Ogrodzieniec Castle

About this place

Ogrodzieniec Castle is a ruined medieval castle in the village of Podzamcze near the town of Ogrodzieniec, in the Polish Jura region of south-central Poland, about 51 km in a straight line north-west of Kraków. The castle stands on Castle Mountain, 515 m high, the highest hill of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, and its walls blend into huge white limestone rocks so that it is hard to tell building from stone. It dates back to the 14th century, was rebuilt several times and took the form of a Renaissance residence in the 16th century, before falling into ruin in the following centuries. It is one of the best-known stops on the «Trail of the Eagles' Nests», a route linking a chain of castles built on rocky summits between Kraków and Częstochowa. Visitors wander through courtyards, towers and restored walls and climb to viewpoints over the green upland and the surrounding rocks. Its dramatic look has made it a location for films and television series. An entry fee is charged, and medieval-themed events are held in summer. Walking trails and rock-climbing routes surround it, and spring and summer are the best times to visit.