Castle Ilzhe
   Photo: Castle in Ilzhe

Iłża is located 120 km south of Warsaw. There once was one of the most spectacular medieval castles in Poland. So far, the best preserved Gothic defensive tower of the castle.

The construction of the stone castle began in 1328 Krakow bishop Jan Grot after the devastating invasion of the Tatars. Construction was completed in 1347, after which the castle struck the first test - Bishop took refuge here from the King Casimir the Great. Royal troops failed to capture the castle.

In the fifteenth century castle buildings were greatly expanded .  Were built defensive walls around the perimeter of the building, there was a drawbridge and rectangular defensive tower .  Along the castle walls were erected outbuildings .  Following the fortification works, the castle became one of the best such facilities in the region .  In 1588 there was a terrible fire that destroyed the castle .  In the first half of the seventeenth century, the castle was restored, the eastern gate strengthened .  In 1607, a few days here stayed King Sigismund III Vasa .  In 1655 the castle was burned down by the Swedes again .  Reconstruction did not even have time to really start as in 1657, the castle was damaged by soldiers of the Hungarian Prince George Rakoczy .  Repair work was carried out a few more times before the end of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries .  After the division of the land was dominated by the castle of the Austrian Government, there was placed the hospital .  After another fire in the mid-nineteenth century, the fortress was abandoned in Ilzhe .

Today, the castle carried out excavations. On the territory of the historic fortress held costumed historical tournaments.

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