HISTORY OF TOSZEK CASTLE
It is not known exactly when, on the highest hill in the area, the first wooden gord of defensive nature was built. It is likely to happen in the early-Piast period, between the X and XI century. Some written sources confirm the existence of the gord in Toszek as the seat of a castellany in 1222 when the castellany and the castellan Jacob is mentioned. Some historians claim that the castellany gord in Toszek was raised in the XII century. Saint Peter's church was mentioned in a papal bull in 1201, so it is highly likely that the gord had existed earlier. We can not exclude the fact that the castellany could have existed even earlier in the reign of Bolesław III Wrymouth.
During the period of „fragmentation” the castellany gord in Toszek belonged to the successive Silesian dukes from the Opolska line, then the Bytomsko-Kozielska line, and Cieszyńska and Oświęcimska lines. One of the most significant residents was princess Judyta, wife of the duke of Opole Mieszko II the Fat, who, after her husband's death in 1246, lived in Toszek for some time. Bolesław the duke of Toszek from the Kozielsko – Bytomska line became very successful in Europe. In about 1315, he became an archbishop of Ostrzychom and the Primate of Hungary, with help of his sister Maria , who was married to Hungarian king Karol Robert.
The castle reached the highest importance in the long reign of Przemysław the duke of Toszek (from the Oświęcimska line) in the XV century. Duke Przemysław not only rebuilt the castle out of stone after the Hussite raids, but also made it his permanent residence built in stone.
After the death of duke Przemysław in 1484, the castle belonged again to the Opolska line of Piast, but only for a short time. After the heirless death of Jan II Dobry in 1532 the castle, with both Duchy of Opole and Racibórz, was owned by the Habsburg family (as a feudal tenure of the Czech kings).
The Habsburg Family left the castle in pledge to Fryderyk von Rendern in 1557 and next to his son Jerzy Fryderyk Redern who bought it along with Toszek and Pyskowice. Atfer the fire in 1570, the Rendern Family rebuilt the castle in Renaissance Style and added to the rebuilt gate by building housing premises. The Rendern family reigned in Toszek castle till the death of Jerzy II Rendern in 1637. His sister Margaret von Kolovrat, who became the owner, married her daughter to the influential Earl Casper Colonna whose family came from Tyrol.
In this way, the castle fell into the hands of Colonna Family which ruled it between 1638 and 1707. Thanks to Casper Colonna, the castle owes the next period of splendour to the major rebuilt made by an architect Giovanni Seregna from Milan between 1650 and 1666. This rebuilt commemorates the foundation inscription over the gate building: CASPAR COMES COLONNA 1666. As a consequence of the reconstruction, the castle which was formerly meant for defence was converted into a magnate's mansion, which others could not compare with in this part of Upper Silesia.
However, in 1707, the Colonna Family sold the castle to baron Johann Dietrich von Peterswald and then, he sold it to count Francis Charles Kottuliński. After the Kottuliński Family /1718 – 1759/ the castle was in the Posadowski’s Family hands /1759 – 1791/ next in 1791, baron Adolf von Eichendorff of Łubowice and the father of romantic writer Joseph von Eichendorf, bought it.
The castle belonged to the Eichendorff Family for only six years, but for the future poet the earliest years of his life were spent there, when experiences are culminated to later bear fruit. He mentions “the castle on the hill of silence” which is assumed to be the castle in Toszek because the poet stayed there many times in his childhood.
Critiques | Translate
Nicou (128776) 2014-03-16 1:08
quelle vue de ce château sueprbe iamge et compo avec la grille d'entrée cette tour ronde et les tons le rendu sur les pierres splendide.
emka (85097) 2014-03-16 1:19
Nigdy nie slyszałam o Toaszku, a jka fajnie wyglada. Na Śląsku to jest sporo zamków i w dodatku niezryjnowanych. Na Mazowszu to z tym jest bardzo słabo. Ciekawe zdjęcie z twojego archiwum.
mesutilgim (88454) 2014-03-16 1:24
Hello Georg,my neighbour today
Nice capture from Toszek. Very good timing with the sunrays from left, which creates a nice 3D effect.
Many interesting notes makes your entry a perfect TE entry.
