Zamek w Gródku nad Dunajcem, Medieval castle ruins on Małpia Island, Gródek nad Dunajcem, Poland.
Zamek w Gródku nad Dunajcem is a castle ruin composed of stone fortifications standing on a rocky hill that became an island after the Rożnów Reservoir was created on the Dunajec River. The remains sit on Małpia Island, now surrounded by water.
Built in the first half of the 14th century by knight Gedko of Gedczyce, the fortress protected trade routes linking Kraków and Hungary through Spisz. Ownership later passed to other prominent regional families.
Local stories tie this fortress to the renowned Polish knight Zawisza Czarny, whose family inherited the property following Archbishop Piotr Kurowski's stewardship. These narratives remain woven into the region's identity today.
Małpia Island functions as a bird sanctuary and is off-limits to visitors, but the castle ruins can be observed from boats cruising Lake Rożnów. The water provides several viewpoints to see the site from different angles.
Archaeological excavations before World War II and in the 1960s uncovered no artifacts from periods earlier than the 14th century. This finding challenges popular theories about earlier fortifications on this spot.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
