#photography #nature #mountains #sonyalpha #sonyalpha7c #a7c #poland #polska #przyrodapolska #polskaprzyroda #gory #polskiegóry #góry #swietokrzyskie #świętokrzyskie #travel #sunset #colorfulsunset #goldensunset #zachod #zachodslonca #zachód #miedzianka #zachódsłońca

#photography #nature #mountains #sonyalpha #sonyalpha7c #a7c #poland #polska #przyrodapolska #polskaprzyroda #gory #polskiegóry #góry #swietokrzyskie #świętokrzyskie #travel

#zamek #świętokrzyskie #zamki #castle #castlephotography #zamkipolskie #zamkipolskie #zamekkrzyżtopór #Krzyżtopór #ruins #polska #poland #sonyalpha #alpha7c #a7c #ruin #architektura #architecture #photography

Krzyżtopór Castle, Ujazd, Poland (part 5 of 5)

According to legend, there once lived a relative of Krzysztof Ossoliński in the castle, as well as a subordinate of the famous Duke of Toruń. She allegedly experienced a romantic disappointment that caused her to become a very unpleasant, cruel, and hypocritical woman. However, she had a favorite – a white, fluffy little dog. She often provoked scandals and ordered punishments. She was convinced that her dog could recognize bad people, which is why she would throw anyone into the dungeon whom the dog barked at. One day, a courtier arrived at the castle from very distant lands. Upon seeing him, the dog immediately began to bark. The woman, of course, wanted to condemn him as well, but the courtier killed both her and her dog, and shoved their bodies into the dungeon. To this day, the spirit of the cruel woman roams the castle.

#zamek #castle #ruiny #ruins #architektura #architecture #krzyztopor #ujazd #polska #poland #swietokrzyskie #history #historia #legenda #legend #duch #ghost #zjawa #phantom #spook #lochy #dungeons

Krzyżtopór Castle, Ujazd, Poland (part 4 of 5)

Krzysztof Ossoliński was extremely well-known for his passion for astrology, symbolism, and even magic, which was most likely taken into account in the design of the castle. One theory suggests that there were allegedly 4 main towers, 12 halls, 52 chambers, and 365 windows in the palace, referencing the 4 seasons, 12 months, 52 weeks, and 365 days in a year. This information is merely a conjecture and has never been confirmed.

However, another symbolism is certain – on the left side of the entrance gate, there is a heliograph that resembles the letter W. According to researchers, it refers to Aramaic ornamentation, symbolizing the eternal existence of the place. The entrance gate is adorned with bas-reliefs, which, according to one theory, are related to the name Krzyżtopór. One of them, located on the left side, is in the shape of a cross and is meant to symbolize Ossoliński's counter-reformist views, while the axe, in the shape of the second bas-relief on the right side, appears in his family coat of arms.

As for the name, there is also another theory regarding its origin, suggesting that it derives from the name Krzysztopór, which is a direct reference to the name and coat of arms of Ossoliński. Furthermore, for many years, a plaque hung above the entrance gate with the inscription: “Cross of defense, Cross of support, children of our Ax” - this inscription also referred to the coat of arms of the castle's founder.

#zamek #castle #ruiny #ruins #architektura #architecture #krzyztopor #ujazd #polska #poland #swietokrzyskie #widok #view #krajobraz #landscape #history #historia

Krzyżtopór Castle, Ujazd, Poland (part 3 of 5)

As Krzysztof Ossoliński was fascinated by Italian architecture, he designed his castle in the Italian style of palazzo in fortezza, i.e. on the principle of a residential palace combined with the function of a defensive fortress. Inside the fortifications there is a three-story palace built on a rectangular plan. It is characterized by a courtyard with an elliptical ending. The entire structure of the castle was built on a pentagonal plan, with defensive towers placed on its tops. A gate was also built on the main axis through which it was possible to enter the castle. There is also an octagonal tower right next to the gate. The castle is additionally surrounded by an earth rampart, also built on a pentagonal plan with bastions at the corners. The beauty of the castle’s structure can be appreciated especially after viewing it from above, from a bird’s eye perspective, because only then are the even geometric shapes of the building noticeable. Interestingly, there were once beautiful gardens around the castle walls, measuring as much as 1.6 hectares.

#zamek #castle #ruiny #ruins #architektura #architecture #krzyztopor #ujazd #polska #poland #swietokrzyskie #widok #view #krajobraz #landscape #history #historia

Krzyżtopór Castle, Ujazd, Poland (part 2 of 5)

Krzyżtopór Castle is considered the life’s work of the chamberlain of Sandomierz - Krzysztof Ossoliński, who later also became a voivode and a member of the Sejm. He lived in the years 1587-1645. The castle was built mainly thanks to funds collected as a result of Ossoliński’s war supplies. It was built in the years 1627-1644. Ossoliński wanted to create a magnate palace that would surpass in its scale and wealth all the palaces in the entire kingdom. He was particularly inspired by Italian architecture, which he learned during his numerous travels. Certainly, after the palace was built, there was splendor and wealth in it - it was filled with precious sculptures, unique paintings and ornate furniture and carpets. This is not certain information, but most likely in the octagonal central tower there was even a huge aquarium with almost a hundred colorful fish inside. The bottom of the aquarium was also supposed to be the ceiling of the ballroom.

