The Dunajec river castles is a chain of thirteen medieval castles (some of which do not exist any longer), built in southern Lesser Poland, along the Dunajec river. The castles protected the border between the Kingdom of Poland and the Kingdom of Hungary, as well as a very important international trade route, which went along the Dunajec and the Poprad all the way down to the Danube river. Most of the castles are in ruins now, and some have disappeared. Their history dates back to the period known as the Fragmentation of Poland in the early 12th century, when, according to his will, known as the Testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth, the country was divided into several provinces. The Dunajec river castles were located on the territory of two castellanies, Wojnicz and Nowy Sącz, in the extreme south of the Seniorate Province.
Castles
Wielka Wieś - Trzewlin Castle
Construction of Trzewlin Castle in Wielka Wieś, Tarnów County began in the early 14th century, and was initiated by the Białon family (Rawa coat of arms), which later changed its last name to Trzewliński. In the 15th century, the castle belonged to the Wielowieyski family (Półkozic coat of arms). According to 19th-century historian and ethnographer Żegota Pauli, in 1543 Trzewlin Castle was visited by King Sigismund I the Old, and his wife Bona Sforza, to escape an epidemic. It is not known when the castle was abandoned. Most likely, it was destroyed during the Swedish invasion of Poland (1655–1660), and in the late 17th century, its walls were pulled down by the residents of Wojnicz. All that remains are a dry moat and small remnants of the walls.
Trzewlin Castle was located on a hill called Panieńska Gora, on the left bank of the Dunajec, rising 120 meters above the river valley. The complex consisted of three parts: the upper castle (square-shaped, with measurements 40 by 40 meters), the lower castle (triangular shaped), and a round fortified settlement, separated from both castles by the moat. The ruins are some 12 kilometers southwest of Tarnów, and 3 kilometers south of Wojnicz.
Melsztyn – Melsztyn Castle (ruin) The castellan of Kraków, Spicymir (Leliwa coat of arms) started the construction of Melsztyn Castle in 1340. In 1362, Bishop Bodzanta blessed the Holy Spirit chapel in the castle. For 200 years the complex remained in the hands of the powerful noble family of Leliwita Melsztyński (see Spytek of Melsztyn), who in the late 14th century built a Gothic keep, located in the west wing of the castle. In the 15th century, Melsztyn was one of centres of the Polish Hussite movement, and in 1511, Jan Melsztyński sold it to the castellan of Wiślica, Mikołaj Jordan of Myślenice. Around 1546, Spytek Jordan ordered the remodelling of the Gothic keep, turning it into a Renaissance residence. After the marriages of his two daughters, Melsztyn became the property of the Tarło family, and in 1744, it came into the hands of the Lanckoroński family.
Melsztyn Castle was destroyed by the Russians in 1771, during the Bar Confederation, and has been a ruin since. In 1789–1796, parts of the complex were pulled down, for building material for a church at Domosławice. In the following years, the ruins were neglected, which resulted in the collapse of the keep (1846). In 1879-85, due to the efforts of Karol Lanckoroński, the castle gained the status of a permanent, protected ruin. Since 2008, it has belonged to the gmina of Zakliczyn. The castle features in paintings of Jan Matejko, Napoleon Orda, and Maciej Bogusz Steczyński. Melsztyn Castle is located near regional road nr. 980, which goes from Nowy Sącz to Tarnow.
Czchów – Czchów Castle (ruin)
The history of the Czchów Castle dates back to the 13th century, when a Romanesque watchtower was built there. In the 14th century, a defensive castle was added to the tower. It became the residence of the Czchów starostas, and was destroyed in the Swedish wars of the mid-17th century (see Deluge). Finally, when the castle lost its military importance it was turned into a prison, which was closed in 1772, after the first partition of Poland. Currently, the only remaining parts of the building are a 14th-century tower and foundations of the defensive wall. The tower is open to visitors from May to October 31.
