Pszczyna Castle, also known in English as Pless Castle, which probably dates back to the 11th century, is one of the most grandiose and extravagant residences in Poland. Located in the town of Pszczyna, just 37km south of Katowice. Surrounded by the wonderful English-style landscape park, this picturesque castle was originally built in a gothic style in the 13th century and then rebuilt as a Renaissance palace in the 17th century. Today, It’s considered an example of Neo-Baroque architecture, whose shape is the result of several expansions and reconstructions in the 18th and 19th centuries.
In the past, the castle was once a residence of Polish Piast nobles, then the Promnitz family and later the German von Pless family. The castle became a state-owned property after the death of the last Prince of Pless, Hans Heinrich XV in 1936 and turned into a museum in 1946, which is still in operation. Today, this castle museum features a dozen rooms over three floors decorated with exquisite interiors from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries that miraculously survived the war, including the original antique furniture, walnut wood flooring, art collections, porcelain, rugs, and aged paintings.
The Pszczyna castle is one of the very few museums of this kind in this part of Europe with so many elements of preserved historical furnishings and was voted as one of the “Seven Architectural Wonders of the Silesian Voivodeship” by the Silesian authorities. If you prefer to visit some authentic castle residences in Poland, don’t miss out on this beautiful castle in Pszczyna!
Photo: zamek-pszczyna.pl