#zamek #castle #ruiny #ruins #architektura #architecture #krzyztopor #ujazd #polska #poland #swietokrzyskie #widok #view #krajobraz #landscape #history #historia

Krzyżtopór Castle, Ujazd, Poland (part 1 of 5)

The castle ruins include a palace, outbuildings and five-sided bastion fortifications. They cover an area of approximately 1.3 ha. The location of the castle is undoubtedly not accidental, because there is a water spring in the basement, more precisely under the octagonal tower, and what is more, according to legends, in the castle’s basement there is also a secret entrance to a tunnel that would connect it with the castle in Ossolin, located about 20 km away. Both of these castles belonged to the Ossoliński family. The founder of the castle was Krzysztof Ossoliński.

It is extremely interesting that the layout of the building and the entire spatial arrangement of the palace building were most likely greatly influenced by mysterious symbols, astrology and the magic of numbers. For example, according to tradition, the palace was supposed to contain, in accordance with the arrangement of seasons, months, weeks and days in the calendar year: 4 towers, 12 halls, 52 chambers and 365 windows.

#zamek #castle #ruiny #ruins #architektura #architecture #krzyztopor #ujazd #polska #poland #swietokrzyskie #widok #view #krajobraz #landscape #history #historia

The Royal Castle in Sandomierz, Poland

In the 14th century, founded by King Casimir the Great, a brick Gothic building with a castle wall and a defensive tower, built on an octagonal plan, was erected on the site of the wooden stronghold. Around 1480 the southern tower, the so-called “chicken leg”, was erected, now the oldest surviving part of the castle.

In the 16th century, on the initiative of King Sigismund I the Old, the reconstruction of the Gothic castle into a Renaissance residence began.

During the reign of the next king, Sigismund II Augustus, work on the expansion of the castle continued. They included the construction of the western wing ending with a corner tower and the connection of the northern wall with the gate tower.

During the reign of King John Casimir in 1656, during the “deluge”, the castle was blown up by retreating Swedish troops. The eastern and southern wings were destroyed. Since then, the castle has become a public building: an office, a court and a prison. In 1768 during the Bar Confederation, the castle was destroyed again, this time by the Russian troops quartered there.

After the Third Partition of Poland, the Austrian partitioner used the castle as a court and a prison. In 1844 the remains of the royal castle were rebuilt, giving it strict classicist architectural forms.

At the end of the 19th century, the semicircular prison yard was enclosed with a new wing, the so-called “croissant”, and a building for the prison administration was built into the northern wall. The castle shaped in this way served as a prison until 1959.

In later years, thorough renovation and conservation works were carried out, the administration building and the surrounding courtyard were demolished, and in 1986 the castle was designated as the seat of the District Museum in Sandomierz.

#sandomierz #zamek #castle #swietokrzyskie #polska #poland #architektura #architecture #gothic #gotyk #gothicarchitecture #architekturagotycka #krajobraz #landscape

Opatowska Gate, Sandomierz, Poland

It is a Gothic entrance gate from the 2nd half of the 14th century. It was built by Casimir the Great as part of the city’s defensive walls. The planning of the old town also dates from this period. At that time, the city was guarded by four gates. In addition to the Opatowska Gate, you could get to the center through the Zawichojska Gate, the Lublin Gate, also known as the Fisherman’s Gate, and the Krakow Gate.

Currently, the Opatowska Gate is approximately 30 m high, although originally it was slightly lower. The generosity of the wallet of the Sandomierz doctor Stanisław Bartolon in the 16th century allowed the gate to be enriched with an attic. It is worth remembering that of the entire Sandomierz city defense system, only the Opatowska Gate together with adjacent fragments of the walls and the lower part of the tower have survived to this day.

#sandomierz #swietokrzyskie #polska #poland #brama #bramaopatowska #gate #opatowskagate #townhall #cityhall #gotyk #gothic #architektura #architecture #gothicarchitecture #budynek #building #krajobraz #widok #landscape #rynek #rynekglowny #market #marketplace #marketsquare #citygate #citywall #city #walls #gothic #gothicarchitecture #architektura #architecture #tower #wieza

Town Hall, Sandomierz, Poland

Initially, the Town Hall in Sandomierz was a Gothic building with simple architecture on a square plan. It was built in the 14th century, just after the Lithuanian invasion. In the 16th century, it was expanded into an elongated rectangle and then topped with a three-zone attic, the author of which is attributed to Giovanni Maria Padovano. At the beginning of the 17th century, a tower was added on the western side.

