Home Tourism Monuments DUCAL PALACE AND PARK

DUCAL PALACE AND PARK

The baroque palace was built on the site of the Piast castle from the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. From the north and west it faces the city, while from the south and east it is surrounded by a landscape park and Bóbr River.

From Wallenstein to Princess Dorota

The first initiator of the construction of a new magnate headquarters in Żagań was the commander-in-chief of the imperial forces during the 30-year war, Albrecht von Wallenstein. He purchased the Duchy of Zagan from Emperor Ferdinand II of Habsburg in 1627.

Around 1630 he initiated the erection of the palace, designed by the Italian architect, Vincenzo Boccaccio. The tragic death of Wallenstein delayed those construction works for a long time. It was resumed by Duke Václav Lobkowicz, who purchased the duchy in 1646. The construction work in accordance with the design of an Italian architect Antonio della Porta was taken up again in 1670. In 1786 the Duchy of Żagań was bought by the prince of Courland and Semigalia, Piotr Biron. The palace interiors were rebuilt and thoroughly renovated under the direction of architect Christian V. Schultze.

Around 1630 he initiated the erection of the palace, designed by the Italian architect, Vincenzo Boccaccio.

In 1842, the principality and the palace became the property of Princess Dorota de Talleyrand – Périgord. In the years 1845-55 a lot of modernization works were carried out. The spatial arrangement of the palace combined the characteristics of the French baroque palaces (screen wing) and Italian (directing the courtyard towards the park).

Palace park

First mentions of the park in Żagań dates back to the 17th century and the time of Albrecht von Wallenstein. During reign of the Lobkowicz family French type garden was created there. Peter von Biron also had his contribution in shaping the park initiated the creation of e.g. orangery and gardener’s house. However, the greatest influence on the scheme of palace and park structure had Duchess Dorothea de Talleyrand-Périgord. She joined to the park the territory situated in Boznów suburbs and she enhanced Upper Park. The palace park was given a new, romantic character, according to the project  of Friedrich Teichert’s, who was a garden inspector then. Park’s layout was divided into two parts: internal – with numerous buildings and external – open to the surroundings. Muskau Park mainly inspired introduced changes.

Duchess Dorothea’s work was continued by her son, Napoleon Louis, who founded standalone monuments or introduced many fountains in the park, including the main fountain which decorates the castle boroughs.

The palace park in Żagań belongs to the objects of the highest rank. Considered already before World War II as the most beautiful in Silesia and one of the greatest in Central Europe, it is one of the largest historic city parks in Poland. To this day, the park impresses with its beauty and is a favorite place for walks for city residents and tourists.

Learn more about the object location, opening hours and sightseeing opportunities.