Wojnowice Castle

Wojnowice Castle is a Gothic-Renaissance moated castle in the village of Wojnowice, about 25 kilometres from Wrocław, in Środa Śląska County. It is one of the few surviving defensive knightly residences of this type in Poland, today open to visitors and surrounded by a park.

From stronghold to Renaissance residence

The castle's origins date back to the mid-14th century. Over the following centuries the building changed hands several times among Silesian merchant families, and each change of owner brought a further rebuilding. The 16th century proved decisive, when Jakub Boner transformed the former stronghold into a fashionable Renaissance residence for his wife, Lukrecja. A trace of that rebuilding can still be seen today on the Renaissance portal, decorated with coats of arms and the Latin inscription "Inicivm sapiencię timor Domini" ("The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"), alongside an inscription stating that it was Jakub Boner who had it erected.

Architecture

The castle is built on a rectangular plan, with brick walls decorated with sandstone details. From its original horseshoe-shaped layout of buildings, a four-wing structure eventually emerged, with an internal courtyard surrounded by ground-floor arcades. Characteristic elements include a narrow gate tower topped with battlements, stepped gables on the wings, and stone corbels of former latrines on the eastern side. The moat surrounding the castle on the north side is crossed by a masonry bridge, which replaced a former drawbridge.

Destruction and rebuilding

The Second World War brought serious destruction to the castle. It was only restored to a usable state by a thorough post-war rebuilding, carried out between 1961 and 1984. Years later, once the castle passed into the ownership of the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe, it reopened its gates to visitors.

The castle today

The castle grounds now house a restaurant and hotel rooms, and the site also offers accommodation and the rental of halls, among other things for conferences. The park surrounding the castle covers around 10 hectares and includes three natural monuments, making a walk through it a natural complement to a visit to the castle itself.

Practical information

• Address: Zamkowa 2, Wojnowice, Miękinia municipality, Środa Śląska County
• Getting there: about 25 km from Wrocław
• What to expect: touring the castle, a walk through the surrounding park with its natural monuments, the possibility of an overnight stay and a meal in the castle restaurant
• The castle is entered in the heritage register - details of current visiting hours are worth checking before your visit