The picturesque medieval ruins of Świny Castle have recently been tidied up, secured, and made accessible for visitors.
Nearby, you can also visit a viewpoint with interesting rock formations.
History of the castle
Prepared by: Krzysztof Kędroń
The first mention of the stronghold, which was probably located where the castle stands today, dates back to 1108 in the chronicle of Cosmas, where it was mentioned as Zvini in Polonia. In 1155, in a protective bull of Pope Hadrian IV, it was mentioned as the castle town of Zpini. In the 13th century, it lost its status as a castle town and came under the ownership of the knightly Swinkowie family (German: Von Schweinichen), making it one of the oldest knightly castles in modern-day Poland.
In place of the wooden fortifications, in the mid-14th century, the Swinkowie family erected a four-story residential-defensive tower made of hewn stone with very massive 2.5-metre-thick walls, along with a circumferential earth-wooden rampart. The tower, measuring 12 x 18 metres, had a basement and was covered by a gabled roof.
Over time, the castle underwent successive expansions and renovations. They were taken up by successive members of the family: Gunczel, Burgmann, who lived for 110 years and died not from old age but from a common flu, and his son Johann, who was nearly as long-lived. The von Schweinichen family was famous in Silesia and the surrounding lands for their love of alcohol and for organizing drunken “tournaments.” According to legend, the saying “drunk as a pig” originated from this family.
The Renaissance reconstruction focused on creating a new courtyard and renovating the Gothic buildings, including equipping them with larger windows. The subsequent significant expansion of the castle, which blurred its previous character and gave it the character of a residential castle, was carried out by Johann Sigismund von Schweinichen (died 1664), who was captivated by Italian art. It survived the Thirty Years’ War without being besieged, which is quite a rare occurrence. During the Seven Years’ War in 1761, it was plundered by Russian soldiers who even broke into and looted the Świnkowie family tombs in the nearby castle church dedicated to St. Nicholas. After this, the building deteriorated so severely that it remained abandoned from that time on. The uninhabited castle quickly fell into ruin, and its destruction was further exacerbated by the hurricane of 1848 and the great fire of 1876.
In 1905, the castle ruins were handed over by Count Stanisław Hoyos to the care of the Heimatverein Bolkenhain association. The walls were cleared of debris, and the residential tower was roofed in the 1930s. During World War II, the castle was repurchased by Nazi Germany. In 1942, it served as a warehouse for aircraft parts.
More information about the castle, its history and architecture.
