Grodziec – village
The village of Grodziec is located in the northern part of the Kaczawskie Foothills, at the foot of a basalt hill of the same name. It has a long history, and its beginnings were probably associated with serving as a settlement in relation to the Grodziec Castle. The development of the village dates back to the early 18th century when the then owner, Count Johann Wolfgang von Frankenberg, began the construction of the palace.
In the first half of the 20th century, Grodziec was owned by Wilibald von Dirksen, who commissioned the reconstruction of the castle ruins on the hilltop. After World War II, the village’s function changed, and alongside agricultural activities, copper ore extraction from local Permian marls began, with the “Grodziec” mine located near the palace. The extraction was conducted in several downhill adits. The transport of the ore was carried out by a narrow-gauge railway connected from the ore enrichment plant in Iwiny. Mining operations were conducted from 1949 to 1963.
The palace is the most important historical building in the village. It dates back to the first half of the 18th century and represents Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Currently, it is privately owned and not accessible to the public, similar to the adjacent landscape park. A small church dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mostly from the first half of the 19th century, is located at the foot of the Grodziec Mountain. An octagonal burial chapel of the von Schellendorf family from the second half of the 18th century is attached to the church.
Description: Piotr Migoń
