Burg Smoleń

In 1300, fighting for a castle Pelciszka occurred in the area between Władysław I the Elbow-high and Wenceslaus II. It is possible that this was the present-day Smoleń Castle. Around the middle of the 14th century, the castle was expanded by Otto von Pilcza. Around 1400, the castle belonged to his daughter Elisabeth von Pilitza, later Queen of Poland. After her death, the castle passed to her son from her first marriage and Kraków castellan Jan Pilecki, in whose family it remained for about 200 years. Around 1500, the poet Biernat z Lublina stayed at the castle as chaplain and secretary to the Pilecki family. Around 1610, the Pilecki family moved to the nearby Pilica Castle. During the Swedish Deluge, the castle was destroyed by the Swedes in 1655. The owners originally wanted to donate the ruin to the Franciscans, but the planned monastery was built in the village below. After the Partitions of Poland, the Austrians used the ruin as a quarry in 1797 to build a customs station in the village. In the 20th century, the ruin was secured and, after restoration work, has been accessible to visitors again since 2015.