Ksiaz Castle in Poland is one of the most breathtaking places in the Lower Silesia region. Surrounded by vast forests, it is stunning both from the outside and inside and looks like a fairy tale. No wonder that Ksiaz Castle is a big tourist attraction and one of the most popular places to visit in Poland. With its proximity to Wroclaw, this is a great day trip option, but I recommend staying a bit longer in the area as Walbrzych (where Ksiaz Castle is located) and its surroundings offer so many various attractions.

I had a chance to visit Ksiaz Castle on a lovely summer day, and even if it was packed with people, I was still enchanted by the place and its beauty. I definitely understand why this is such a popular destination, and I cannot recommend visiting Ksiaz Castle enough. I put together this guide to help you plan a trip to Ksiaz Castle. Read on and visit this spectacular place, too!

Where is Ksiaz Castle

Ksiaz Caste, one of the most beautiful places to visit in Poland, is located in the suburb of Walbrzych – Ksiaz – in the Lower Silesia region. Wroclaw, the capital of the region and a popular tourist destination in Poland is located 75 km away from Ksiaz castle, making the place a popular day trip option.

Why visit Ksiaz Castle

Ksiaz Castle, with over 400 rooms, is the third-largest castle in Poland, after Malbork Castle and Wawel Castle in Krakow. While those two are impressive with their structure and history, Ksiaz Castle is also picturesque, looking like a fairy tale. With centuries-old history, including some dark times during World War 2, Ksiaz Castle is a fascinating place to explore and learn more about.

You can visit there not only the beautiful interior and charming premises but also the underground part that was prepared to be one of Hitler’s headquarters. There’s so much to see and do there that visiting Ksiaz Castle is one of the highlights of Lower Silesia.

A brief history of Ksiaz Castle

The legend says that the first stronghold was located in the place of Ksiaz Castle already in the 10th century. However, Ksiaz was first mentioned in 1293 when the Silesian duke Bolko I the Strict had his residence built here. From the beginning, the place was known not only for its picturesque location, surrounded by forests, but also for its strategic placement as the key to the Silesia region.

Over the years, Ksiaz Castle changed its owners many times until it eventually went to the noble Hochberg family in the early 16th century, who owned it until World War 2. They took really good care of the castle, rebuilding it a few times to its current glory with even more rooms and structures all over the property (such as the stable, the romantic ruins, or fountains and terraces).

During World War 2, Nazi Germany bought Ksiaz Castle to create one of the Hitler’s headquarters there. At that time, a big part of the beautiful interior was destroyed, and the underground corridors – part of the Riese Project – were created. After the war, when the Soviet army took over the place, the devastation only continued.

The major renovations started only in the early 21st century, and shortly after, the castle was opened to tourists. Today, this is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Poland and a popular tourist attraction that is definitely worth visiting.

How to get to Ksiaz Castle

If you travel by car, Ksiaz Castle is just off the main road, no 35, connecting Wroclaw with Walbrzych and going further to the border with the Czech Republic. The parking lot is located around 1 km from the castle, but along the way, you will pass some of the best viewpoints over the area.

Getting to Ksiaz Castle by public transport is relatively easy, too, although it can be a bit time-consuming. First, you need to take the train from Wroclaw to Walbrzych – there are a few stations in Walbrzych, but the one closest to the castle is Wałbrzych Szczawienko (the first one). From there, you can either walk to the castle (it’s around 3,5 km, but along the way, you can visit the palm house) or take the local bus no 8 (however, it runs only once per hour). You can also take the train to the more centrally-located train station, Wałbrzych Miasto, and catch a taxi from there.

