Zamek w Zatorze, Zator

Castle in Zator - actually a palace, originally a defensive ducal castle from the 14th century, the seat of the Zator dukes of the Upper Silesian Piast line, later the royal starosts.

Medieval castle

The first castle made of limestone was built on an oval ground plan on a slope above the river, a dozen or so metres from the current palace. It was the main residence of Duke Wenceslas in the newly created principality of Zator in 1445. His brothers helped him financially in the construction or extension of the previously existing castle. In 1477 the castle was described in connection with the division of the duchy and it is likely that it was still a rather modest building then. It is possible that the 15th century extension of the castle with a new basement building, which was observed during archaeological excavations, was connected with the adaptation of the castle for the seat of the new Duke of Zator.

In the second half of the 16th century the castle was located in the Silesian district of the Krakow province. In 1494 the Zator Duchy together with the castle was bought by the Polish king Jan Olbracht for 80 thousand Hungarian zlotys.

Baroque palace

Probably at the end of the 16th century or at the beginning of the 17th century, a rectangular palace was built a dozen or so meters away from the old stone castle, and the no longer functional old medieval ducal castle was demolished for building material.

In 1778 the palace was bought by the Dunin family and partially rebuilt with the addition of a second floor. Subsequent private owners of the palace and the Zator estate were: Poniatowski family, Tyszkiewicz family, Wąsowicz family, Potocki family.

Neo-Gothic palace

In 1836, at the request of Anna Wąsowicz, née Tyszkiewicz Potocka, the palace was rebuilt according to the design of Franciszek Maria Lanci, giving it the form of a residence in the Romantic Neo-Gothic style.

In 1945 it was illegally taken away from its rightful owners by the authorities of the People's Republic of Poland. Since 1946 it has been the seat of the Zootechnic Institute, lately of the Fish Experimental Station. In 1964-1973 it was thoroughly restored. On the first floor, richly decorated rooms: hunting room, golden room, fern room, ivy room. After an inheritance process in early 2013 the castle was recovered by the Potocki family.

The building is entered in the register of monuments of Malopolska province under the numbers: 371 of May 17, 1947, A-397 of December 2, 1972 and A-300/78 of April 20, 1978.