Gola Dzierżoniowska Castle

Gola Dzierżoniowska Castle is a Renaissance building from the late 16th century, located in the village of Gola Dzierżoniowska in the Niemcza municipality, about 45 kilometres south of Wrocław. After years of falling into ruin, the castle was restored, and today it houses a hotel with a restaurant.

Construction

The castle was built by Leonard von Rohnau. An inscription above the main entrance states that on 23 February 1580 he began construction, and soon after put a roof on it. The foundations rest on granite, although records indicate that the site was already inhabited around the year 1000. The German name of the building is Schloss Guhlau.

Architecture

The Renaissance building has the form of a quadrangle with an inner courtyard, in which grows a lime tree around 300 years old. The facades are decorated with sgraffito, and above the portal are placed the coats of arms of sixteen noble families. In the early 17th century a tower was added in the eastern corner. The original building from 1600-1610 was rebuilt right up to the early 18th century, and at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries the castle was rebuilt and restored once again.

The 20th century and rebuilding

During the Second World War the castle was heavily damaged. Its last owners, the von Prittwitz und Gaffron family, had to leave the estate, which passed under Polish administration and gradually fell into ruin. Restoration work was carried out intensively from 2000 onwards, supported in 2007-2008 by a ministerial programme. Since 2013 the castle has housed a hotel, spa and restaurant.

The park

The castle is surrounded by a thirteen-hectare park with more than 1,600 trees, representing 36 species from around the world. The grounds also contain seven ponds and a hundred-year-old beech avenue. The lime tree growing in the courtyard is around 300 years old, making it one of the oldest elements of the whole complex.

Name and the tradition of the place

The German name of the castle, Schloss Guhlau, recalls the centuries-long history of these lands before the border changes after the Second World War. Records indicate that the site on which the castle stands was already inhabited around the year 1000, long before the present Renaissance building was erected.

Nearby

Within a few kilometres lie several other historic residences, including the palace in Kietlin and the palace in Roztocznik.

Further south stretches the Wojsławice Arboretum, and in Niemcza itself stands St Adalbert's Church in Niemcza.

Practical information

• Address: Gola Dzierżoniowska 21, Niemcza municipality, Dzierżoniów County
• Getting there: about 45 km south of Wrocław
• What to expect: a historic castle now serving as a hotel with a spa, restaurant and park with ponds
• Visiting: the building is an active hotel; conditions of entry for people who are not guests are worth checking directly before arriving