The Sandomierz Royal Castle (
Polish: ''Zamek Królewski w Sandomierzu'') is a medieval structure in
Sandomierz,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. It was built on a slope of
Vistula
The Vistula (; ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra i ...
River by
Casimir III the Great and extended in the 16th century.
The original building was blown up in 1656, leaving only the west wing standing.
It was later transformed into a
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
styled residence with the west wing preserved as a museum.
History
The 14th-century castle was built on the site of the existing stronghold in the 10th century.
Between 1146 and 1166 it was the seat of Prince
Henry of Sandomierz, son of
Bolesław III Wrymouth
Bolesław III Wrymouth (; 20 August 1086 – 28 October 1138), also known as Boleslaus the Wry-mouthed, was the duke of Lesser Poland, Silesia and Sandomierz between 1102 and 1107 and over the whole of Poland between 1107 and 1138. He was the onl ...
.
The Gothic castle was built by Casimir the Great. The remnants of the Gothic structure are visible in the foundations of the octagonal tower of the south corner, which is the oldest part of the monument. The existing tower was built during the reign of
Casimir IV Jagiellon in the 15th century as an integral part of the so-called ''Great House'', the seat of the prince.
During the reign of
Sigismund I the Old and
Sigismund II Augustus, the castle was enlarged.
The Sigismund the Old's cornerstone preserved above the entrance on the east side of the array. It bears the date 1520 and a cartouche with Sigismund's eagle. The construction was supervised by the royal architect Benedyct Sandomierski, who erected two-storey arcaded cloisters around a closed courtyard.
During the
Deluge the castle was blown up by the retreating Swedish troops of general Sincler.
About fifty Poles, who entered the abandoned castle, were killed. The survived western wing of the castle was later rebuilt during the reign of king
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski ( (); (); () 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696.
Born into Polish nobility, Sobieski was educated at the Jagiellonian University and toured Eur ...
between 1680 and 1688.
Gallery
File:Sandomierz-Schloss-2.jpg, Exterior of the castle
File:PL - Sandomierz - zamek - 2012-08-18--16-02-10-02.jpg, Side view
File:Sandomierz castle gothic.JPG, Sandomierz castle in the 15th century, during the reign of Casimir IV Jagiellon
File:040513 Sandomierz Castle - 06.jpg, Eagle of Sigismund I the Old on the façade
File:A.737 Zamek Sandomierz2.jpg, West wing of the castle and the gothic tower known as "Kurza Stopka" (Hen's Foot)
See also
*
Castles in Poland
References
External links
*
Muzeum Okręgowe w Sandomierzu
{{coord, 50, 40, 34, N, 21, 44, 50, E, region:PL_type:city_source:kolossus-plwiki, display=title
Castles in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship
History museums in Poland
Museums in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship
Residences of Polish monarchs
Royal residences in Poland
Castle Sandomierz