Moszno Castle

Moszno Castle is a rather original Polish landmark. It stands out because of its non-standard appearance. It looks more like a theatre set-up than a defensive structure or a residence. The castle has 99 towers. The impressive design conjures up associations with fairytale castles and princesses.

What is interesting is that Moszno Castle is just a decoration. There have never been any defensive constructions. Moreover, no legendary figures have ever lived here. The castle did not even arouse interest of the strangers, who more than once intended to occupy Polish territories.

Historical Info

The castle in Moszna was built in XVII century. Local entrepreneurs were responsible for financing the construction works. The appearance of the castle was so original by the standards of that time, that people immediately started writing legends about it. The appearance was so striking that one could hear various versions of what the castle really was.

The first owner of the castle was Hubert Thiele-Winkler. It was he who demanded from the architect that the castle had exactly 99 towers. Nobody really knows why that exact number was necessary. However, there are many versions about it. One of them was that the dynasties had such a big number of estates. Another one is that in this way the owner was relieved of the maintenance of soldiers’ garrison.

The legend of the castle

The most common way of attracting attention to the castle is through the legend of the ghost. Moszno Castle is no exception. The legend claims that the building is haunted by the spirit of a governess. She was in love with one of the Counts of Thiele-Winkler. As is the usual story of unhappy love, the legend says that the girl was not reciprocated and committed suicide. Now her ghost lives in the castle.

The Thiele-Winklers and legacy

The history of the Winkler family is also fascinating. The first member of the family was not a nobleman. He worked in a mine as a simple miner. The mine was situated in Měchovice. He was a hard-working, intelligent guy, and what is more important he could talk to different people. When the owner of the mine died, the young man did not lose heart. He managed to make the widowed wife like him and eventually married her.

The first Winkler was mysteriously awarded the title of Count in 1840. Together they raise a daughter, who eventually becomes the wife of Hubert von Thiele. This man decides to build an ancestral home. Thus begins the construction of Moshnen castle. But Hubert died before construction was completed and so his son began directing the process.

The castle was often rebuilt because it was often destroyed by fire. Every architect who undertook it had to make alterations. This is why the building looks so unconventional today. The castle was spared by the world wars and in 1972 it was converted into a sanatorium, which eventually became a medical centre. Today, there is a hotel, a museum and a restaurant.