Krzyżtopór Castle in Ujazd

Medals can be purchased at the ticket office!

The enchanting ruins of a baroque fortress palace can be seen in the village of Ujazd, picturesquely located in the municipality of Iwaniska, in the Sandomierz Upland in the Świętokrzyskie Province. It was there, in the 17th century, that the Sandomierz voivode Krzysztof Ossoliński erected a huge magnate residence, which even today, in its dilapidated state, makes an almost mystical impression. The building is huge, and before the creation of Versailles, it was the largest palace complex in Europe.

According to legend, the monumental structure was divided into four towers to represent the seasons. Inside, 12 halls and 52 rooms were placed to symbolise the months and weeks of the year. The castle is said to have had as many windows as there are days in the year, while one of the chambers was fitted with a glass roof over which an aquarium with exotic fish functioned. The area around the building was covered with extensive magnificent gardens. After the deaths of Krzysztof Ossoliński and his son Krzysztof Baldwin, Krzyżtopór changed owners very often, but they were not able to make it as magnificent as it had been during the Ossolińskis’ times. In 1655, the castle was captured and plundered by the Swedes, and the work of destruction was completed by the Bar Confederates. Krzyżtopór slowly fell into a state of disrepair. In 2007 the ownership of the castle was transferred to the Municipality of Iwaniska.

The largest cyclical event held at the castle is the International Knightly Tournament for the Sable of Krzysztof Baldwin Ossoliński. It attracts numerous Knight Brotherhoods from all over Poland and abroad and thousands of tourists. During the tourist season, other events are also organised for cultural leisure.