Pieskowa Skala Castle, Ojcow National Park, Poland
Pieskowa Skała is famous for its Renaissance castle built by King Kazimierz Wielki in the 1st half of the 14th century as part of the defensive chain of castles called Orle Gniazda (Eagles Nests) along the plane of Jurassic Rock Upland (Polish: Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska) extending north-west from Kraków to the city of Częstochowa. According to a 15th century chronicler Jan Długosz the castle was donated in 1377 by king Louis I of Hungary to Piotr Szafraniec of Łuczyce. But the family gain the full right of ownership of the castle in 1422 in reward for a good service at the battlefield of Piotr Szafraniec, chamberlain of Kraków. For the first time the 14th century castle was rebuilt in renaissance style between 1542-1544 by Niccolò Castiglione with participation of Gabriel Słoński of Kraków. The sponsor of the castle reconstruction in mannerist style was a calvinist Stanisław Szafraniec, voivode of Sandomierz. At that time the original medieval tower was transformed into a scenic double loggia decorated in the sgraffito technique. Between 1557-1578, the trapezoid shape courtyard was surrounded at the level of two upper storeys by arcades, embellished with 21 mascarons. The arcade risalit above the gate is a 17th century addition. The last owner of the castle of Szafraniec family was Jędrzej, Stanisław's son, who died childless in 1608. After his death the estate was purchased by Maciej Łubnicki and later by the Zebrzydowski family. In 1640 Michał Zebrzydowski built the bastion fortifications with baroque gate and a chapel. (source: Wikipedia)
Size: 4133px × 2750px
Location: Pieskowa Skala Castle, Ojcow National Park, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
Photo credit: © Olga Gajewska / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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