Ogrodzieniec

Ogrodzieniec is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland, in the Ojców mountains 62 km northwest of Kraków. It's famous for its Gothic-Renaissance ruined castle, 2 km east in the village helpfully called Podzamcze, which means "by the castle". The area's limestone outcrops also attract climbers. In 2023 Ogrodzieniec had a population of 4100.

Get in

Trains run hourly from Katowice to Zawiercie the nearest station, taking 50 min via Będzin and Dabrowa Gornicza. They may start from Gliwice and continue to Częstochowa, but some are inter-city trains from Vienna and Ostrava to Warsaw and Gdańsk - you pay extra to ride these. From Kraków you have to travel via Katowice.

Bus 7 runs M-F every hour or two from Zawiercie railway station to Ogrodzieniec, Podzamcze (for castle, 30 min) and Kiełkowice.

Get around

Everything of interest is near Podzamcze and the castle.

See

• 1 Ogrodzienic Castle, ☏ +48 32 673 2220. Daily May-Oct 09:00-20:00, Nov-Mar 09:00-17:00. A stronghold has stood here at least since the 12th century, enfolded by outcrops at the 515 m highest peak of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. The first stone castle was built mid-14th century and rebuilt as a Renaissance palazzo from 1530. It was badly burned in 1655 by Swedish troops, partly repaired, then the Swedes burned it again in 1702. It was left a ruin and the last occupants left in 1810. Adult 26 zł, conc or child 18 zł or combi with Mount Birów. (updated May 2024)
• Galeria Motoryzacji is a collection of well-restored East European motorbikes. It's at Zuzanka 7B near the castle entrance, open daily 10:00-22:00.
• 2 Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rocks (Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Skałkowej) is a shrine and chapel set into a rockface. A villager saw a vision of the Virgin Mary here on 14 Oct 1818 and it became a pilgrimage destination. A chapel was built in the 1950s and replaced by the present larger one in 1999. The site is free to access 24 hours.
• 3 Suchy Połeć is a rocky outcrop, where the first thing you need to see is the gaping hole in the path, to avoid tumbling into a World War II bunker. The outcrop has views of the castle, sanctuary and Birów mountain. The short path starts from Partyzantów lane towards Mount Birów.
• 4 Castle on Mount Birów, Partyzantów 9, ☏ +48 32 673 2220. Daily May-Oct 10:00-19:00, Nov-Mar 10:00-16:00. Like Ogrodzienic Castle, this was a 12th century wooden stronghold on an outcrop, and when it was torched in the 14th century it was abandoned and forgotten. Rediscovered in the 1990s, it's been reconstructed, with three wooden towers and a chieftain's hut. Adult 19 zł, conc or child 8 zł or combi with Ogrodzienic Castle. (updated May 2024)
• 5 Ryczów Watchtower is probably 14th century. It's just a crumbling stump on an outcrop and you may find it fenced off.
• Zawiercie is a transport hub but has little to occupy you. The Church of Holy Trinity and St Floriana is from 1598. The Church of St Nicholas is from 1651. The Basilica of St Peter and Paul is from 1896. Szymański Palace is a mansion of 1897, now a cultural centre.

Do

• Dom Strachów means "Haunted House" and it's at Zamkowa 42 by the castle entrance. You go through a series of darkened rooms and hear spooky legends. It might amuse a child of 5-8 but most reckon it's not worth the 20 zł. Open daily 10:00-18:00.
• 1 Ogrodzieniec Theme Park, Kościuszki 119, Ogrodzieniec, ☏ +48 604 968815. May-Oct daily 10:00-18:00. Theme park for younger children, where the main attraction is the miniature railway. There's no overall admission fee, you pay separately for rides, so it soon mounts up. (updated May 2024)

Buy

Ogrodzieniec Castle

• Edars store in Podzamcze is by the castle entrance, open daily 06:00-20:00.
• There are ten convenience stores strung along the main street of Ogrodzieniec.

Eat

• Stodoła (The Barn), Plac Jurajski 1, Podzamcze (at castle entrance), ☏ +48 512 441030. M-F 11:00-20:00, Sa Su 10:00-21:00. Slick family-friendly place, inexpensive. (updated May 2024)
• Bonera, Wojska Polskiego 21, Podzamcze (near castle entrance), ☏ +48 731 125666. Daily 10:00-18:00. Good fresh food, service is sometimes disorganised with long waits. (updated May 2024)
• Restauracja 511 is within Hotel Poziem 511, see below.
• Ogrodzieniec has Bistro u Dziewczyn and Zabka, both on Plac Wolności.

Drink

The restaurants serve alcohol. Pub u Reni is on Plac Wolności in Ogrodzieniec.

Sleep

Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rocks

• 1 Pod Figurą Hotel, Wojska Polskiego 1B, Podzamcze, ☏ +48 733 110000. Midrange place close to castle, comfy enough but thin walls so there's noise from events and other guests. B&B double 450 zł. (updated May 2024)
• 2 Poziom 511, Bonerów 33, Podzamcze, ☏ +48 602 752171. Wonderful modern spa hotel, great comfort, facilities and service. B&B double 750 zł. (updated May 2024)
• Ogrodzieniec has self-catering rooms in the former Ratusz - town hall - but otherwise lacks accommodation.
• Hotel Zawiercie is a decent-enough place at Wierzbowa 6a in Zawiercie town centre.

Connect

As of May 2024, Ogrodzieniec and its approach highways have 4G from all Polish carriers, though T-Mobile is patchy. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

On Eagle Nests trail:

• Ojców - town with another castle and many karst forms centre of Ojców National Park
• Pilica, Sułoszowa, Mirów, Bobolice - towns with other castles, often similar to the one in Ogrodzieniec

Further afield:

• Kraków is a must-see for its walled medieval city.
• Katowice is far from scenic but has a rich industrial heritage.
• Częstochowa has the pilgrimage site of Jasna Góra, with the Black Madonna.