Castle in Lesko

n the Middle Ages, Lesko belonged to the Kmita family of the Szreniawa coat of arms, who had their family seat in the Sobień castle. The first manor house was erected here by the castellan of Przemyśl Jan Kmita around 1474, after the Sobień castle was damaged by the invasion of the Hungarians. The first manor house probably did not have brick elements. In 1491, the inheritance was taken over by Jan's son Stanisław. When in 1538 the voivode of Kraków, Piotr Kmita, decided to move the seat to Lesko, the wooden manor 

Lesko Castle in the photo of Albin Friedrich from 1892-97

house became insufficient. After 1538, he erected a brick residential tower, which on the ground floor had a room covered with a vault centrally supported by a polygonal pillar. This tower is currently located in the western corner of the complex.

Around the middle of the sixteenth century, the castle was rebuilt. The tower was lowered by one storey and extended to the south-east. The defensive layout also consisted of several wooden buildings.

In 1580, the estate was divided between the Barzy and Stadnicki families. Soon after, it belonged to the Stadnicki family. Another expansion took place in 1656, when the buildings were strengthened with defensive walls on the plan of an irregular quadrangle with towers and a bastion. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, it was damaged by the actions of the Swedish army and a fire. Soon after, it became the property of the Ossoliński family, and was in their possession until 1776. It was not until 1765-1771 that the castle was rebuilt under the direction of Gotfryd Hoffman for the voivode of Volhynia, Józef Ossoliński. In 1776 it became the property of 

The castle in Lesko in the photo from 1925-39

the Mniszech family, and in 1779 - of the Krasicki family, who ruled it until the outbreak of World War II.

However, already in 1783, the castle was destroyed by fire again. For a long time after this fire, no one took care of the castle, only in 1805 it was renovated for Ksawery Krasicki according to the design of the poet Wincenty Pol, and in the years 1837-1838 a thorough restoration was also carried out according to his design. During the reconstruction of Wincenty Pol, several buildings were demolished and one-storey wings with galleries were added.

Since the times of the Kmita family, the castle has celebrated its glory days, hosted great artists. The Krasicki family moved their library to Lesko from Dubiecko.

In 1914, the castle was again affected by fire, and in 1924 it was renovated. The Second World War also added to the destruction. After the war, in 1956, the castle was rebuilt and adapted for the mine's holiday resort. Currently, it houses a public hotel.