zamek Ogrodzieniec

I've received a very beautiful castle of Odrodzieniec yesterday from romanek.Thank you, Marcin, so so so much!

These castle's ruins are the beggest in whole Poland.

That what says the official castle's site:

The castle of Ogrodzieniec in Podzamcze is the most imposing Eagle Nest of all the castles of Cracow – Częstochowa Upland (Jura). It is situated on top of Janowski's Mountain – the highest hill of Jura ( 515,5 m above sea level). It was a strong fortress built of hard limestone and dolomite. In the XII century it was a small settlement consisting of several wooden huts surrounded by rocks and protected by a stockade from the north side. For that reason and because of its exceptional defensive value against the raids of princes of Czech and Silesia, it was called "The Wolf Jaw". The castle was then ruled by an old family of the Włodeks. In 1241, after the settlement had been looted and burned down during the Tatar raid, the Włodeks built a castle of stone, which was their residence till 1470. Later, the castle had different owners, until 1523, when it became the property of Jan Boner, the representative of a very important Polish family. His nephew, Seweryn Boner, extended the castle in 1530 – 1545 so that it grew to an imposing Renaissance defensive residence, full of splendour, likewise the Wawel in Cracow. His son, Stanisław, modernized the castle and adjusted it to the contemporary architectural requirements.

The next owner, Jan Firley, married to Zofia Boner, and other representatives of this family of great patriots, prominent politicians and patrons of the arts ruled Ogrodzieniec for over 100 years, extending the castle and decorating its inside in a splendid style of a magnate mansion.

The south walls of the castle were seriously damaged during the Swedish raid in 1655. The contemporary owner, Stanisław Warszycki ordered to build a stable and a coach – house and had the powerful wall rebuilt.

In 1702 there was another Swedish raid and the fire started by the invaders. The last owners left the castle in 1810. Over the years, pilfered by local villagers, it had fallen into decay.

In 1906, Aleksander Janowski was inspired by the beauty of OgrodzieniecCastle and established the PTTK (Polish Tourist-Sightseeing Society), an association promoting patriotic traditions and protection of historic monuments. After World War II, due to reconstruction works performed by the state, the castle ruins could be used as a tourist attraction.