Kornik, Dendrological Park

The Kornik Castle is one of the most picturesque castles in Poland – a romantic mansion in the English Gothic style with many oriental elements, surrounded by a landscape park in the English style. As the legend says: at night in the park and the castle’s chambers walks Teofila Dzialynski called „the White Lady”.

The Rogalin late-baroque Palace was built in the years 1774-1776 by Kazimierz Raczynski, the General Governor of Wielkopolska and the Court Marshal of the Crown. The Raczynski family was famous for their work for a polish society (foundation of the first public library and art gallery, publication of many manuscripts, codes and diaries). The palace hosted many famous people of the polish art and literature, such as: Adam Mickiewicz and Henryk Sienkiewicz. The present appearance of the palace was created during its reconstruction in the 19th century by the royal architects Dominic Merlini and John Ch. Kamsetzer. The main body has been redesigned in the neoclassical style and connected with two galleries by Antonio Paladi and the lateral outbuildings. Unfortunately the castle was heavily demaged during the World War II by the Germans who robbed almost completely its furnishings and devastated the ancient park. On the outskirts of the palace is located the Mausoleum Chapel in the style of a classical temple Maison Carée in Nîmes with the Moorish elements. The Chapel of St. Marcellinus contains the tombs of many prominent members of the Raczynski family, f.ex. Edward Raczynski, a postwar president of Poland in exile. A nearby pavilion houses a collection of the European and Polish paintings from the second part of the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century, such as works of Jan Matejko, Jacek Malczewski, Stanislaw Wyspianski, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and many others.