We have already written about the most beautiful paths and landscapes of Ojców National Park. If You want to visit the park and Prądnik River Valley, Ojcow sightseeing will be a good start.
Visiting Ojcow with a guide
This incredibly picturesque village evolved from the menial settlement founded around the castle. In archival records, there are some information about the name ‘Ojcow’. It could come from king Casimir the Great, who wanted to commemorate his father Ladislaus the Short. Ladisalus was hiding from his enemies in the woods nearby. In the 19th century, Ojcow gained reputation of a holiday resort. Today in the Castle Park (also known as the Spa) you can visit numerous therapeutic buildings set up after the Polish ‘January Uprising’ in 1864.
Traditionally, Ojców National Park tour begins at the ruins of the castle. Visitors from the north of Poland who are familiar with lowland brick castles surrounded by moats will be speechless by the view of huge, built of stone blocks stronghold nestled into the steep rocks. Ojców fortress is one of the most charming objects on the Eagles’ Nests Trail, which extends far beyond the borders of Ojcow National Park. System of several fortresses built on the high limestone rocks was founded in the 14th century for guarding trade routes and the south-western border of Polish Kingdom (Silesia was a part of Bohemia at that time). Fortresses were built at same distance from each other so it is highly possible that in the Middle Ages, when towers of all castles climbed proudly to the sky, guards could send some signals like for example fire alarms from one to another castle! Today Ojcow fortress is an extremely picturesque ruin and a main symbol of the National Park. In one of the surviving towers local inhabitants opened an exhibition devoted to the castle history.
We recommend you also going for a walk through the Spa Park. The charming wooden buildings wonderfully fits into the rocky landscape, partly covered with a very lush flora. Our favorite objects are lovely wooden Chapel on the Water, famous ‘Zawiszówki’ which is a complex of wooden spa houses created in the late 19th and early 20th century, and the green building called ‘Na Postoju’ with linden tree springing from its interior through the roof (before World War II it was used as the bus stop waiting room).
Explore Ojców National Park and visit the National Park Museum in Ojcow, which after extensive renovations serves as a comprehensive Education Center. The new multimedia exhibition tries to present the park history and changes in local environment over thousands of years.
