PILCZA Castle, Smoleń, Trail of the Eagles' Nests, Smoleń Reserve, Jura Krakowsko Częstochowska (4K)

The town of Smoleń is located in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, on the eastern outskirts of the Silesian Province, near the town of Pilica. Smoleń is known primarily for its castle, which - although significantly ruined - is one of the most picturesque and attractively situated strongholds on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. The tower rising above the forest is a landmark in the landscape. The castle is located in a nature reserve (also called Smoleń)
The conical, wooded hill with the characteristic tower of the castle was probably inhabited even before our era. This seems to be confirmed by archaeological excavations in the form of spearheads. The castle in Smoleń probably stood in the 13th century, since the chronicles show that the defensive structure in this place (probably wooden) was destroyed during the battles of Władysław the Short with Wenceslas, king of Bohemia, in 1300. In the mid-fourteenth century, a new, brick stronghold was probably erected by Otto of Pilcza of the Topór coat of arms. The initial shape of the castle was a small stone building with a high tower. Later, the building systematically expanded by adding two lower locks. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, the lady of Smoleń was Elżbieta Pilecka-Granowska, the third wife of Władysław Jagiełło. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, Biernat from Lublin stayed in the castle belonging to the Pilecki family, acting here as a chaplain, private doctor and secretary of the castle's owner, Jan Pilecki.
We know from Biernat's letters that there is a rich collection of books in the castle in Smoleń. The next owners, after the Pilecki family, were the Padniewskis in the 16th century. The rich and powerful family, however, needed a much more impressive residence, which is why the owners of Smoleń soon moved to Pilica, where they built a new castle. The abandoned stronghold in Smoleń suffered significantly during the Swedish Deluge. It was planned to be used as a monastery, but it did not materialize. In the mid-nineteenth century, the castle was bought and partially rebuilt by Roman Hubicki, who founded the famous "Batawia" pellet factory here. In the 20th century, security works and archaeological excavations were carried out at the castle. In the winter of 2010, as a result of the breaking of several trees and the poor condition of the walls, the castle was damaged. In recent years, the facility has undergone a thorough revitalization, making the entire facility available to tourists.