Zámek Kravaře: A Silesian Baroque Jewel

Zámek Kravaře, located on the southeastern edge of the town of Kravaře, is a significant Baroque architectural monument in Silesia. The site's history dates back to 1377, with mentions of a fortress owned by the Lords of Kravaře. The original fortress was rebuilt into a Renaissance castle in the 16th century. The manor's current Baroque appearance largely comes from the 18th century, when the Eichendorff family extensively rebuilt it. In 1632, the estate was acquired by Michal Sendivoj, a Polish nobleman and alchemist. The Eichendorff family, through marriage, transformed the residence into a grand Baroque castle. The castle features a chapel dating back to 1662, which remarkably survived a major fire in 1937. The chapel's ceiling painting from 1730, depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, is particularly noteworthy. Today, Zámek Kravaře is owned by the town and serves as the Zámecké muzeum. Visitors can explore Baroque furnishings and ethnographic exhibits that illustrate 19th-century regional life. The surrounding park, originally a floodplain forest, was transformed into an English-style park and now includes a golf course. The park contains over a hundred species of trees and shrubs.