settlement called Ulrici Villa, located near the trade route known as the Salt Road leading from Bohemia to Kraków, probably existed here as early as the 12th century, but the first mention of it dates only from 1327. In 1342 the village belonged to Kłodzko head of county Hanke Knoblauchsdorf (or Knobelsdorf, ref. 1342), a representative of the Kłodzko line of the old Meissen knight family. He is believed to have been the founder of the residential tower, first mentioned in 1366.
HISTORICAL VILLAGE NAMES
Ulrici Villa (1327), Ullersdorf (1342, 1378), Ulrichsdorf (1346, 1392), Vlrichsdorff (1399), Ulrici Uilli (1405), Ulersdorf (1494), Ulbrichtsdorf (1498), Viersdorff (1631), Uliansdorf (1887), Ullersdorf an der Biele (przed 1945), Sułkowa (1945)
EASTERN ELEVATION OF THE RUINED PALACE
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fter 1364, the part of the village with a stone tower belonged to the brothers Hartung, Otto and Niclas von Knoblauchsdorf vel Knobelsdorf, probably descendants of the aforementioned Hanke. In 1408, Konrad and Niclas, called Schaedel, sold the nearby lands to a local mayor named Ullersdorf. The estate in Ołdrzychowice remained in the family until 1625, when it was confiscated by the imperial authorities due to Georg von Ullersdorf's involvement in activities against the ruler. From the medieval period, we know by name only two representatives of this family who owned the stone tower - they were (in 1480-93) Paul von Ullersdorf and his son Jerome.
BAROQUE GATEWAY, PHOTOGRAPHS FROM 1910 AND 2019
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owever, before the property fell into imperial hands, Franz von Ullersdorf (d. 1575) had erected a two-story residential building next to the tower, and in 1572 joined it with the medieval building - thus a two-winged Renaissance mansion of defensive character was created, with a moat fed by the Biała Lądecka river. In 1625 the estate was taken from its rightful owners and sold to Johann Caspar von Buchemberg, an imperial lieutenant colonel, who eight years later passed it on to his brother Georg (d. 1640). In the second half of the 17th century, the central part of the village with the manor house belonged to Wolfgang Heinrich von Schenckendorf (d. before 1700), and later to his son Johann Georg, owner of Ołdrzychowice Dolne. In 1709 Johann Georg converted the building in the Baroque style.
FRONT ELEVATION OF THE PALACE, 1909/2019
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n 1744, King
Friedrich II of Prussia confiscated the estates of the von Schenckendorfs (who were supporters of imperial rule), and handed them over to general
Hans von Lehwaldt (d. 1768), a commander of the Kłodzko fortress,
Heinrich de la Motte (d. 1774), and colonel von Putkamer, who had distinguished himself in the war against Austria. However, we do not know who of the three mentioned above took over the mansion in the central part of the village and how he disposed of it. What we do know is that from 1749 one of the properties belonged to baroness von Hemm, and from 1761 to her son Karl baron von Hemm (d. 1792). Karl's heir was his nephew Gisbert von Hemm, who in 1793 sold the manor to
Alexander count von Magnis from nearby Bożków (d. 1817). From then until the end of World War II, the lands were remaining in the hands of this wealthy and influential family of Silesian aristocrats.
THE PALACE AS SEEN FROM THE EAST IN PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 1930S AND AT PRESENT
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nton Alexander von Magnis rebuilt the Renaissance manor house into an elegant classicist palace, around which outbuildings were erected, and a park with an artificial grotto, Greek temple, fountain and orangery was also established nearby. Some of this investment probably had to do with the planned visit to the village of Prussian queen
Luise von Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1800), who celebrated her 24th birthday here. On this occasion, the hosts organized a number of activities for the queen, among them a demonstration of milking clean, perfumed cows by festively dressed, ‘joyful’ peasant women. To commemorate Luise's brief stay in Ołdrzychowice, opposite the palace, a 23-meter-high cast-iron obelisk was erected on a marble pedestal, costing 24,000 thalers. This monument, due to its dimensions, was considered an outstanding technical achievement at the time, so it is not surprising that its unveiling was performed by the Silesian minister himself, count
Friedrich Wilhelm von Reden (the obelisk was dismantled in 1974 because of the widening of the road).
