Castle
Castle, the ruins of which still exist today, was constructed almost in the same place, where there was a castle Piast, built around 1290 by Prince Bolek I Swidnicko - Ziębice (1278 – 1301), as a border fortress.
Building material needed to erect thick on almost 3 meters of walls was imported from nearby quarries, among other things, the Stool and Kobyla Head.
From 1351 year, after a long battle ground Ząbkowicka came under Czech rule, in the castle housed the headquarters of the Duchy of ziębicko - Ząbkowice.
In March 1428 the Hussites burned Ząbkowice, However, not risked attack on a well-fortified stronghold.
In later years, the castle passed from hand several times in Polish and Czech vice versa.
In 1467 the Czech castle had cast 100 husbands. Ząbkowice besieging quickly conquered the city of Wrocław, However, stone balls, fired from the department did not any harm to the strong walls of the castle. Castle managed to get only by using the "big box" - it works weighing 80 hundredweight, which stretched 24 horses.
The commander of the fortress was recently acquired from Wrocław Ulrich Hans von Hasenburg. King George was not going to be left at the castle in the hands of the enemy. So he sent his son with an army of Victorina 4000 soldiers. A defeated king of Bohemia also started with the help of allied troops from Saxony and Brandenburg. 15 July 1467 the Czech troops after heavy fighting occupied the town and castle. Acquired from Wroclaw's "big box", which was worth a thousand ducats, taken to Prague. You will notice, that alone 1467 the castle was twice besieged and captured. The following year, the fight between the Czech Republic and Silesia flared anew. Finally, in 1468 the castle was destroyed by the inhabitants of Wrocław.
The fort was rebuilt by Prince Charles and Podiebrad. The grave of the deceased in 1536 the prince and his wife Anna Żagańska located in the chapel of the Church of St. Kauffunga. Anna. Impressive Renaissance castle on a plan similar to the square was built with breaks in between 1516 – 1530. Would serve as a model of the castle of the Hungarian kings in Ofen. Indoor slate roof of the east wing was placed in the 1529 year. Actually, the only east wing was completely finished.
The sixteenth century is a time of relative peace. War brought ruin castle 30 - Year, during which the castle several times passed from hand to hand of the Swedish imperial army, and vice versa.
From the gate Kłodzko until the south - east corner of the castle wall stretched, completed its round tower, called "tower raven". In the south and west were kazamatowym moat brick vault from the north and the west wall, that stretched all the way to the tower in the southern raven - east corner.
In the middle of the east wing was the rectangular tower, called the watchtower. To the gate in time of peace led fixed bridge. In times of war it was a drawbridge. Next to the main gate was a side gate.
Above the entrance is a rectangular plate made of red sandstone, where once there was a metal plaque: Foundation. Over a sandstone slab coat of arms of Prince Charles and the date Podiebrad 1527. The main array is divided into four fields. The first right is Ziębice eagle, left oleśnicki, in the third ziębicko - Swidnica chessboard, in the fourth kłodzki bow. The tower had a round roof topped with a scoop and a flag. It was used even in the interwar period – housed a youth hostel.
In all four wings were ground floor and two floors.
On the first floor of the east wing, to the right of the tower, princely chambers were. At the same side were also two large halls. The first of these was the "peace council", where he held the meeting of councilors. Druga to „sala rycerska”, which celebrated the special celebrations. On the second floor rooms for the service provided and writers Earth (Legal college was the ruler of the castle Consulting. Even in the 20 - Of the twentieth century, to the right of the entrance was a modest apartment watchman, who oversaw and guarding the ruins.
On the left side of the east wing on both floors are visible only small windows. Probably there were the servants' quarters. In the south-east corner is a massive tower, where today you can see the paintings on the ceilings windows. In the upper part there is a black eagle Silesian. Here there were two paintings preserved to this day. On the left was a Renaissance hunting scene. Visible in the background was the castle, at the entrance to the castle horse without a rider, below the figure in abundant, draped robe, which blows the horn and animals like bears and chamois two. On the opposite side of the building on the background of the hilly landscape. Currently, the image of an eagle because the impact of weather conditions and a complete lack of security is very difficult to see. Copies of the paintings are in Heimattmuseum (museum dedicated to Ząbkowicom) Germany. On the upper floor of the tower was a duchy office, lower court.
South wing does not form a straight line. The middle part is slightly domed. In this section, on the outer side survived last latrine oriel (Until recently, there were two).
In the middle of the wings also quadrangular tower rises, which was also covered with a circular roof. On both sides of the adjacent former stables of the tower and the castle forge.
Western and northern wings are not distinguished by anything in particular. The construction of the north wing was never completed, because due to the threat of invasion of the Turks Prince focused on building fortifications.
Kindergarten spacious castle has dimensions 37,6 to 36,7 Metro. Probably there were held tournaments and exercises. In the south - west corner of the courtyard of the castle was well, which was concreted in the nineties of the twentieth century.
Above the entrance to the courtyard on the west side we see another small heraldic shield with the arms of Podiebrad.
Between the south - eastern part of the courtyard served as a place of exercise for firefighters, and the northern part of the school children benefited during the course of gymnastics. On the north side there were a castle gardens.
SOURCE: zabkowiceslaskie.pl