as 7 peaks of theCrown of the Polish Mountains:Szczeliniec Wielki in the Table Mountains, Orlica, Jagodna, Kłodzka Góra, Śnieżnik, Rudawiec and Kowadło, and 2 more are located just behind the northern ends: Wielka Sowa in the Owl Mountains and Waligóra in the Stone Mountains. Among these mountains you will find picturesque health resorts with Kudowa Zdrój at the forefront, interesting museums such as the Museum of Paper in Duszniki Zdrój or the Kłodzko Fortress, beautiful temples with a basilica in Wambierzyce or a unique Gothic bridge in the heart of the country, in the city from which the entire Basin took its name.
Our video from the Kłodzko Basin
I encourage you to watch our film from your stay in Sarny Castle and from reaching as many as 4 peaks to the Crown of the Polish Mountains.
Accommodation
Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.
Practical information
Café is open 11.00 - 20.00
Restaurant is open 15.00 - 20.00
In the buildings of the farmhouse around the castle, there are guest rooms in the hotel standard.
With large beds, private bathrooms with a set of towels and breakfast included
Official website of the castle: https://zameksarny.pl/
Sarny Castle - Scharfeneck
Ścinawka Górna 40e, Ścinawka Górna
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What's worth seeing in the area?
If you are looking for more ideas for interesting places to visit, we have it for you some options in the area. There are several attractions within a radius of 100 kilometers, that are worth adding to your travel plan.
- Grodno Castle in Zagórze Śląskie, distance: 22.9 km
- Książ Castle, distance: 35.1 km
- Bear Cave in Kletno, distance: 43.9 km
- Palace in Kopice, distance: 70.3 km
- Ostrów Tumski in Wrocław, distance: 75.3 km
- Wrocław Zoo with Afrkarium, distance: 75.7 km
- Brzeg Castle, distance: 79 km
- Sky Walk Tower in Świeradów Zdrój, distance: 88.4 km
- Moszna Castle, distance: 93.1 km
- Czocha Castle, distance: 97.7 km
