In the middle part of the River Vistula, in the heart of Poland, lies a gem of Polish architecture - the castle in Baranów Sandomierski. The former seat of the Leszczyński family, it is one of few so well preserved magnate residences. Built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries to a design by Santi Gucci, and modelled after Wawel castle in Kraków, surrounded by a breathtaking park, the castle fits perfectly into the landscape of the Vistula plains. The interiors were designed by Giovanni Battista Falconi, while Tylman van Gameren created the gallery that was added to the castle's western facade. He is probably also the designer of the bastion defence system. The castle in Baranów is a three-floor building built on the plan of a rectangle. At its corners stand four round towers crowned with distinctive cupolas. The central part of the front facade comprises a protruding tower with the main entrance gate, leading through a stone portal into an enchanting arcaded courtyard. The columns of the ground-floor gallery rest on plinths decorated with mascarons, while the ceilings and walls are covered with magnificent polychrome wall-paintings. The castle was restored in the early 20th century by T. Stryjeński. Well-known artists worked on renovating the interiors, including Jacek Malczewski and Józef Mehoffer.

     The castle in Baranów is a world-class historic building that for years has captivated not only sightseers but also people in search of an attractive holiday, gourmets, and business people looking for a peaceful and original venue for training courses, smaller-scale meetings, and conferences. Besides providing accommodation in elegant, period-style rooms, the castle's historical interiors can be used for holding symposia, conferences, banquets, and private business meetings. The museum of interiors is well worth a visit, as are the attractive temporary exhibitions. The whole immaculately maintained facility is the property of the Industrial Development Agency (ARP) in Warsaw.
For more information about the castle's history, click here