Niedzica Castle (Dunajec Castle)

Dunajec Castle in Niedzica is one of the most beautiful castles in Poland. It stands on a rock at 566 m above sea level, about 35 m above the surface of Lake Czorsztyn, in the Spiš Pieniny. Opposite, on the other shore, are the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle: the Dunajec river once flowed between them, and the border between Poland and Hungary ran here. Today the castle is a museum, cared for since 1950 by the Association of Art Historians.

Construction began between 1308 and 1313 under the Hungarian king Charles Robert of Anjou: the fortress was to guard the kingdom's northern border and the trade route along the Dunajec valley from Kraków to Buda. Later it belonged to the Hungarian Berzeviczy, Zápolya and Horváth families and their heirs, the Salamons; each rebuilt it, so today the building is mainly Renaissance in character. After the First World War the castle became part of Poland, and its last owners, the Salamons, lived here until 1943.

Niedzica is surrounded by legends. The best known concerns Inca treasure: in 1946 a lead tube with a quipu knot-record, said to point the way to the treasure, was reportedly found under a threshold in the castle. The legend links it to Umina, daughter of Sebastian Berzeviczy, a descendant of the castle's owners, who supposedly fled Peru in the 18th century with a family of Inca rebels. It is also said that the outlaw Janosik was chained in the castle dungeons, and that the ghost of Princess Brunhilda wanders the corridors at night. The castle has often served as a film set, including for Gustaw Holoubek's "Mazepa" (1975).

What to see

• The castle — the route leads from the lower castle courtyard through the prison cellars, historic halls, the upper castle courtyard and the lords' chambers to the rooms of the last owners; the terraces offer views of the lake, the Pieniny and the Tatras. A guided tour takes about 50 minutes.
• The carriage house by the car park (2006) — horse-drawn vehicles from 1900–1939, including carriages from the Burak Brothers' works in Kielce, vehicles from the former Eastern Borderlands and sleighs.
• The granary — a late 18th-century timber building with an ethnographic exhibition on Spiš culture (summer only, separate ticket).

Practical information

The castle lies on district road 1639K Dębno — Niedzica. From Nowy Targ the drive takes about 30 minutes: road no. 49, then through Dębno, Frydman and Falsztyn; there is a car park by the castle. By public transport, take buses on the Nowy Targ — Sromowce Niżne line to the Niedzica-Zamek stop. From 1 May to 30 September the castle and carriage house are open daily 9:00–19:00, from 1 October to 30 April Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–16:00. A ticket for the castle and carriage house costs 40 zł (reduced 30 zł), guide included; the granary 10 zł; children under 5 free. Tickets are sold for a specific time, some online and the rest at the desk; there are no reservations, so on summer weekends it is best to arrive early. Steps and paving are uneven — a pushchair is awkward. Information as of October 2026.

Nearby

Across the water you can see the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle, and Lake Czorsztyn itself is ideal for a lakeside walk. On the way back, stop at the wooden church in Dębno.

Official website: zamekniedzica.pl

Photos: Yaroslav & Yana Greš, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Gswito, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Scotch Mist, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Grzegorz W. Tężycki, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Łukasz Śmigasiewicz, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons.