Pieskowa Skała castle in Sułoszowa

Pieskowa Skała is one of the settlements of the extensive village of Sułoszowa, located in the Olkusz Highland. This is where the springs fo the Prądnik river are located, which carved the most beautiful valley in the surroundings of Kraków. Pieskowa Skała is known for two masterpieces – a castle – made by the human hand – and the Hercules Club Rock, which was created by Mother Nature.

The Pieskowa Skała Castle is the most picturesque object at the Eagle Nest Trail and the most precious architectural monument of the Ojców National Park. The origins of the castle are unknown. The first building was probably established here in the late 13th and early 14th century. In 1377, Ludwik Węgierski gave the castle to the Szafraniec family from Łuczyce. The Szafraniec family were in charge of the castle until 1609. But they were not humble family, In fact, one of the owners of the castle, Krzysztof Szafraniec was executed on the Wawel Hill as punishment for trying to rebel against the royal government.

In the 16th century, the gothic castle was rebuilt thanks two other members of the Szafraniec famly – Hieronim and Stanisław, who were closely asociated with the royal court of the last Jagiellonians. Later, around the mid-17th century, the castle was owned by the Zebrzydowski family for 30 years. Although the castle was owned by them for a very short time, they managed to modernize the defensive system by building two bastions conneected by a wall from the eastern side.