Dębno Castle

A gem of the late Gothic

The castle at Dębno in western Lesser Poland, on the route from Kraków to Tarnów, is regarded as one of the best preserved late Gothic residences in the country. Four wings enclose an arcaded courtyard, a former moat runs around them, and the overall shape has kept its original proportions almost unchanged. It was built between 1470 and 1480 for Jakub of Dębno, Grand Chancellor of the Crown, of the Odrowąż coat of arms.

Later centuries

In 1586 the castle was renewed in Renaissance spirit, and in 1772 part of the north wing was added. In the 19th century insurgents of the November Uprising took shelter within its walls. The last private owner, Stanisław Jastrzębski, left the residence in September 1939. Post-war renovation went on with breaks until 1976.

The museum

The castle is a branch of the District Museum in Tarnów. Richly furnished rooms are open to visitors — the kitchen, the pantry, the drawing room and the chapel — and the displays include arms and armour, old vessels and utensils, decorative furniture, tapestries and paintings. The site works all year round and suits a rainy day.