Korzkiew Castle

Korzkiew Castle stands on a rocky hill above the River Korzkiewka, some 13 kilometres north of Kraków, in the Kraków-Częstochowa Uplands. It forms part of the Eagles’ Nests Trail. After almost two centuries as ruins, the castle has been restored to its former glory thanks to a private restoration project begun in 1997 and now serves as an intimate residence.

Genesis

In 1352, Jan of Syrokomla, a judge from Kraków, purchased a hill in Korzkiew and erected a stone tower with a cellar on it, serving both defensive and residential purposes. From 1385 onwards, his descendants used the epithet „of Korzkiew”. In 1388, Burgrave Maciej is mentioned, and in 1400 the structure was referred to in sources as a castrum. The founder’s grandson, Zaklika Korzkiewski, commanded Standard No. 47 at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410.

Subsequent owners

Following the extinction of the male line of the family in 1468, the castle passed, via Barbara, daughter of Stanisław Korzkiewski, into the hands of Szczepan Świętopełk Bolestraszycki. It then belonged to Mikołaj Chorążyc, and from 1517 to Piotr Krupek, a wealthy townsman of Kraków. In 1545, it was purchased by Piotr Zborowski for 5,500 florins, and in 1572 it passed to Szymon Szaniawski, known as Ługowski. The Ługowski family extended the Gothic residential section, added a Renaissance attic and a gatehouse.

The Jordans, the Wessels and the Wodzickis

Following the extinction of the Ługowski family in 1652, the castle was taken over by Michał Jordan. Subsequent owners were Franciszek Jordan and Michał Stefan Jordan, followed by Adam Jordan and Teodor Wessel. The Jordans hosted a king from the House of Wettin at Korzkiew. Around 1720, the castle was rebuilt, with the addition of, amongst other things, a loggia. In 1775, Korzkiew was acquired by Eliasz Wodzicki, and after him by Jakub Wodzicki.

The Fall

Following the Partitions, Korzkiew came under Russian rule. In 1805, Eleonora Wodzicka moved to a nearby wooden manor house, beside which the Wodzicki family had laid out an English-style park. The castle was no longer inhabited. Towards the end of the 19th century, it was used as a granary, and subsequently fell into disrepair. In 1863, fighting during the January Uprising took place in the area. In 1968, archaeological surveys were carried out at the castle, followed by architectural surveys in 1969. In 1984, the castle was entered in the register of historic monuments.

Reconstruction

In 1997, the ruins and the park were purchased by the architect Jerzy Donimirski, who began the restoration work. A gate tower was erected on the remains of one of the square towers, and the residential section and parts of the walls were reconstructed. The accommodation is housed in the 15th-century gate tower, whilst the reception rooms are situated in the Gothic-Renaissance residential wing. The owner’s plans include, amongst other things, the reconstruction of the corner tower, the restoration of the continuity of the walls, and the reconstruction of the wooden manor house and the ponds. The whole complex is to form the Korzkiew Cultural Park.

Architecture

The oldest part of the complex is a 14th-century tower on a rectangular plan measuring approximately 9.5 × 12 metres, with walls up to 2.5 metres thick and arrowslits on the south and west sides. Later, the castle was surrounded by a defensive wall, and in the 15th century, two square towers were erected along the southern wall. Towards the end of the 15th century, a staircase and an annexe were added, whilst in the second half of the 16th century the northern and western walls were rebuilt and a four-flight staircase was added to the north-eastern wing. In front of the entrance to the tower there is a loggia, and in front of the castle there is a gatehouse and outbuildings. The shape of the walls was adapted to the rocky hill, which is why the castle’s perimeter is irregular and the buildings are clustered around a small courtyard. In 1912, Stanisław Tomkowicz described the castle as „a kind of 16th-century manor house”.

The castle today

The castle remains in private ownership. It operates year-round as a guesthouse for groups of up to 10 people, with four rooms, whilst dinners and receptions are organised on request in the castle’s halls and courtyard. Tourists can visit the castle by prior telephone arrangement. The Korzkiewka Valley, with its castle and historic park, is a popular destination for day trips from Kraków.

Today, the historic complex comprises the ruins and reconstructed parts of the castle, a residential house, a farm building and a park. The owner also plans to establish a small museum and an open-air museum in the future, which are intended to complement the attractions of the Korzkiew Cultural Park. The castle is one of the stops on the Eagles’ Nests Trail situated closest to Kraków, which is why it is frequently visited by cyclists and walkers exploring the Jurassic valleys.