There are also tours from Wroclaw that cover not only Ksiaz Castle but also the Church of Peace in Swidnica or Project Riese places. Here are the recommended options:

• Wroclaw to Project Riese and Ksiaz Castle Private Tour
• Jewels of Lower Silesia
• Wroclaw To Ksiaz Castle and Church of Peace in Swidnica – half day tour
• Lower Silesia Tour From Wroclaw

Visiting Ksiaz Castle

Ksiaz Castle is a popular tourist attraction, so in the peak season (from May to September), I would try to avoid visiting over the weekend. That’s when I was there – a lovely Saturday in July – and it was really packed with people. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful place, and even with crowds, I enjoyed visiting Ksiaz Castle and its premises.

You can visit Ksiaz Castle in the daytime, but there is also a special night tour, not for the faint of heart, which usually takes place over the weekend and starts around 8 p.m. (the upcoming dates are announced at the end of each month). It is also possible to visit the underground tunnels located 50 meters below the castle. The route is only half a kilometer long, but it surely is intriguing and interesting considering its history. Around 2 km from the castle, you can also visit the Palm House, which was founded in the early 20th century by Princess Daisy, the most influential member of the Hochberg family.

Depending on the season, Ksiaz Castle is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekdays in the high season (5 p.m. in the low season) and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (6 p.m. in the off-season) on the weekends. The opening time of the Palm House is the same. The ticket office closes one hour before the closing of the castle and 30 minutes before the Palm House is closed.

The entrance fee depends on what you want to see. The ticket price starts at 59 PLN (around €13,50/$15) for the castle (with the audioguide), terraces, and palm house and can be up to 107 PLN (€25/$27) for the castle, terraces, palm house, and a few attractions in Walbrzych. If you want to visit the underground, the separate ticket is 39 PLN, but the entrance is also included in some options for combined tickets.

You can buy the tickets online here or purchase them after arriving at Ksiaz Castle. I recommend getting the ticket in advance, especially in the high season. If you have the online ticket, you only need to show it on your phone at the entrance.

You need around 90-120 minutes to visit the castle and terraces. If you opt for the underground tour, too, you need to add 40 more minutes to your itinerary.

There is also an option to stay overnight at the castle premises in a highly-rated Hotel Zamkowy. You can check current rates and availability here.

What else to see near Ksiaz Castle

While Ksiaz Castle is the top attraction in the region, there are more interesting places nearby that deserve your attention, too. If you travel around by car, you can easily combine many of them with your visit to Ksiaz, but even using public transport, you can see more than just the castle.

Walbrzych, where Ksiaz Castle is located, is a nice yet somehow misunderstood city (due to the economic crisis that hit the city hard in the 1990s). You can see a pleasant center with a nice main square and its surroundings, a great Old Mine that is open to visitors (I can definitely recommend it), and an interesting Museum of Porcelain.

Next to Walbrzych, connected with Ksiaz Castle by the direct city bus no 8, is Szczawno Zdroj – one of the most charming spa towns in Poland (and my favorite one). It’s a perfect place to relax a bit, admire the beautiful architecture, wander around, and enjoy the laid-back vibe of the place.

Near Walbrzych, you can also visit a few other objects that were part of Project Riese – a Nazi idea from World War 2 to create an underground city. The most spectacular places are Osówka and Walim, located southeast of Walbrzych.

On the way to Wroclaw, you should also stop in Swidnica – a town with a stunning center and an amazing UNESCO-listed Church of Peace from the 17th century.

Further reading

I published many articles about Poland that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 37 Amazing Things to Do in Krakow, Poland
• 20 Great Places to Visit As Day Trips from Warsaw, Poland
• Visiting Auschwitz – How to Plan the Auschwitz Tour
• 17 Amazing Things to Do in Lublin, Poland
• The Complete Guide to Visiting Slownski National Park, Poland
• Visit Grudziadz – One of the Hidden Gems of Poland
• 19 Amazing Things to Do in Gdansk, Poland
• Visit Sandomierz, Poland – One of the Prettiest Towns in the Country
• Visiting Malbork Castle, Poland – the Largest Castle in the World
• 25 Amazing Things to do in Wroclaw, Poland
• and many more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in Central Europe and ask your questions there.

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