Prince Henry's Castle

Prince Henry's castle in Staniszów (German: Heinrichsburg) was situated on the Grodno mountain (504 m above sea level). It offers visitors wonderful views and a unique atmosphere.

Location of Prince Henry's Castle

The Grodna Hill is the highest elevation of the Łomnica Hills in the Jeleniogórska Valley. Prince Henry's Castle lies in an old forest between Staniszów and Marczyce. This place has been described in guidebooks for a long time, because from the beginning everyone was delighted with the panorama of the mountains visible from here. Apparently for patients from nearby Teplic a trip to the Castle was a must-see.  

Prince Henry's Castle - history

This hunting castle, stylized as a Gothic ruin, was founded by Henry XXXVIII von Reuss and named in his honour. The castle was part of a complex whose former center was the palace in Staniszów with the surrounding park. She brought the Staniszów estate to the prince as a dowry to Henrietta von Smettau. The castle - ruins was built at the beginning of the 19th century, it was built in the years 1806-1841. Initially, the tower had a neo-Gothic form - it was a hunting shelter and an observation tower. In 1842, the building was rebuilt and gained the shape visible to this day. The castle was built at a time when romantic buildings were in vogue and fit perfectly into this style. It never served and was not intended to function as a real castle. In addition, probably Prince von Reuss had it put up because he was jealous of Chojnik Castle Schaffgotsch. He also wanted to boast of his "ancestral seat".

The castle now

The building was owned by the von Reuss family until 1945. It slowly deteriorated in the following years, until only the vertical parts of the building with the tower remained. In 2015-2016, the building was renovated. At that time, a staircase leading to the castle tower was created, thanks to which it could be made available to tourists. Today, it enjoys a lot of interest - both young and old appreciate its charm.

Prince Henry's Castle - how to get there?

If you want to go to the Castle on Mount Grodna, you should go from Jelenia Góra towards the Sosnówka reservoir, along road 366, leading from Karpacz to Szklarska Poręba. Prince Henry's Castle is located only 9 km from Jelenia Góra, close to Cieplice, in the Łomnickie Hills.

Tourist trails - Prince Henry's Castle

Down Prince Henry's Castle can be reached via three routes:

• • The yellow trail from Sosnówka is the shortest route, which will take about 20 minutes. It leads from the car park Złoty Widok Grill Bar, from which it runs through the forest along a quiet, unchallenging road.
  • The blue trail running from Marczyce should take about 20 minutes of walking. Information for motorists - the car can be left on the trail from Cieplice.

• • The third route, also leading along the yellow route, runs from the church in Staniszów, where there is a parking lot where there are also coaches - hence the route to the destination takes about 35 minutes.

None of the routes are particularly demanding. The trails are well marked with signposts, so overcoming them should not be a problem.

You can also take a longer trip and go to Prince Henry's Castle from Cieplice through Marczyce along the blue trail. This tour will take approximately 1.5 hours.

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Prince Henry's Castle - a legend

A very romantic legend is associated with Prince Henry's Castle. It features: great and forbidden love, families that hate each other, secret meetings of lovers and their tragic end. But this is not a Romeo and Juliet story. This is a story about a young lady and a young man, descendants of the von Reuss and Schaffgotsch families. Their Houses competed with each other and forbade them to meet, and yet they were united by a great, if forbidden, feeling. When during one of the meetings they met the Spirit of the Mountains, who was touched by their feelings and offered help. They asked him to make the feeling between them last forever, against all odds.

Locked in their castles by their cruel relatives, they decided to dig a tunnel that would allow them to secretly see each other halfway in the Red Valley. There they met the Karkonosze again. The latter, remembering his promise, asked a huge hornbeam to cover them with its roots. Then the Spirit of the Mountains took them from this world so that no one could ever separate the lovers again. The lord of the mountains also filled the tunnel so that no one would find the pair. As punishment for the fact that the von Reuss and Schaffgotsch families prevented true love, the Karkonosze region made them fall into decline and never regained their power.      

Corporate events Karpacz and the surrounding area

This castle is attractive not only for individual tourists. IN Karpacz i okolicach odbywa się mnóstwo imprez firmowych, a ich uczestnicy często zwiedzają region Kotliny Jeleniogórskiej i Karkonoszy. W ruinach Zamku można urządzać gry i integration games for companies. For example, fun Treasure hunt at Prince Henry's Castle, organized by event company Dwór Korona Karkonoszy in Sosnówka, it's a great way to do business team building in the open air.

Visiting the Castle - why is it worth it?

The castle is definitely a place worth visiting. Its romantic atmosphere fits perfectly into the picturesque surroundings. There is a wonderful view of the Giant Mountains from here. Admire you can among others, the queen of these mountains, that is Wedanda spoon and amazing Snow Cauldrons, and the Sosnowka reservoir and nearby towns, i.e. Marczyce, Sosnówka, Podgórzyn and Marczyce. It is best to climb the tower - 77 steps lead to the top. The panorama of the mountains is best seen from here, which is the perfect reward for the completed march. The location of Prince Henry's Castle gives you the opportunity to admire the magnificent rock formations.

After the hike, you can rest on the benches, and if you prepare food, there is a possibility to light a bonfire in the designated place.

Practical information

Prince Henry's Castle it is open to visitors from May to October from 10:00 to 17:00. In the period October - April, to visit the castle and climb its tower, you should make an appointment by phone with Mr. Marcin, who takes care of the castle. It is available at +48 695 558 553. Souvenirs can be bought at the point at the Castle.

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