Moszna Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in Southern Poland, located just 200 km from Krakow. With its 99 turrets, 365 rooms and a lush park around it, with flower gardens and even a lake, Moszna Castle is considered one of the best examples of romantic fairy-tale and eclectic architecture.
The castle, with its mixture of architectural styles, stories and legends, is one of the most beautiful places to visit around Wroclaw, Katowice and, of course, Krakow. Its interiors, which can be partially visited, house the Moszna Zamek Hotel, a restaurant and a café.
What you will find in this guide to visiting Moszna Castle:
- Moszna Castle: Curious Facts and Things to Know Before You Go
- Moszna Castle: Things to Do and See
- Moszna Castle Tickets
- How to Get to Moszna Castle
Moszna Castle: Curious Facts and Things to Know Before You Go
Moszna Castle is located in the small village of Moszna in South-Western Poland, in the Opolskie Region. The castle is probably the best example of romantic fairy-tale and eclectic architecture in Poland, with its stunning towers, gardens, greenhouses and sumptuous stairways.
Moszna is located between the towns of Prudnik and Krapkowice. The first is a modern and rather anonymous town, while the second, located near the border with the Czech Republic, has a beautiful market square in the traditional style of Upper Silesia, the region where it is located.
Moszna is located about 200 km from Krakow and is one of the most beautiful destinations for a day trip. There are convenient private guided tours from Krakow, but also from the nearest Wroclaw and Katowice, which also include a visit to another famous castle nearby, Plawniowice Palace. Otherwise, if you have your own car, you might want to take the opportunity to take a multi-day trip to this scenic part of Poland.
Moszna Castle is a true hidden gem: although it is becoming more and more famous among the locals, it is still little known by mass tourism.
The heart of Moszna Castle is an old Baroque palace from the 17th century, which according to local legend belonged to the Knights Templar. Over the years the palace had several owners, mainly Prussian and Silesian noble families, such as the Von Skall. One of the owners was Georg Wilhelm von Reisewitz, cousin of Ursula Von Skall and Grand Marshal of the court of Frederich the Great, King of Prussia.
The palace was destroyed overnight by a fire in 1896. In the same year Franz Hubert von Tiele-Winckler, who had inherited the palace from his father, had it rebuilt and personally oversaw its design. For this reason it is believed that he was the one who conceived and built the fairy tale Moszna Castle.
Some minor changes were made in the early 1900s, with the addition of the neo-Gothic side wing and the neo-Renaissance style western wing. The changes were made on the occasion of the sight of the German Emperor Wilhelm II, who came here to hunt. The mix of architectural styles makes Moszna Castle truly unique.
During WWII Moszna Castle was occupied and damaged by the Red Army. After the end of the war it became state property and was transformed into a kind of psychiatric sanatorium. After the sanatorium closed in 2013, Moszna Castle was restored and opened to visitors. Music and art exhibitions and festivals are also often held here.
Immersed in a large park, with a beautiful garden and even a lake, Moszna Castle has an area of over 8000 square meters. The huge and eclectic palace has 365 rooms and 99 towers! All around there are greenhouses, fountains, woods and meadows. Today only part of the interior can be visited, but if you want you can stay in the castle, which also houses the elegant Moszna Zamek Hotel.
Moszna Castle: Things to Do and See
The visit to Moszna Castle begins with its wonderful gardens. From here you can best admire the elegance and refinement of the Palace, with its marvelous towers and stairways that make it look like Cinderella’s castle.
The tree-lined avenue leads to the entrance staircase, in front of which there is a large rectangular fountain. The garden is the ideal place for a quiet stroll, perhaps reaching the shores of the lake. There is also a famous 2000-year-old pine in the park.
The interiors of Moszna Castle are partially open to visitors. Some areas may be undergoing renovations: the castle is slowly returning to its former glory. It is possible to visit the banquet halls, some bedrooms, the chapel, the library, the ballroom and the elegant corridors with stairways and wooden furniture. But to be honest, the interiors don’t do justice to the fabulous exteriors.
The guided tour allows you to find out more about the history of the castle and its previous owners. In fact, the castle preserves their portraits. You will also be able to climb the towers of the castle and enjoy a nice view of the surrounding gardens.
There are also more comprehensive tours that include the dungeons, the crypt and some chambers and towers that are generally not accessible for visits. But be prepared, because you have to walk for over 1 km and climb over 3000 steps.
The castle also houses a good restaurant, located in the elegant banquet hall. Guests and visitors can also have a drink or coffee in the restaurant’s café.
Moszna Castle Tickets
There are different tickets for the gardens and the castle. Entrance to the gardens is free from November to March, while from April to October it costs 8 PLN.
Tickets for the interior of the castle start from 12 PLN (reduced 8 PLN), and include a guided tour (also in English). The visit to the towers requires an additional ticket starting from 10 PLN. There are also some family tickets starting from 20 PLN.
How to Get to Moszna Castle
Moszna Castle is easily accessible by car from Krakow (3 hours), Wroclaw (1.5 hours) and Katowice (1.5 hours). There are also some private guided tours from Krakow that include round-trip transportation. Otherwise there are also tours from Wroclaw and from Katowice.
Near the castle there is a large parking lot (for a fee). The local train station is no longer active, so you cannot get to Moszna Castle by train. There are some buses that pass through Strzelce Opolskie and arrive near the castle, but if you are coming from Krakow it may take several changes, so it would be a long and uncomfortable journey.
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