CASTLE KSIĄŻ HISTORY

Książ Castle, also known as the Pearl of Lower Silesia, was erected in the 13th century and became home to many noble families such as the mighty House of Hochberg.

During the World War II the castle was taken over by the occupying German forces. Under their reign numerous historic chambers were destroyed. The Nazis created a system of tunnels underneath the castle, which the function still remains a mystery.

Recently the Ksiaz Castle made news as a rumor of a lost Nazi gold train was believed to be buried in the vicinity of the castle.

Today, visitors can admire the majesty of numerous chambers, terraces and surrounding gardens. The underground tunnel is also available to the public.

CASTLE TOURS

The castle is open for tourists:

Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm

Saturday - Sunday: 9:00am - 7:00pm

Ticket purchase times:

Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Saturday - Sunday: 9:00am - 6:00pm

The Palm House in Lubiechów was established on the initiative of the last representative of the Hochberg family at Książ Castle - Jan Henryk XV. The prince built it with his wife Maria Teresa Cornwallis-West, called Daisy, in mind, who was a lover of beautiful flowers and original plants. Currently, the palm house grows over 250 species of plants that represent the flora of various climatic zones and different continents. Huge palm trees and a rich collection of cacti attract special attention here.

The Palm House café

The café located inside of the greenhouses. Wooden tables are shaded by garlands of ivy and separated by walls of greenery. They serve coffee from Julius Meinl, Europe’s first professional coffee roastery. There’s also a range of different delicious desserts available, including one named… yes, you may have guessed it… Daisy!

There is a bus stop right opposite the entrance to the Palm House. From there, it takes less than 10 minutes to get to the Wałbrzych Szczawienko station where you can board a train back to Wrocław.

Palm House is a 25-minute walk(busy road) from the Castle, taxi may be necessary.

The magical castle garden terraces

If you’re visiting Książ Castle between April and September, you can also wander around its impressive garden terraces. They are laid out on 12 different levels and cover a massive area of 2 hectares. Their appearance has changed over the centuries, but we owe their current form to Princess Daisy herself. When the von Hochberg family moved into the castle, she was so disgusted with the stark, minimalist Prussian landscape that she ordered a reconstruction of the garden park. For this purpose, she brought gardeners and an architect from her native Newlands to arrange an English-style garden for her. She was very demanding and held everyone to high standards. I’ve read that it took 100 gardeners and over 20,000 plants to maintain the gardens each year!

The construction of these underground tunnels began in 1944 on the command of Adolf Hitler himself. Thousands of prisoners from the Gross-Rosen concentration camp were sent to Książ. They worked in inhumane conditions and beyond their means, with many of them dying as a result.

The construction continued until 6 May 1945, when the fate of World War II was already sealed. When the Red Army invaded Poland, many underground structures were destroyed. All tunnels leading to them were either masked or blown up.

To this day, the real purpose of these massive constructions that lie 50 metres deep remains a mystery. Some say they were going to be a shelter for Hitler and his relatives. Others suggest they were a location for chemical and biological laboratories. There are also those who believe it’s the hiding place of the legendary Gold Train, filled to the brim with gold stolen by the Nazis. However, in 70+ years, no one has been able to prove that it really existed.

UNDERGROUND TOURIST ROUTE

For the first time in history, the basement of Książ Castle is open to the public! Join the tourists who descended into the tunnels carved 50 meters deep under the castle.

The underground tourist route is a half-kilometer long section that will certainly intrigue you with its diverse structure, both in terms of geology and history. During the walk, visitors will see a huge concrete hall, corridors carved in raw rock and side chambers of the bunker.

The route runs along the terraces (near the site of the search for the alleged underground railway station) towards the main building of the castle. The end of the first half of the route is located at the embankment - the entrance to a buried elevator shaft, the exit from which was supposed to be in the Courtyard of Honor. During the tour, tourists will learn about, among others: the secrets of the Książ undergrounds, theories about the purpose of their creation and the tragic story of the prisoners whose hands these tunnels were drilled.

The basement of Książ Castle was concreted with very durable Portland cement. According to the notes of Hitler's favorite architect, Albert Speer, and other available documents, it is possible that the tunnels once again have an area as large as the one known to us today, i.e. 3,200 m 2 (which was measured on the basis of concrete that was brought to castle).

