Palace in Chocianowiec, Medieval palace in Chocianowiec, Poland

The Palace in Chocianowiec is a ruined castle in the village of Chocianowiec, in the Polkowice district of Lower Silesia. Its surviving walls date largely from the 14th century and were rebuilt in the 16th and 18th centuries and restored in the 19th century. Remnants of a moat also survive.

A stronghold with a hunting lodge was first mentioned in 1286; a small castle is said to have stood here in the 12th century and a ducal hunting lodge in 1299. The present ruin's masonry dates largely from the 14th century. It was rebuilt in the 15th, 16th, 17th and 19th centuries, taking on Renaissance form, and from 1917 belonged to Count Rittenberg. In 1935 it housed a labour office; war damage destroyed part of it, a school occupied it from 1945 to 1955, and it has stood unused since.

The village of Chocianowiec, known in German as Groß-Kotzenau, gave the castle its double name, and both forms appear in records. From 1917 the estate belonged to Count Rittenberg, and in 1935 a labour office was housed in the building. After wartime damage part of the complex served as a school from 1945 to 1955.

The building exists today as ruins, with partially preserved walls and a standing tower that dominates the grounds. When visiting, expect uneven terrain and limited access, so wear appropriate footwear and exercise caution throughout your visit.

The sources record no cellars; what survives of the castle is its walls and the remains of a moat. The moat is the feature to look for on the ground, marking the line of the former fortified complex around the ruin.