Palace Of The Gods / Pałac B, Poland

Palace Of The Gods (Pałac B) is a once-magnificent now abandoned palace in Poland, that has been left to the mercy of time. This opulent building, which dates back to the 16th century, has weathered wars, hosted kings, and housed generations of nobility. Today it stands as a relic of Poland’s aristocratic golden age, eagerly awaiting a chance to be brought back to life.

I visited Pałac B during my 2023 road trip through Poland.

The Rich History of the Palace Of The Gods – From nobles to students

Pałac B has historical roots dating back to 1520, when a noble family constructed a Renaissance-style manor on this property. Over the following centuries, the palace passed between various high-blood families. Of course the palace underwent several metamorphosis, with each owner renovating and altering the palace to match the style and fashion of the time. The late 18th century brought the most significant expansion and renovation of the palace. The buildings were rebuilt in a Baroque-Classicist style; large parts of this present-day residence date back to this period. Unfortunately, a devastating fire broke out in the late 1800s. When the flames subsided, large-scale repair work began to restore Pałac B. This was the palace’s last major renovation, and it emerged from the ashes as a Neo-Renaissance style castle.

After the Second World War, the palace became property of the state, and soon it was transformed into a school. Around the turn of the 21st century, the school closed and Pałac B became derelict. The palace has seen a few changing owners since the school closed. Rumour has it that British royalty expressed interest in purchasing the estate, but as of last year it’s back on the market for around 7 million Polish Zloty (£1.3m).

It is such a beautiful building, so it has not been totally forgotten. It has been used as a location in some big-name blockbuster movies and TV series. Of course, photographers who seek out the beauty of rust and decay also frequent the palace!

Exploring this Abandoned Palace in Poland

There is so much to see and photograph inside Pałac B. The main staircase is breathtaking, an impressive double (or imperial) stairway exquisitely hand-crafted from dark oak. The walls of stairway, also framed by dark oak panelling and pilasters, reach up to a recessed ceiling lined with intricate wooden moulding. Columns with composite capitals, again in dark oak, support the ceiling and divide the upper floor corridor from the staircase. At the bottom of the stairs are carved winged lions, topping the lower balustrade on the ground floor.

The long upper-floor corridor adjoins the stairwell, it is well-lit by sunlight coming through skylights. The walls are covered in more dark oak panels this time inlaid with autumnal damask fabric, giving the hallway a regal feel.

Another highlight within Pałac B the spectacular mint-green ballroom. Spanning two floors, this bright and airy space exudes class. Stucco and frescoes cover the walls, and balconies overlook the ballroom floor. A marble urn on a plinth stands to one side of the hall. Adjacent to the main ballroom is a smaller, similarly decorated space, perhaps a secondary ballroom.

In another wing, there is a circular room with a domed ceiling supported by columns. A chandelier still hangs from the centre of the dome. At the opposite end of the palace is a library, sadly the shelves are totally bare!