Haunted Castles Of Poland

Unfortunate ghostly apparitions

Czocha Castle in Sucha was built in the 13th century. Then in 1909, a German entrepreneur bought the castle and had it rebuilt in the style of the 18th century. Sucha is located in a lovely setting near Lesniariskie Lake but the castle has become referred to as "a ghost fortress."

The first ghostly inhabitants can be met on the bridge leading into the castle gates. There are the unfortunate spirits of mourners who took part in a funeral processing in 1719. As they were crossing the bridge it collapsed and they drowned in the moat. However, their cries which can be heard are not as loud as the cries that come from the well standing in the courtyard. These cries come from the ghostly apparition of the unfaithful wife of Joachim von Nistitz, who at one time was one of the owners of the castle. To punish his wife he ordered to have her drowned in the well while her child conceived through her love affair was bricked up in a chimney and the baby's cries can also be heard coming from the castle walls.

The oldest ghostly inhabitant of the castle is known as the White Lady. She is the spirit of Gertrude who lived in the castle with her brother in the 15th century. After a heated argument with her brother, she chose to take revenge and set the Hussites against him, However, they did not conquer the castle and Gertrude was beheaded and cursed by her brother. She is now doomed to roam the castle through all eternity.

Today Czocha Castle is home to a hotel and anyone who wishes to spend the night can find out for themselves if any of these ghostly tales are true and perhaps meet one of the spirits roaming about.

Ghostly rider upon a horse guarding the castle

Chojnik Castle sits atop of a mountain and has been witness to many battles. This fortified fort had stood against enemies for centuries until there was a fire and the castle ruins now remain on Chohnik Hill. The last owner was Hans Ulrich Schaffgotch who was killed in 1645 having betrayed the ruler during that time. Even though the castle was abandoned people began seeing the shadow of a rider on a horse. The ghostly apparition would appear from a dark mist that gathered at nighttime. There are those who believe that this is the apparition of Schaffgotch still guarding his castle.

The ghostly apparition of the Yellow Lady

Liw Castle stands next to the Liw River and you'll find ghostly spirits roaming. At one-time castellan, Marcin Kuczyriski and his lovely wife Ludwika lived in this castle. To show his love for his wife Kuczyriski gave her an ornamented ring, When the ring got lost he had another one ordered but that ring also was lost.

Then Kuczyriski heard gossip from the court that his wife was cheating on him and giving the ornamented rings to her lover. This so angered him that he ordered her to be beheaded. Afterwards, when spring came the two rings were discovered by gardeners working on the estate. The rings had been hidden in a magpie's nest that had fallen down. Kuczyriski was so overwhelmed by this that he committed suicide. Now known as the Yellow Lady and wearing a dress of yellow the innocent wife roams around the rooms of the castle.

Becoming the spirit of a black dog

Ogrodzieniec Castle has an unusual ghostly apparition, that of a big, black dog rattling a chain weighing its neck down. This frightening apparition walks the castle grounds. Legend has it that this is actually the disembodied spirit of Stanislaw Warszycki who in the 17th century was the owner and administrator of this castle. During his lifetime he was able to make a fortune and didn't want to share his wealth with anyone, not even with his children. This was not Warszycki's worst feature he was also a cruel man against his family, servants, and subjects. He punished those who he considered had to be punished in a torture chamber. Now it appears that Warszcki as the apparition of a black dog returns to the castle at nighttime to guard his wealth.

The spirit of Duchess Sofia

Darlowo Castle is supposedly haunted by the spirit of Duchess Sofia. She appears wearing a long silk white dress and golden flat shoes. She shows up quietly and can be seen holding a candle. Apparently, the duchess is guarding the castle. She was the wife of Duke Eric II, of the Pomeranian dynasty of Gryfit. Duchess Sofia lived at the castle in the second half of the 15th century and was a domineering woman. She continues to control what happens at the castle to this day.