Go into the basement of Książ Castle, one of the most mysterious buildings in Poland, and see what has been hidden for over 70 years.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

The number of groups visiting the underground on a given day and the number of places in each group are limited. We do not guarantee the availability of places on selected dates.

Please arrive at the meeting point (entrance to the basement) 15 minutes before the planned tour time. The time to reach the underground from the gate building is approximately 15 minutes. Failure to arrive at the designated place at the specified time may result in the inability to provide the service without compensation.

The underground route is not recommended for people with circulatory disorders or reduced respiratory and circulatory capacity, suffering from claustrophobia or in advanced pregnancy.

Visiting the underground is not possible for people with limited mobility or in wheelchairs.

Due to the special route and high air humidity, participants are required to wear comfortable, flat shoes. Please do not wear high heels or footwear that limits your mobility.

The air temperature underground is between 6°C and 12°C, so it is advisable to have warm clothing.

For safety reasons, children under 4 years of age are prohibited from entering the underground part.

Pets are not allowed on the Underground Tourist Route.

Please read the full regulations for visiting the underground, available here .

Historic stables located near Książ Castle. Silesian horse breeding center.

It is possible to ride horses and rent a carriage.

Remains of a 13th-century castle, later rearranged & expanded for a prince, in a wooded hiking area. Easy to do with children.

Ruina Stary Książ is located south of the Książ Castle, on the opposite bank of the Pełczyca River. Even though the two strongholds are only about 700 meters apart in a straight line, to get here you have to walk around the entire hill. The road leads along a rock ridge and unfortunately is not well marked. Free entrance. (map of the voivodeship's castles)

You are going to love Wroclaw. I strongly encourage you to walk and explore all the nooks and crannies in the city center. There are a lot of cool hidden bars and restaurants down unassuming alleyways. It's an English speaking and friendly city.

HISTORICAL MARKET SQUARE/ CITY CENTER

Lively and quaint cobblestone city square with benches, vendors, a monument & nearby cafes. It is one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. Colourful townhouses surrounding the Wroclaw square were gradually erected - since the Middle Ages. The ones in the city centre were painted with bold colours, whereas the ones in the midtown were covered with pastels, primarily bright beige or pure white. The colours were also accompanied by original names, such as Hansel and Gretel, Golden Sun and Golden Jubilee tenement houses.

FIND THE GNOMES

You will notice there are little gnome figurines all over the city. Keep an eye out for them and see how many you can spot! The cheeky gnomes are taking over Wrocław. Cute as they may be, each statue is a nod to the Orange Alternative, an anti-Soviet resistance movement that helped bring down Poland's oppressive communist regime in the 1980s. You can get a map at any tourist store and go hunt for them!

CATHEDRAL ISLAND AKA OSTRÓW TUMSKI

The quarter is one of the prettiest for walks, with a church at almost every turn and the way lit by genuine gas lamps at night. If you come at dusk you can watch the old-time lamp lighter illuminating the streets.

Give yourself an hour to see the medieval riches in the Archdiocese Museum at the episcopal palace. Be sure to check out the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

PANORAMA OF THE BATTLE OF RACŁAWICE

This monumental painting is 15ft x 375ft. and is the oldest in Poland. The panorama stands in a circular fashion and, with the viewer in the center, presents different scenes at various viewing angles. A special kind of perspective used in the painting and additional effects (lighting, artificial terrain) create a feeling of reality.

BARBARKA BAR

It's a bar barge! Docked on one of Wrocław's picturesque islands nestled between Ostrów Tumski and the Old Town. ​Come during the day for a more chilled out vibe, when Wroclavians prefer to recline in a lounge chair with a cold craft beer. Barbarka blasts loud techno and house long into the night as its young and hip clientele down a seemingly never ending procession of alcoholic drinks

PIEROGARNIA STARY MŁYN - TRADITIONAL POLISH FOOD

Delish Pierogi aka Polish dumplings. We highly recommend trying the wood oven fire cooked Pierogi! The have English menus and speaking waiters.

Palace in Jedlinka – dating from the 17th century and built in the Baroque style. After World War II, it functioned as a grain warehouse for the nearby state farm. In 2004, it was bought by a private owner, renovated and made available to visitors.

Church of Peace in Świdnica - built after the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia, and today belonging to the Evangelical Augsburg Church in Poland. included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.