On the southern wall of the Town Hall there is a sundial made in the sgraffito technique by Tadeusz Przypkowski, former owner of the clock museum in Jędrzejów. In front of the Town Hall you can admire the statue of Our Lady Immaculate from 1776.

The Town Hall’s basements probably served as a prison. It is even possible that prisoners were tortured here - this is evidenced by the hooks and rings mounted on the walls.

Currently, the Town Hall houses the District Museum and the Civil Registry Office. The rooms are decorated in a Renaissance-Baroque style.

At 12.00, the Sandomierz bugle call is played from the Town Hall tower.

#sandomierz #swietokrzyskie #polska #poland #ratusz #townhall #cityhall #gotyk #gothic #architektura #architecture #gothicarchitecture #budynek #building #krajobraz #widok #landscape #rynek #rynekglowny #market #marketplace #marketsquare #square

Underground of Sandomierz, Poland (part 2 of 2)

After a few centuries, when Sandomierz’s position was no longer so strategic, the dungeons were forgotten. Unused and unsecured, they became the cause of construction disasters.

Scientists from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków rushed to the rescue of the Old Town. After the implementation of a special program, the area of a real multi-storey labyrinth of cellars and corridors was recovered. Some excavations had to be liquidated for structural reasons. The remaining sections were used to create the Underground Tourist Route. Its length is currently 470 m. The deepest excavations are at a depth of 12 m. There are 34 chambers along the route, each of which has its own name, which is a reference to the history of Sandomierz. Numerous corridors and chambers dug for centuries are associated with many Sandomierz mysteries and legends.

#sandomierz #swietokrzyskie #polska #poland #legend #legenda #podziemia #piwnice #underground #cellars #komory #chambers #kamienice #tenementhouses #houses #corridors #korytarze #labirynt #maze #labyrinth

Underground of Sandomierz, Poland (part 1 of 2)

Medieval Sandomierz was located at the intersection of important trade routes, and local merchants monopolized trade intermediation. Needing more and more space to store various goods, they dug underground cellars in the soft loess ground under tenement houses and city squares. The deepest ones reached up to 15 meters! In this way, over the course of the 14th and 15th centuries, a whole labyrinth of warehouses and tunnels was created under the city.

According to one of the legends, the tunnels also contributed to the defense of the city against the invasion of the Tatars. Halina, the daughter of the castellan of Sandomierz, Piotr Krępa, lost all her relatives, including her father who was the commander of the garrison. During the next invasion, having also lost her husband, she decided, in consultation with the mayor Wiktor, to take revenge on the invaders. For this, she got into the enemy camp. There she told the chief that she had been disgraced by the inhabitants. She offered to lead the Tatars through secret underground corridors into the city.
Halina led them around the dark dungeons for a long time, when the inhabitants of Sandomierz, initiated into the deception, covered the entrance to the corridors with heavy boulders. All the Tatars died, and with them also the heroic girl.

#sandomierz #swietokrzyskie #polska #poland #legend #legenda #podziemia #piwnice #underground #cellars #komory #chambers #kamienice #tenementhouses #houses #corridors #korytarze #labirynt #maze #labyrinth

The Royal Castle in Chęciny, Poland (part 2)

In 1465 a dangerous fire broke out in the castle, and from the second half of the 16th century, that is, when Queen Bona moved out, Chęciny Castle began to lose its luster and splendor. Another fire took place in the mid-sixteenth century, and the staroste Stanisław Dębiński, in order to restore the use of the castle, made only the most important renovation works. The destruction of the castle was done in the 17th century. In 1607, during the Zebrzydowski Rebellion, the fortress was burnt down and the armory plundered. The castle was plundered again in 1655 by the Swedes and their ally Prince George Rákóczi in 1657. The stronghold ceased to be the residence of starosts and was abandoned in 1707 after its subsequent devastation by the Swedes.

After these events, the castle was abandoned. The castle cannons fired for the last time in 1787 to the cheers of King Stanislaw August Poniatowski entering the city. Since then, the walls of the medieval stronghold have served the local residents as a source of building materials.

During World War I, the ruins were used by the Russian army. Then, as a result of Austrian artillery fire, the towers were seriously damaged. In the interwar period, minor conservation works were not able to stop the destruction of the castle.

During World War II, a threat to the castle was the exploitation of stone from Góra Zamkowa to obtain building material for roads in the General Government. The exploitation was stopped, which saved the castle walls from collapsing. After World War II, the ruins of the castle are reconstructed (inter alia, in the years 1948 -1949 - towers, 1959 - 1960 - walls).

#checiny #swietokrzyskie #baszta #tower #zamek #castle #castello #polska #poland #architektura #architecture #widok #krajobraz #landscape #gothicarchitecture #architekturagotycka #gothic #ruiny #ruins #historia #history