Plawniowice Palace

Plawniowice was built in 1882-1885 for Artur Ballestrem, of a family that ran coal mines and ironworks across Upper Silesia, and the architect worked in a Netherlands-Renaissance manner that is unusual in this part of Europe: red brick with sandstone dressings, stepped and scrolled gables, a tall tower, and the whole thing set beside a lake so that it reflects. Inside, a good deal of the original woodwork, tiled stoves and a chapel survive, because the house avoided the worst of 1945 and was used afterwards by the church. It now belongs to the Gliwice diocese and works as a retreat and conference house, with rooms open to visitors and a park around it with old trees and the lake. The Ballestrems were among the largest industrial families of the region and the house is one of the few of their properties left in good condition; most of Upper Silesia's industrial-era houses did not survive.

What you actually see

• Netherlands-Renaissance gables - stepped and scrolled brickwork, unusual here.
• A lake setting - the house built to reflect in the water.
• Original interiors - woodwork, tiled stoves and the chapel.
• A wooded park - old trees around the lake.

When to go

April to October. Two hours.

Honest expectations

It is a working retreat house - access to interiors depends on events and bookings, and quiet is expected. Guided visits run to a schedule. Public transport is poor; a car is easier.

Nearby

Gliwice and its radio tower are fifteen kilometres east.