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ul. Podzamcze, Iłża
The ruins of the Cracow bishops' castle tower over Iłża in the Radom district, on a clearly raised hill right beside the old part of town. It is one of the most distinctive landmarks in this part of Mazovia — the slender round tower can be seen from afar, even before you reach the centre.
An earlier wooden residence of the Cracow bishops was destroyed by warfare, so it was decided to raise a new masonry stronghold on the neighbouring rise. Over the following centuries the bishops extended the complex, and in the 16th century a thorough rebuilding gave it the character of a Renaissance residence. Its decline began when the estate passed into state hands at the end of the 18th century, and a fire in the next century completed the destruction.
The curtain walls, fragments of the courtyard buildings and above all the cylindrical tower, the symbol of the town, have survived to this day. The climb up the hill is short but steep, and the reward is a wide view over Iłża, the river valley and the surrounding fields. It is worth walking right around the ruins — from every side the castle looks different.
A visit takes half an hour and needs no ticket, so it makes a convenient stop on a journey through the Radom region, dogs included. On a May weekend knightly tournaments are held at the castle and draw crowds of spectators up the hill — that is when the ruins come most alive. The site is open and unlit, so it is better to plan the visit during daylight.
