Trip to Pszczyna Castle and The Bison’s Farm

Pszczyna Castle is a classical-style palace. Constructed as a castle in 13th century or earlier, in a gothic style, it was rebuilt in a renaissance style in the 17th century. During the course of the 18th and 19th century, the exterior of the castle was partially changed into a baroque-classic style. The classicist modernization transformed the castle into what is usually described a palace.In its history the castle was a residence of local Piast dynasty members, then Promnitz family (mid 16th to mid 18 th century) and later, von Pless family. The castle was owned by the government since 1936. Since 1946 it is a site of the Castle Museum.One of the greatest baroque composer, George Philipp Teleman, had a function of a Kapellmeister and an organist in Pszczyna between 1704 and 1707. Since 1979 concerts called ‘Evenings with Teleman” are organized, where music lovers can spend unforgettable moments listening to this compositions in the Chamber of Mirrors. During the First World War, the palace was resided in by William II, German Emperor and there are pictures on display of him together with Erich Ludendorf and Paul von Hindenburg discussing war operations. After the Second World War for a brief period there was a Soviet military hospital in the palace, but on May 9,1946 it was turned into a museum. The royal Apartments, are the rooms in which the rules of the principality and the German Kaiser resided. They have been recreated with a lot of the original furnishing intact.When ascending the Grand Staircase, designed by Alexander Destailleur, the apartaments of Princess Mary Theresa Olivia Cornwallis-West von Pless are reached. The princess, called Dasisy, lived there from 1891, when she married Prince Hans Heinrich XV and left England, until 1943. She was one of the most beautiful women in that time. The highlight of the palace is its Chamber of Mirrors. In 2009 castle was voted as one of the “Seven Architectural Wonders of the Silesian Voivodeship”It is one of the very few museums of this type in this part of Europe with so many elements of preserved historical furnishing.

In front of the castle in Pszczyna

The duchess Daisy's room

The Grand Staircase Room with hunting trophies.

Duke’s bedroom

Duke’s bathroom The Chamber of Mirrors , at present concert hall

Bartek and Szymon in the arsenal. View on the palace from the park’s pond

„Cup of tea” in front of tea house

Beautiful old plane-tree in the park

It is time to feed the bisons

 The Bisons’ Farm

The history of the bisons in Pszczyna reached to 1865, when Russian Emperor donated 4 bisons from Białowieża Forest to Prince Hochberg . They were great hunters and that was the reason, why the animals were brought. Prince gave the Emperors a herd of deers.At present 5 bisons live in a farm together with other animals like deer, roe-deer, ducks, donkey, label and rabbits. 

We are visiting The Bison’s Farm

Meeting with natura- plants and animals

The last photo with bison

Meetin with duchess Daisy on market square in Pszczyna

Presentation made by Szymon NiedzielaPhoto by Alicja Bosak