It has a rich history. The castle in Krasiczyn was built in 1631 and designed by the Italian architect Galeazzo Appiani. The castle was built in the Mannerist style. The multitude of architectural details is impressive. Today, there is a hotel here, so the place can be visited by anyone.
The castle in Krasiczyn was built in the Renaissance-Mannerist style. Its construction began in 1580 and was completed in 1631. For decades, it served as the residence of many Polish aristocratic families – the Krasicki, Modrzewski, Wojakowski, Tarłów, Mniszch-Potocki, Piniński and, from 1835, Sapieha families.
The initiator of the castle’s construction was the Castellan of Przemyśl, Stanisław Krasicki. Initially, the building performed a typical defensive function. It was devoid of ornaments and sophisticated architectural forms. It was only Stanisław’s son, Marcin Krasicki, who turned the austere castle into a magnificent residence. This, however, did not have a turbulent history.
The castle was destroyed in 1726 due to the invasion of the Russian army and the Koazaks. At that time, the furnishings of the chambers were stolen, the chapel and one of the towers were destroyed. The castle had to wait many years to be rebuilt. It was not rebuilt until 1970.
Despite numerous fires and wars, the characteristic silhouette of the castle survived. The building was built on a quadrilateral plan and the walls were oriented according to the directions of the world. There are four cylindrical towers in the corners: Divine (with a dome on top), Papal (topped with an attic in the form of Clement VIII’s papal crown), Royal (with six small corner turrets) and Noble (topped with a crown – a copy of the crown of King Sigismund III Vasa). Each looks different to reflect the hierarchy of the world. A quadrilateral clock tower with a high cupola was built between the Divine and Papal towers.
Today, the castle is one of the most valuable monuments in Poland. As of 20 April 2018, it bears the status of a Monument of History. The Divine Tower houses the castle chapel, built in the first half of the 17th century, whose design is meant to evoke the Sigismund Chapel on Wawel Castle. Another reference to Wawel is the large courtyard, which today has residential wings to the north and east, and curtain walls decorated with an openwork attic to the south and west. A treat for fans of history and architecture, there is sgraffito here, with a total area of 7,000 square metres!
The wall decorations feature motifs referring to important historical events. They depict, among others, the royal processions of Sigismund III Vasa, Ladislaus IV or August II.
A big plus of the castle are its extensive gardens. The historic building is surrounded by a landscaped park and much of the park’s design dates back to the 17th century. More than 200 species of trees and shrubs grow here. In total, the park surrounding the castle covers an area of more than 14 hectares.
photo: Michal Bosek
source: Marshal’s Office of the Podkarpackie Region(www.podkarpackie.eu)
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