Chudów Castle

Chudów was a privately owned medieval manor purchased in 1532 by the Roman-German Silesian nobility House of Saszowski family, who already owned the neighbouring manor of Gierałtowice. Chudów is famous for its 16th-century Renaissance castle residence, built by the nobleman and scion John Saszowski von Geraltowitz. The village remained part of the House of Saszowski estates and a residence of its branch scions alias Geraltowsky von Geraltowitz until it was sold in the first half of the 17th century. The original entrance to the castle was via a drawbridge over the moat, which lead directly to the second floor of the castle tower.

In 1706 new owners of the castle was the family Foglarów. After 1768, the castle changed owners quite often, losing in importance. In 1837, the castle owner Alexander von Bally, made several reconstructions to the original design of the castle. The castle suffered severe fire damage in 1875, and its last owner left it as a picturesque ruin. Abandoned to ruin since the late 19th century, only parts of the walls, four-sided tower and outline of the moat survived to the present day. In 1995, the newly founded Chudów Castle Foundation, has since began gradual castle restoration and reconstruction work.

In an already restored tower, there is a small museum that shows one of the most interesting exhibitions of ceramic medieval Gothic cocklestove tiles found in Poland, discovered on the castle grounds during restoration works and archaeological excavations.

Address
Podzamcze 6, Paniówki, Poland

Established
16th century