Castle
The castle in Krasiczyn is one of the greatest treasures of Renaissance in Poland and ranks among the most beautiful castles in Europe.
It was built between the 16th and the 17th century by Stanisław Krasicki and his son Marcin. After their death the castle belonged to the Modrzewski, Wojakowski, Tarlo, Mniszech-Potocki and Piniński families and – last but not least – the Sapieha family, who considerably contributed to the beauty of the park surrounding the castle.
The eastern gate leads to the courtyard where concerts are held during the summer. A special touristic attraction is a recently renovated 17th century chapel. It ranks among such pearls of Polish culture as the King Sigismund's Chapel at Wawel Castle in Cracow.
The castle has two residential wings and two curtain walls crowned with an openwork attic. The four corner towers are called: Divine, Papal, Royal and Noble. Those names reflect the hierarchy of the world recognised by the castle's founders. The castle is covered with sgraffiti decorations depicting Polish kings, medallions with caesars' busts, as well as biblical and hunting scenes.
The city of Przemyśl is situated 10 km from the castle. The region's scenic landscapes are ideal for cycling, hiking and horse – riding, but even those not partial to active rest will be satisfied with the peacefulness and beauty of the area.
For amateurs of mountaineering, there is a range of picturesque landscapes of the Przemysl Foothills and the Bieszczady mountains. Another interesting proposal for spending a couple of days in our region is a trip to a phenomenal and beautiful city of Lviv, located 90 km from Krasiczyn.
Park
The pride of Krasiczyn castle is its historic park.
In its oldest parts, the park dates back to the 17th century, but its current style (English Landscape Garden) was introduced by Sapieha family.
Among its most picturesque elements are two beautiful ponds. The bigger Upper Pond with a small island is located in the southern part of the park. Lower Pond is almost next to the castle. Alleys running through the whole park and intersecting each other are full of rare species of trees, shrubs and flowers. Both old trees and younger plantations are perfectly integrated into the natural landscape of the park, impressive at any time of the year. In winter, the trees and shrubs covered with hoar-frost create a magical atmosphere. In the spring, when nature comes to life, the park delights visitors with its greenery. During the summer, the trees provide a natural and full of fragrance shelter from the sun. In autumn, the trees create a unique palette of colours shimmering in the sun, bringing to mind an impressionist painting.
Among other species, the park is adorned with a colourful group of Eurasian smoke trees, as well as an American tulip tree and Kobushi Magnolia - breath-taking during the flowering period.
Nearby the renaissance castle grows a London plane and a beautiful specimen of ginkgo biloba. According to a local tradition, the aged ginkgo is blessed with magical properties – if one walks around it three times, their wish will come true.
Particularly noteworthy are the family trees - oaks and lindens planted by princes Sapieha to celebrate births of their children (sons and daughters).
The park is also a home for various species of birds. Their singing makes long walks through the park even more enjoyable.
