Castle ruins in Muszyna can be visited at any time, free of charge.
The castle ruins are located on the southern slope of the Koziejówka Hill, on a steep rock called Baszta (‘Tower’) or Zamczysko (‘Big Castle’), on the right-hand side of the Poprad River and between its two tributaries: Muszynka and Szczawnik. Traces of the first, wooden gord at the location date back to the 11th century. The gord was reportedly built on order by Bolesław the Brave and abandoned in the late 14th century. There are differing opinions on when the castle (currently ruins) was built, but most sources indicate the 14th century, during the reign of king Casimir the Great. The castle watched over the Polish-Hungarian border and the trading route between the two countries which run along the Poprad River. For a long time the castle was home to starostas of the so-called Muszyna State (also called the Bishop Domain). In 1474 the castle was practically destroyed by the Hungarian king Mathias Corvinus. Under the ensuing peace treaty the Hungarians funded the castle’s reconstruction in Renaissance style. The Muszyna State was owned by Cracow bishops until the Partitions of Poland and enjoyed a wide administrative, military and judicial autonomy. In the 17th century, during the reign of king John II Casimir Vasa, the castle was still in use. In the late 17th century, during the first Partition, however, it was abandoned and started to decay. Reportedly Italian stone workers who built a tunnel in the nearby town of Żegiestów put their hand to the ruination, as they followed a legend of treasures buried there and blew out part of the walls. As of today only fragments of the southern wall and a bit of the tower remain standing.
The castle ruins are located in yet another of parks in Muszyna: the Baszta Park. It has the surface of ca. 12 ha and is close to the town centre. The park was designed mainly for sports and leisure. It has, in an area of ca. 200 m2, numerous outdoors exercise machines with basic exercises described. As the burden used is mainly one’s own body, they can be used by also by persons who are not very fit or elderly, and the risk of injury is very low. In the northern part of the park there is the Józef Mineral Water Drinking Point. At one of the entrances to the park you can also drink water at the Anna Source.
