Pałacyk myśliwski Skórzewskich, Hunting lodge in Mochyłek, Brzoza, Poland
The Skórzewski hunting palace in Brzoza is a single-storey brick building on a small artificial rise east of the New Noteć Canal, in the hamlet of Mochyłek. An octagonal two-storey viewing tower stands at one corner; the style mixes eclecticism with English Neo-Gothic. The high gabled roof is covered with graphite slate, and tall pinnacles rise on the north facade.
The palace was built at the end of the 19th century on the Wałownica forestry estate, part of the Łabiszyn property of Count Leon Skórzewski, using bricks from the Łabiszyn brickworks. After Leon's death in 1903 it passed to Count Witold Skórzewski, and in 1912 to his son Zygmunt. In the interwar period it housed the estate manager; during the occupation Oskar Krüger lived there. After 1945 it was taken over by the State Land Fund and used as housing, falling into ruin until a private buyer purchased it in 1986 and began renovation in 1991.
Hunting took place from early spring to the end of December, and after a hunt the participants held feasts in the palace; part of the game was given as presents to subordinates. The main entrance led to a hall decorated with hunting trophies, and the kitchen on the south-east side connected to the hunting salon.
The building sits in a rural setting with good opportunities for bird watching and nature appreciation. Access to the surrounding area is straightforward, though visitors should expect wet and muddy conditions near the wetlands.
The building stands on a small artificial rise a few dozen metres east of the New Noteć Canal, in the hamlet of Mochyłek. During the partitions this spot was called Mochelkenberg. The brick came by cart from the Łabiszyn brickworks, which had operated since the 18th century.
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