Haunted places in Poland

 Haunted places in Poland

Czocha Castle
MP Joachim Nostitz, who resides in the seat, returns home after a year and a half long business trip, finding his wife Ulrika with a several-month-old son in her arms. The child, as we know, does not appear out of nowhere. It should also be added that the reluctant Ulrike, the servants, also add their three cents in this matter, telling the MP this and that. Offended pride, dignity and self-love of the husband does not allow him to forgive his wife's obvious affair. The punishment for breaking his marriage vows is borne both by the MP's faithful wife and her innocent son. The child is walled up above the fireplace in one of the rooms (most likely losing his life earlier).

Ulrika Nostitz was thrown without food into one of the castle's wells. She remained there until her inevitable death. She was not given the peaceful sleep of the deserving, also due to maternal despair at the loss of her child. It is said that to this day one can still hear the infant's whimpering within the castle walls at night, and its unfortunate mother haunts her domain after dark in the form of the White Lady, marked by pain.

Dobrzyn Castle
Another castle, also boasting a resident from the afterlife, is the former seat of the princes in Golub - Dobrzyn. According to legends, it is the native sister of King Sigismund III Vasa, Princess Anna. Apparently, contrary to the custom for spirits to torment people, the soul of the noble Anna was (and still is) kind to us, and does not harbor any aversion or enmity toward the living. This sympathetic trait was adopted by Princess Anne's double, who haunts the castle annually on her name day, July 26 or 27. He likewise accepts the goblet of wine offered to her by the evening's hosts and, having drunk it to the bottom, disappears. It is customary to have an evening cannon salute and a joint toast in honor of Anna Vasa (as well as all her namesakes present there).

Castle in Kurnik
Another historical figure who was probably not given peace after death is Teofila of Dzialynska Szoldrska-Potulicka, a former resident of the castle in Kurnik near Poznan. During her lifetime she was considered a good mistress of the estate, gifted with a knack for managing the entrusted property. It was also she who took care of the penultimate reconstruction of the castle, giving it a more Baroque style. According to local legends, the former Lady of the castle, Teofila of Dzialynska, moves around the castle chambers at night in the costume known from her portrait as the White Lady, and even goes around the palace park on horseback.

Little Lady at Kamieniec Castle
Near the village of Odrzykoń (Subcarpathian region) you can spend an interesting time visiting the ruins of Kamieniec Castle. It has quite a long and intricate history. As an interesting fact, documentation of feuds and long-standing disputes over this very castle inspired Alexander Fredro to write "Revenge". In this way, Kamieniec Castle made a permanent mark on the pages of Polish literature. But let's go back to the silhouette of an unusually petite woman appearing on the walls from time to time, dressed in a green dress of Renaissance cut. Who was she and where did she come from? According to historical accounts, she was one of the ladies of the court of the last lady of Kamenets, a courtesan named Catherine. In addition to her beauty and pleasant disposition, she had an unusual feature - she was exceptionally short in stature. The duchess liked her both for her character and sharp mind, and for her unusual appearance. She used to take her to the court of Queen Bona. The petite Catherine took a liking to the queen. The queen in turn gave her away for a young man from her entourage who was similar to her in height, after which they both ended up abroad, presented to King Charles V of Spain. As luck would have it, Catherine died a few years later. Before she died, however, she asked her husband to bring her ashes to Odrzykon, which she missed. After her passing, Catherine first appeared to her former mistress (which surprised the Duchess of Kamieniec Castle greatly, as she was unaware of her former charge's death). It is not known whether Catherine was actually buried near the castle she knew and loved. Nevertheless, she apparently decided never to leave the place again. They say that she shows up occasionally, walking around the ruins and former cloisters of Kamenets Castle, which was her home for years, on summer evenings.