Krapkowice Castle

The initial history of the Krapkowice castle is little known.It existed already in the thirteenth century, before granting Krapkowice city rights in 1275 by the Duke of Opole Władysław. In 1532, after the death of John II the Good, the castle was given to margrave George Hohenzollern. In 1582, Emperor Rudolf II Habsburg sold the Krapkowice estate (town and castle) to Count Jan Joachim von Redern from Rozkochów for 1600 thalers (thus Krapkowice ceased to be a princely town). On the site of an old, medieval building, the Rederns erected a new impressive residence, built on a quadrilateral plan with an internal courtyard. The construction was completed in 1678, commemorating this date on the castle gate. The castle had a high ground floor and two floors and a mirrored summer dining room. The courtyard was surrounded by walking, arcaded cloisters that led to the vineyard. A conservatory was built next to the castle  with glazed walls, connected to a greenhouse, garden and park.

On June 16, 1722, as a result of a violent fire, almost the entire town and the castle burned down. The residence destroyed by fire was soon rebuilt, but lowered by one floor (in this shape it has survived to this day). The widow of Count Henry Adolf von Redern, Renata sold the entire estate to Count Karl Wilhelm von Haugwitz in 1765. For some time in the castle chambers there were weaving workshops. In 1806, a field hospital was created in the castle for the French and Bavarians besieging Koźle. At that time, the castle was devastated and its equipment completely destroyed. In the years 1834-1845 in some of the rooms there was a school. It was not until 1888 that Count Henryk Kurt von Haugwitz rebuilt the castle and moved his seat to it. In the interwar period, a school was again set up here. During World War II, the castle was seriously damaged

and completely devoid of a roof. It remained in the hands of the Haugwitz family until 1945. After the war, the building was restored and since 1947 it has housed a school. Today, the Vocational School Complex of the Opole Piasts has its headquarters here.