Paszkówka Palace

Paszkówka Palace (Pałac w Paszkówce) is a 19th-century Gothic Revival residence in the village of Paszkówka in Lesser Poland, southwest of Kraków. Built for the Wężyk family, it is one of the more distinctive examples of romantic manor architecture near the regional capital.

Who built Paszkówka Palace?

In the early 1860s the estate was bought by Leonard Wężyk, who commissioned a grand new residence, completed around 1865. The design was prepared by the architect Piotr Bosio. The Wężyk family lived here until 1940, so for nearly eight decades the palace served as the heart of a working country estate with its park and outbuildings.

What does the building look like?

The palace follows the Gothic Revival style but also borrows Oriental motifs. Its facade features:

• a corner turret in Moorish style,
• pointed pinnacles,
• projecting avant-corps, cornices and friezes,
• a shield with the coats of arms of the Wężyk and Żeleński families above the entrance,
• ceramic tiles with mythological figures beneath the first-floor windows.

This mix of details makes the building stand out from the typical manor houses of the region, and it is a popular subject for photographers.

What happened to the palace after the war?

After 1945, under the land reform of postwar Poland, the estate left the family's hands. The palace was first handed to a farmers' organisation, later housed a mushroom farm, and then a primary school for children from nearby villages. Many Polish manor houses went through similar changes of function in those decades.

From school to luxury hotel

In 1997 the property was bought by Anna and Jan Oleksy. The palace was thoroughly restored and for years operated as a luxury hotel with a restaurant and banqueting rooms. Another lodging building was added within the palace and park complex, raised on the foundations of a former granary. The hotel has since ceased operating, yet the historic building remains a prominent landmark of the village.

Is Paszkówka Palace worth a visit?

It fits well into a day trip from Kraków, especially for anyone interested in nineteenth-century architecture, the history of landed families or the foothill landscape of the region. The best approach is to admire it from the outside, looking for the turret, the coats of arms and the ceramic tiles. The surrounding park completes the picture of a former country seat. Since the property is privately held, it is worth checking beforehand whether the grounds are currently accessible.

Frequently asked questions

When was Paszkówka Palace built? In the mid-nineteenth century, around 1865, in the Gothic Revival style.

Who designed it? The architect Piotr Bosio, commissioned by Leonard Wężyk.

How long did the Wężyk family live here? Until 1940.

What was the palace used for after the war? It housed a farmers' organisation, a mushroom farm and then a primary school.

Where is Paszkówka? In the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southwest of Kraków.

Was there a hotel in the palace? Yes, after restoration it operated for many years as a luxury hotel, which has since closed.