Pałac w Bożkowie
THE ABANDONED CASTLE IN POLAND
‘Pałac w Bożkowie’ is a historic palace from the 16th century. It was built by Count von Magnis in the Polish village Bożków in the Lower Silesia Province. Today, the castle has fallen into a derelict state.
From around 1520 the property in Bożków was owned by the von Raueck family. After the Czech-Palatinate War (1618-1624), the property was confiscated and handed over to the Emperor’s physician, Caspar Jäschke von Eisenhut. Then it passed into the hands of the local Jesuits order, who sold it to Johann Georg von Götzen. He expanded the castle and significantly. After the childless death of the last male descendant of this family, the estate passed in 1780 to the son of one of his sisters, Count Anton Alexander von Magnis.
Reconstruction
The palace, as it stands today, was constructed in 1787, transforming an older edifice. In 1800, a park and forester’s lodge were added to the north side. By 1813, an observation tower had risen atop Grodziszcze mountain. Following a devastating fire in 1870, the palace underwent its last major renovation in 1871, emerging as a baroque castle featuring a large tower on the northeast and a smaller one on the northwest. The three-story complex is circular in design, with the central section of the main wing retaining the walls from the original structure. The façade saw reconstruction in 1930. Ownership of the estate remained with the von Magnis family until 1945.
There were many famous guests who visited the palace in Bożków. There were, among others, John Quincy Adams, the later President of the United States, and the kings of Prussia Frederick William III Hohenzollern with his wife Luisa and Frederick William IV Hohenzollern.
School
After 1945, the palace became the property of the state treasury. For many years it housed various agrotechnological schools. In 1973, the palace underwent a major renovation, and later, in 1979 restoration works were carried out in the rooms on the first floor. It eventually became an official monument in 1981. Nevertheless, at the end of the 20th century, the building fell into ruin.
In September 2021, the castle welcomed American celebrity David Hasselhoff, famed for his role in Baywatch. He filmed scenes there for the series ‘Ze Network‘, where he stars as the lead character.
The interior of the palace is currently in a state of significant disrepair. The castle is on the market, and for 6.7 million Polish Zloty, it could be yours. I toured Pałac w Bożkowie in 2020.
