Zamek Pieskowa Skała
Renaissance castle of the Szafraniec family in the Prądnik Valley, a branch of the Royal Castle on the Wawel, with exhibitions of Old Polish art and culture.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The earliest mention of the castle at Pieskowa Skała dates from 1315, and in the first half of the 14th century Casimir the Great built a new royal stronghold on a rocky spur, guarding the road from Kraków to Silesia through the Prądnik valley. In 1377 Piotr Szafraniec received the castle, and his family held it until 1608. In the second half of the 16th century Stanisław Szafraniec transformed the Gothic stronghold into a Renaissance residence with an arcaded courtyard and a loggia with a view.
After the Szafrańcs the castle belonged to successive magnate families, among them the Zebrzydowski, Wielopolski and Mieroszewski families. In the 17th century a chapel and a crypt were built here, in which the pewter sarcophagi of the Sieniawski family stand. After the Second World War the property passed to the state, and after restoration in 1950–1963 it became a branch of the Royal Castle on the Wawel.
Today the castle lies within the Ojców National Park. Visitors see the permanent exhibitions “Kultura Staropolska” (“Old Polish Culture”), with the chapel and crypt; “Europejskie Style i Mody w Sztuce” (“European Styles and Fashions in Art”); “Angielskie Wnętrza z Kolekcją Obrazów” (“English Interiors with a Picture Collection”); and “Historia Pieskowej Skały” (“History of Pieskowa Skała”). Temporary exhibitions are shown in the basement, and the route also includes the courtyards and castle walls.
Highlights
- Renaissance residence of the Szafraniec family with an arcaded courtyard
- Exhibition “Kultura Staropolska” (“Old Polish Culture”) with the gallery of portraits of the Sapieha family and the pewter sarcophagi of the Sieniawski family
- Castle chapel and crypt
- Exhibitions of European art and English interiors
- Location in the Prądnik Valley in the Ojców National Park
Permanent exhibitions
- Kultura Staropolska – Paintings, goldsmith work, applied arts and militaria showing noble culture, with a gallery of portraits of the Sapieha family and the pewter sarcophagi of the Sieniawski family in the crypt.
- Europejskie Style i Mody w Sztuce – Exhibition showing the changes of styles in European art from the Middle Ages to the mid-19th century.
- Angielskie Wnętrza z Kolekcją Obrazów – Interiors furnished in the English style, together with a picture collection.
- Operated by
- Zamek Królewski na Wawelu – Państwowe Zbiory Sztuki
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 21 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 18 złyoung people, students, seniors and other groups entitled to the reduced ticket; people with disabilities and their carers (on presentation of documents). |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 7 · Children aged 0–7 enter free; the family discount applies to carers of children aged 8–18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | 18 złPeople with disabilities and their carers pay the reduced ticket. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Special tour for organised groups, booked at least 3 days in advance: PLN 55 standard, PLN 45 reduced; fee for a guided tour in a foreign language PLN 350. Tours for groups of 10 or more must be booked one day in advance. |
| “Czasy Szlacheckie” (“Noble Times”) route (castle and the Old Polish Culture exhibition, with audio guide) – standard | 35 złReduced PLN 29; the tour takes about 60 minutes. |
| “Zamek” (“The Castle”) route (castle and permanent exhibitions) – standard | 45 złReduced PLN 35; the tour takes about 80 minutes. |
| “Zamek Wygodnie” (“The Castle Comfortably”) route for wheelchair users (reduced ticket) | 29 złAudio guide included in the price. |
| Special tour for groups – standard | 55 złReduced PLN 45; fee for a guided tour in a foreign language PLN 350. |
Free admission: In October on Mondays, and in November and December on Tuesdays – free individual visits to selected exhibitions (History of Pieskowa Skała and Old Polish Culture with the crypt and chapel).
The cheapest route, “Witamy na Zamku” (“Welcome to the Castle”) (touring the external spaces of the castle within its walls, about 30 minutes), costs PLN 21 (standard) and PLN 18 (reduced); the temporary exhibition in the basement is included in every ticket. Family discount: one carer with one child (1+1, 2+1) – one reduced ticket; two carers with two or three children – both reduced; with four children, the fourth child aged 7–18 enters free; one adult may be responsible for up to five children at most. Admission to the outer courtyard is available during opening hours.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: not available
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Both courtyards are accessible to people with disabilities (level surface), and the ticket office, shop, restaurant and viewing terrace in the southern bastion are barrier-free. From the main car park to the gate lead stairs and a steep dirt road; from the car parks in Wielmoża (about 1 km) an asphalt road without barriers runs, on which driving cars is banned, and transport of people with disabilities to the castle can be arranged by phone (+48 12 389 60 04). The exhibition “Kultura Staropolska” is accessible and adapted for blind people; the first-floor rooms are accessible for the “Europejskie Style i Mody w Sztuce” exhibition, while “Angielskie Wnętrza” and “Historia Pieskowej Skały” are not accessible to wheelchair users. Electric wheelchairs may move only in the courtyards. Adapted toilets are in the southern bastion and at the entrance to the “Kultura Staropolska” exhibition. The exhibitions have no induction loops or voice information.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 80 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
- Family tours & workshops
The castle offers educational activities and family discounts; children up to 7 enter free.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
By buses of private carriers, the A13 feeder line of the Małopolska Railways (Koleje Małopolskie), or by car on national road 773.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The castle has no car parks of its own, and driving or parking on its grounds is not possible. At the foot of the castle are car parks of the Ojców National Park (at the junction of the roads to Skała, Sułoszowa and Wielmoża, and on the Skała side below the Maczuga Herkulesa rock) and several private car parks, including by the agritourism farm Podzamcze 2 and at campsites; the car parks are open all year.
The castle lies about 25 km from the centre of Kraków, in the Prądnik Valley, by voivodeship road 773.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
The southern bastion building houses information, a souvenir shop, a restaurant and a viewing terrace.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | Tickets are bought at the ticket office in the southern bastion or online through the ticket system of the Royal Castle on the Wawel. The routes have fixed times and last entries; the audio guide is included in the price of most routes. Groups must book (+48 12 389 60 04, pieskowaskala@wawelzamek.pl). |
