There are few palaces in Poland that have retained the glamour which is revealed to you every step you take on the intricately ornamented hardwood floors in the Łańcut Castle. The old residence of Count Potocki is one of the most magnificent landmarks bearing witness to the high status of the aristocratic families once associated with the Subcarpathian region - the Lubomirski, Sapieha, Czartoryski, Tarnowski and Krasicki. Throughout the Podkarpackie, from Dukla to Narol, from Krasiczyn to Baranów Sandomierski, there are over thirty historical landmarks of this type, castles, palaces and mansions, each telling a different story.
If not for the changing architectural trends, today we would still be able to admire the royal strongholds in Przemyśl and Sanok in all their glory. Built by King Casimir the Great in the 1300s, later the original Gothic structures acquired features of Renaissance style. Gothic features, on the other hand can still be seen in the ruins of the medieval castle Kamieniec in Odrzykoń. This is where the dispute described by Aleksander Fredro in his classic comedy The Revenge took place.
Equally old are the ruins of the castles on Mount Sobień and those in Sośnica. The latter was ravaged and plundered in the 17th century by Stanisław Stadnicki, a famous trouble-maker and brawler also known as the Devil of Łańcut. Some say that his ghost till haunts the castle. Fortunately, there were few such villains among the wealthy noblemen living in this area. There were, however, patrons of the arts, such as Count Feliks Antoni Łoś, an able politician living in the times of King Stanisław August Poniatowski.
He built a truly impressive family seat in Narol near Lubaczów. In its refined style you can feel the hand of an Italian architect. In fact you get the same feeling when you look at the Renaissance-style open arcades in the inner courtyard of the castle in Baranów Sandomierski. Other landmarks of this type include the palaces in Przecław and Sieniawa, Tyczyn and Mielec, as well the castle in Rzeszów with its defensive wall.
Many of these beautiful palaces and mansions are surrounded by lovely parks, such as those in Krasiczyn, Dubiecko and Dukla where you can take a walk along majestic avenues and admire ancient trees. In fact, if you visit the Mycielski manor house in Wiśniowa you can see the oldest oak tree - the 700-year-old Joseph. Wherever you go in the Podkarpackie, now and then you will see a lovely old manor house. Some of them are not open to tourists, others hold museums which are worth visiting. One of the these is the manor house in Żarnowiec, which was a gift of the Polish nation to the renowned Polish poet Maria Konopnicka, and today holds a museum honouring her memory.
Explore the fascinating stories of old family residences.