Dębno Castle

Dębno Castle - in the Małopolskie Voivodeship, there are two tourist-interesting towns named Dębno. One of them, in the Nowy Targ County, is known for its old wooden church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The other one (the one we are discussing here) lies between Tarnów and Brzesko along the DK94 route.

In the 15th century, the Grand Chancellor of the Crown, the castellan of Kraków - Jakub of Dębno, built his residence here from bricks in the shape of an irregular quadrilateral. Apparently (according to descriptions), the building initially had a defensive character, although unlike many other castles, it does not have a moat or sturdy surrounding walls. There are two storeys here. A baroque portal leads inside. In the inner courtyard, you can see a shingled well, and around this courtyard, on the first-floor level, there is a wooden gallery that once served as the only passage between the different wings. Over the years, the owners changed multiple times, making renovations and alterations. However, the main structure remained practically unchanged. Dębno Castle has its legends, one of which tells the story of a former heiress bricked up in a wedding dress. She faced a punishment for refusing to marry the suitor chosen by her parents.

Currently, the building houses a branch of the District Museum in Tarnów, where you can admire (in addition to the interiors) antique furniture, tableware, aristocratic knick-knacks, as well as equipment from the former kitchen, pantry, and chapel. This place inspires many artists, among whom the most famous were Jan Matejko and Julian Fałat.

Near the castle, it is also worth seeing the historic church of St. Margaret from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries.

More information (including opening hours and ticket prices for the museum) can be found on the website:

http://www.muzeum.tarnow.pl/oddzialy.php?id=4

Author of the text - Renata Gontarz

Photographer - Zbigniew Gontarz