Rafał Kalisz.
Zespół Szkół nr 1 im. Kazimierza
Wielkiego –Poland
The Książ Castle
Wałbrzych,Poland
The Książ Castle was built in 13th century, in years
1288-1292 by order of the Prince Bolko I. At the be-
ginning it was a defensive fortress. The castle was built
in a strategic place in terms of war, as well as in a pic-
turesque area.
It was called ―The key to Śląsk‖ (a region in Poland-
ang. Silesia). Over the years, the castle has changed its
owners, was demolished and rebuilt a few times. I
n 1482 Maciej Korwin changed the character of the
fortified castle, turning most defensive rooms into resi-
dential ones. In 1941 the castle was confiscated by the
Nazi regime. During the Second World War, the col-
lections of the Royal Prussian Library from Berlin
were kept in Książ.
Since 1946, after Second World War, Soviet troops
who were stationed in the castle devastated the object.
The collections of the Książanska Majoracka Library
(over 64,000 volumes) are being broken up.
Probably most of the copies were taken to the territory
of the then USSR.
In the following years Książ was gradually devastated,
but until 1974 the baroque rooms in the castle were
restored, in next years the castle was thoroughly re-
built. Now it is widely available for sightseeing, you
can admire various exhibitions there.
There are legends about the castle about the appear-
ance of the spirit of the last owner-Mary Theresa
Olivia Cornwallis-West, who is singing along the cor-
ridors. Some people hear the sound of crying children
and rattling keys when the castle is unavailable to ex-
54
Książ Castle
in Wałbrzych, Poland
Sourrce:http://www.polskazdrona.pl/zamek-ksiaz-53.html