OBELISK ERECTED TO COMMEMORATE THE STAY OF THE QUEEN OF PRUSSIA, EARLY XX CENTURY POSTCARD
LUISE'S GROTTO IN THE PALACE PARK
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uring World War II, works of art brought here from Berlin museums were stored in the palace for fear of allied air raids. It is not known what happened to them later, but it is likely that they passed into the hands of the Soviets. After 1945, the former estate of the counts von Magnis became the property of a state agro-industrial enterprise. The palace has since functioned as the enterprise's offices, and even underwent a major interior renovation in the 1980s. Its condition dramatically deteriorated after the fall of communism, when, devoid of any investment, fell into ruin.
PALACE FOUNTAINS WERE STILL IN OPERATION IN THE 1960S
HOWEVER, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY THE BUILDING WAS NO LONGER IN USE, AND IN THE PALACE PARK
...GEESE WERE PASTURING (2004)
he oldest part of the palace is a stone tower built on a rectangular plan with sides of 10.3x10 meters. It has four floors, the lowest of which, consisting of two vaulted chambers and a porch, is partially recessed into the ground and equipped with a separate access from the courtyard. The second floor is occupied by a single-space hall with a vault supported by a stone pillar, which (the hall) was presumably accessed by an exterior entrance that no longer exists.
THE MEDIEVAL RESIDENTIAL TOWER HIDDEN IN THE BODY OF A BAROQUE PALACE
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n the early 16th century, a residential building was erected to the north of the tower, and in 1572 these two buildings were connected by a central wing. In 1709, this central part was expanded, resulting in an L-shaped layout of the mansion, with a risalit formed from a medieval tower and an asymmetrically located gate. In the middle of the 18th century the mansion gained Baroque attributes (henceforth we can describe it as a palace), and at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries it underwent a reconstruction in classicist style. Most of the remaining buildings and architectural elements of the palace complex date from this period: an outbuilding, granary, orangery, as well as Baroque gate with shrines.
GROUND PLAN OF THE PALACE ACCORDING TO A. KWAŚNIEWSKI, ARGYLE MARKS THE MEDIEVAL TOWER
1. TOWER, 2. EARLY XVI CENTURY RENAISSANCE BUILDING, 3. WEST WING, 4. KITCHEN WING, 5. HALLWAY
he oldest part of the palace retains a hall on the second floor, with a pillar inscribed with the date 1572 to commemorate its Renaissance reconstruction. In addition, barrel-vaulted ceilings have survived in some of the lower chambers. There is still an outbuilding covered with a mansard roof and a coach house (now residential buildings), a ruined orangery, and in front of the palace a broad Baroque gate with cartouches and an adjacent shrine with a stone Pietà.
IN THE HALLWAY OF THE WESTERN WING
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n 2015, the ruined palace was bought by a private entrepreneur, who began replacing its roof in 2022. So perhaps a major renovation has just begun and the building will soon regain its former glory.
A few years ago, the area was not fenced, and one could enter the ground floor and go down to the basements. Now this has probably changed. Certainly, however, the palace can be seen at least from the gate side.
No restrictions for flights in open category.
BAROQUE SHRINE AT THE GATE TO THE PALACE GROUNDS
GETTING THERE
T
he palace is located in the southern part of the village, about 300 meters away from the church, to the left of the road leading towards Lądek Zdrój. The bus stop (buses from Klodzko) is just 100 meters away from the palace.
We can park a car in front of the gate.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. M. Chorowska: Rezydencje średniowieczne na Śląsku, Politechnika Wrocławska 2003
2. L. Kajzer, J. Salm, S. Kołodziejski: Leksykon zamków w Polsce, Arkady 2001
3. J. Lamparska: Dolny Śląsk, jakiego nie znacie, Asia Press 2002
4. R. Łuczyński: Zamki, dwory i pałace w Sudetach, Wspólnota Akademicka 2008
5. A. Wagner: Murowane budowle obronne w Polsce X-XVIIw., Bellona 2019
Castles nearby:
Trzebieszowice - the manor house from the 16th century, now palace, 5 km Żelazno - the residential tower from 15th/16th century , 5 km
Jaszkowa Górna - the manor house from the 16th century, in ruins, 7 km
Radochów - the manor house from the 16th century, 9 km
Gorzanów - the castle from the 16th century, 12 km Kłodzko - the Kłodzko Fortress, 13 km
Stara Łomnica - the residential tower from 14th-16th centuries, 14 km Bystrzyca Kłodzka - the residential tower from the 14th century, rebuilt, 14 km
Lądek Zdrój - the ruin of Karpień castle from the 14th century, 15 km
