King Kazimierz the Great built Ojcow (Ojców) Castle, as one of many in the Eagles’ Nests Trail. Like the castle in Pieskowej Skale, the castle in Ojcow was a well-fortified stronghold, which was to secure the trade route. The origins of the castle date back to Ojcow in the second half of the 14th century. Legend has it that Ojcow comes from the Polish word for father, with which Kazimierz the Great commemorates his father – Ladislaus the Short.
Disrepair and renovation
During the reign of Wladyslaw Jagiello, the castle was in the care of the families Szafraniec, Boners, and Myszkowski. While in their management, the fortress was neglected and significantly declined. Another blow to the fortunes of the castle was the Swedish invasion. In the first half of the 17th century, the castle passed into the hands of the family Korycińskich who undertook renovation and expansion of the castle.
During the Polish partition, the castle once again started to fall into disrepair. Its destruction was so great that the then-owner – Wolicki ordered the demolition of the castle walls because they threatened to collapse. Now the castle is preserved as a tower, gatehouse, and perimeter walls. The secured castle ruins are open to visitors.
The Castle in Ojcow is to the north of Krakow, only about 25 km from the city. This makes it a popular day out for holidaymakers from Krakow as well as for a weekend break away from the city.
The Ojcow National Park features amazing natural bridges, hundreds of caves, and deep ravines. A royal fortress is perched on top of steep rocks.
The Ojcow National Park is in the southern part of Poland, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, around 15km from Krakow, the former capital of Poland.
Picturesque limestone formations cover the area of the park, which sometimes assume fancy shapes, like an isolated rock hill, called the Hercules’ Club. The area is full of gorges up to 100 meters deep with a flat bottom and steep, often vertical sides. It also includes many valleys and ravines sculptured by water.
Sandstone arches at the end of ravines are a characteristic rock formation of the Ojcow National Park. The most famous of them is the Krakow’s Gate, through which the trade route from Krakow to Silesia used to run.
Caves
In the territory of the park, there are nearly 400 known caves. But experts suspect that there are at least 300 more of them. The most famous one is the King Łokietek Cave, which is open to visitors. Its name originates from a legend about Polish King Władysław the Elbow-high (Łokietek), who, it’s claimed, sought cover from his enemy within the cave. The Ciemna (Dark) Cave is also open for visitors (but only with a guide).
The park also features the remains of the medieval castle in Ojcow, constructed by Polish King Casimir the Great in the 14th century. This historical building is a part of the medieval system of fortifications consisting of more than ten castles and fortresses, which are now called the Trail of the Eagles’ Nests.
The name refers to the location of the castles, many of which nestle on top of rocks that are up to 30 meters high. This chain of fortifications also includes the castle in Pieskowa Skała, which has now taken the form of a stately Renaissance-era residence. It houses a museum, which is a regional branch of the Wawel Royal Castle National Art Collection.