Grant Map EU

Lower Silesia is a region with rich history, unique nature and interesting places to sightsee. Many different historical monuments are located within its borders – starting with Medieval castles, through Renaissance palaces, ending with some jewels of modern architecture. These monuments require ongoing care and maintenance as well as substantial financial means in order not to lose their splendour. Their renovation, maintenance and protection is a necessity. Thanks to the EU funds, investing in historical buildings has become easier and the objects manage to regain their former splendour and they may be admired by tourists yet again.

In Kamieniec Ząbkowicki, we are dealing with a large-space landscape composition the heart of which constitutes a monumental residence with a park on the Castle Mountain that surrounds it. The palace in Kamieniec Ząbkowicki is an architectural pearl of Lower Silesia and a manifestation of artistry of neogothic architecture. This impressive building, with its form, structure and significance of architectural solutions was built at the initiative of Marianna Orańska, a daughter of Wilhelm I Orański – king of Holland. The construction of the palace was initiated in the spring of 1839 and completed 33 years later in May of 1872. The palace has a unique and turbulent history.

During World War II the building served Germans as a temporary storage facility for the stolen by them works of art. In 1946, as a result of arson committed by soviet soldiers, the facility was entirely destroyed by fire. Subsequent, post-war years were also not too generous for the palace. The destruction was completed by the local inhabitants who stole all they could steal from the residence.  In 1984, the building was rented by a private entrepreneur. After the 40-years-long rental period, in 2012, the palace was acquired by the management of the Kamieniec Ząbkowicki Municipality which almost immediately ordered renovation-revitalization works to be carried out.

Thanks to the support from the EU in the amount of almost five million zloty the palace-park complex of Marianna Orańska, together with the 120-hectare park, was subjected to renovation-revitalization works as a result of which it could be disclosed to public visitors. The revitalization was performed in the mausoleum, where the interior and the exterior were tidied up and the walls, as well as interiors of the building, were restored. In the palace itself, wooden windows on the ground floor were replaced and the viewing terrace balustrade was reconstructed. Furthermore, educational-tourist trails gained new lighting system inside the fenced palace-park complex. A mobile application which enables navigation around the facility was launched for the visitors. This made sightseeing of the entire complex even more attractive. The palace of Marianna Orańska is now a true treat for the eyes of its visitors.