TFS and have a nice weekend
papagolf21 (89700) 2014-03-16 1:25
Voilà une très belle prise de vue bénéficiant d'un éclairage de toute beauté.
Très belle lumière latérale.
Le sujet est fort bien mis en valeur.
Fis2 (89297) 2014-03-16 2:34
Fajne mury, robia wrazenie.
Super kolorki i swiatlo.
U mnie chlodno i pada :(
snunney (88924) 2014-03-16 3:03
The point of view is excellent with castle placed off-centre and the path making a good lead-line. Even more delightful is the lighting, which brings out the colours and detail in the attractive architecture very well indeed. Thanks for sharing.
ngk (2413) 2014-03-16 3:16
Beautiful presentation from this castle with great sharpness and excellent light management.
Have a nice week.
Subhogen (4067) 2014-03-16 3:39
Excellent view of the old castle. I like the POV and the wonderful details you have captured on the castle wall. Sharpness and colours are superb as well. Thanks for sharing a fine photo.
luciola (2918) 2014-03-16 4:30
Ciekawy obiekt i nawet zadbany.
Sergiom (66129) 2014-03-16 5:18
J'aime beaucoup la texture que tu as donné à l'image en post production. C'est tellement net que l'on pourrait compter les pierres des murs une à une. J'aime beaucoup la lumière sur la tour ronde.
tedesse (25133) 2014-03-16 5:49
Pieknie pokazany fragment murow w zespole zamkowym w Toszku.
Super kolory i doskonala ostrosc.
jhm (143413) 2014-03-16 6:09
Thank you very much for interesting notes.
Our Belgian queen Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, her parent come out of Poland, lived on an castle in Poland
The colours make these picture very attractive.
Indeed a lovely post-card of this wonderful building.
Perspective and depth are perfect taken.
Excellent composition, nice captured.
Very well done, TFS.
Have a nice Sunday,
subhendu_bagchi (25973) 2014-03-16 8:19
a beautiful castle and you presented it superbly indeed. Great colours and fine depth. Superb capture. Tfs.
Kamilutka (8105) 2014-03-16 8:24
czy to HDR? Jesi tak to bardzo ladnie zrobiony, taki jaki lubie. Bez przesady ale z delikatnym makijazem. Swietnie uzyskane kolory i pieknie pokazny zameczek. Dobry POV na to zdjecie!
Sonata11 (33576) 2014-03-16 13:17
bardzo ladny zamek. Przyjemnie popatrzec na sra architektura, ktora ma swoja dusze. Podoba mi sie. Serdecznie pozdrawiam,
Silvio1953 (129220) 2014-03-16 13:30
Ciao Georg, great view of fantastic castle, good PP work, wonderful colors, splendid light and excellent clarity, very well done my friend, ciao Silvio
saxo042 (37602) 2014-03-17 0:56
A very long and interesting note. Also a very good picture with determined lines and angles. Many sharp details and very attractive colours.
ChrisJ (103487) 2014-03-17 16:09
I like the sunlight on the semicircular tower at right and to a lesser extent the facade of the attractive old stone building at right. The red clay pot contrasts well against the blue grey street to give a marvellous warm cold colour contrast. A nice blue sky. Might have cloned out the power line, but it's no biggie. Tfs!
photoray (13408) 2014-03-17 16:55
The rock textures are attention getting, and varying warm colors with this Gothic Toszek Schloss.
It's not the size but the rocks.
Thanks for sharing,
ikeharel (62041) 2014-03-18 8:09
The old gate and the unique edifice are in great clear view on details, Georg, light was very favorable and gave a special glow upon.
An interesting note about, and a fine shot uphill's, intriguing archi.-style to photograpgers, you well collected.
COSTANTINO (59219) 2014-03-20 7:27
fantastic capture of this castle with a history
of many years ago the light is delightful
excellent contrast with the blue sky
have a nice evening
pierrefonds (59754) 2014-03-21 18:33
The tight frame is putting the castle in evidence. The point of view is allowing me to distinguish the details and the colours of the architecture of the Toszek castle. It is clear and sharp. Have a nice day.
andywo (4725) 2014-04-01 11:48
Podoba mi sie to zamczysko. Zdjecie ma swoj ciekawy klimat. Doskonala prezentacja!