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ul. Zamkowa, Wieś Olsztyn
The castle in Olsztyn near Częstochowa is one of the most recognisable strongholds on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. The ruins tower over the village on a limestone hill, fused with the rock outcrops so tightly that it is hard to tell where nature ends and the work of masons begins. It is precisely this merging of wall and rock that makes the site impressive already from the access road.
The stronghold was built in the Middle Ages and for several centuries served as a residence and a strategic point in the system of Jurassic castles. In the sixteenth century it consisted of two outer baileys and a lower, middle and upper castle – a scale that is hard to imagine when looking at the surviving fragments today. The most characteristic element is the Gothic tower, about thirty-five metres high, which once also served as a prison.
Visitors enter the grounds through the former gateway. The walls have been secured by conservation work, as the karst bedrock and numerous fissures threatened the structure with collapse. Paths run around the rocks and let you see the castle from many angles; it is worth coming early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the light brings out the texture of the limestone.
Olsztyn lies in the heart of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, among crags popular with climbers. The ruins are a favourite walking destination, so at weekends the site is rarely empty – on weekdays you can count on far more peace and quiet.
Source: http://www.zamekolsztyn.pl
