The palace in Żyrowa

The palace is Żyrowa is a baroque-styled palace constructed between 1631 and 1644, located in the town of Żyrowa. It is one of the largest early baroque buildings in the Opolskie region.

The palace in Żyrowa as we know it today was constructed between 1631 and 1644 by duke Melchior Ferdynand von Gaschin, possibly with the use of the walls from earlier buildings.

The palace remained in the hands of the von Gaschin family until 1852. During that period it was renovated. In 1781, the palace went through a renovation combined with a reconstruction. At that time, a hipped roof was changed into a mansard roof, the sgraffitos were plastered and a cloister was added to the southern wing. In the following years, the palace frequently changed owners. In 1852, it was acquired by Max Fryderyk von Hatzfeld-Schonstein, the envoy of the kingdom of Prussia. Later, Żyrowa was owned by, among others, general August von Nostitz, the Godecke brothers and Eduard Guradze.

In 1899, the object went into the hands of an american millionaire, who purchased it for his daughter – Mary Knowlton as a a wedding gift. Mary and her husband, Johann von

Francken-Siestorpf organized a thorough renovation of the palace in 1899, and between 1904 and 1911, they brought it back to its former glory. In 1910, the family’s palace hosted the great prince of Mecklenburg , and the following year, they hosted Emperor Wilhelm II.

During World War II, the palace was the location of the archives of the Third Reich. It didn’t suffer any damage during the warfare, but the interior was robbed and devastated.