Zamek w Wiśniczu
Baroque castle of the Lubomirski family with bastion fortifications, visited with a guide, with a family crypt and underground stables.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The castle at Wiśnicz was begun in the mid-14th century by the Kmita family as a defensive family residence. The first mention of it dates from 1396, in the accounts of the Bochnia salt mines. After the Kmita line died out in 1553 the castle belonged to the Barzy and Stadnicki families, and in 1593 Sebastian Lubomirski acquired the estate.
Stanisław Lubomirski rebuilt the residence in the Baroque spirit in 1615–1621 and surrounded it with a five-sided system of bastions designed by Maciej Trapola. A gate in the form of a triumphal arch was set in the eastern wall, and in 1616 Lubomirski founded the town of Nowy Wiśnicz at the foot of the castle, together with a monastery of Discalced Carmelites. The castle remained in the hands of the Lubomirski family until the mid-18th century, and later belonged to successive magnate families.
After a fire in 1831 the building fell into ruin. In 1901 an association of the Lubomirski family bought it back and secured the walls, and after 1945 the castle was nationalised; reconstruction began in 1949. Today the residence, with its regular four-winged layout around a courtyard and four towers, is visited with a guide or an audio guide. Visitors also see the chapel with the Lubomirski family crypt, the underground stables with an exhibition of medieval torture instruments, and the exhibition Pompa Funebris. The castle is managed by the Wiśnicz Land Museum (Muzeum Ziemi Wiśnickiej).
Highlights
- Baroque Lubomirski residence from 1615–1621
- Bastion fortifications on a five-sided plan
- Chapel and family crypt of the Lubomirski family, with the exhibition Pompa Funebris
- Underground stables with an exhibition of medieval torture instruments
- Guided tour or audio guide
Permanent exhibitions
- Zwiedzanie zamku – Tour of the courtyard and interiors of the four-winged Lubomirski residence, with a guide or an audio guide.
- Podziemne stajnie i średniowieczne narzędzia tortur – Route through the underground stables of the castle, with an exhibition of old torture instruments.
- Kaplica, krypta Lubomirskich i wystawa Pompa Funebris – Visit to the castle chapel, the Lubomirski family crypt and an exhibition on old funeral rites.
- Operated by
- Muzeum Ziemi Wiśnickiej w Nowym Wiśniczu (samorządowa instytucja kultury)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 34 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 27 zł |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 4 · Children up to age 5 enter free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers of people with disabilities enter free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Groups of 10 to 50 people; in school groups one carer per 14 children enters free; guides enter free. |
| Castle tour with audio guide – standard | 36 złReduced PLN 29 (the audio guide costs PLN 2 for each ticket). |
| Underground stables and medieval torture instruments – standard | 15 złReduced PLN 11. |
| Chapel, Lubomirski family crypt and the Pompa Funebris exhibition – standard | 15 złReduced PLN 11. |
| Bastion VR – standard | 18 złReduced PLN 12. |
| Castle tour with the Bastion VR and an audio guide – standard | 41 złReduced PLN 31. |
| Admission to the outer courtyard | 5 zł |
| “Poszukiwanie śladami nietoperza” (“Searching in the Bat's Footsteps”) – child's ticket | 10 złRequires a ticket for a castle tour with an audio guide. |
| “Poszukiwania zaginionego skarbu Barbary” (“Searching for Barbara's Lost Treasure”) – reduced child's ticket in a group | 27 złApplies to organised groups. |
Visiting the castle is possible with a guide or with an audio guide (additional fee of PLN 2 for each ticket). The price list does not state the criteria for the reduced ticket. A tour outside opening hours for organised groups costs PLN 300.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The underground route is not adapted for people with disabilities. Other information on the castle's accessibility has not been published on the website.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Games for children include “searching in the bat's footsteps” (PLN 10) and “searching for Barbara's lost treasure” for groups. Children from age 6 may enter the underground route in the company of a carer.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Restaurant
The castle has a restaurant, Figatella, with regional and European cuisine and its own castle beer.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The castle makes its premises available for wedding sessions and events; contact: organizacja@zamekwisnicz.pl.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Amateur photography and filming of the exhibits is allowed without flash; wedding sessions are paid. |
| Good to know | The castle, the underground stables, the Lubomirski crypt and the exhibitions are visited only with a guide, unless an audio guide is chosen. The underground route is open to fit adults and to children from age 6, who must have a carer; sturdy footwear with good grip is recommended. Group bookings: rezerwacja@zamekwisnicz.pl. |
