Kórnik Castle

Kórnik Castle (Polish: Zamek w Kórniku or Zamek Kórnicki) was constructed in the 14th century. The current neogothic design and remodeling was done in 1855 by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Tytus Działyński and the son Jan Kanty Działyński. After last member of Działyński family Jan Kanty Działyński's death, his brother-in-law Count Władysław Zamoyski received the castle in Jan's will. Shortly before his death in 1924, the childless count willed the castle, along with an extensive art collection and the Kórnik Arboretum to the Polish state.

The castle currently houses a museum and the Kórnik Library. It's one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated July 11, 2011 and tracked by the National Heritage Board of Poland.

The current look of the castle resembles Gothic Revival architecture, one of popular historicising styles in the 19th century. The main entrance to the castle is located at the northern side. Its characteristic feature is a four-centred arch at the top of the window above the entrance. Up until the interwar period the castle was entered through the so-called babiniec - a barbican-shaped chamber which was subsequently demolished in the years 1925-1939.

The western side of the castle features an expanded terrace overlooking Lake Kórnik. The southern side is dominated by a chaitya arch, which was probably modelled on the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and indirectly on the Islamic architecture of India. On the eastern side, there is a Gothic Revival tower whose red brick façade clearly contrasts with the rest of the castle. The tower was erected during the remodelling of the castle by Tytus Działyński.

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Wikipedia