he first wooden fortifications probably existed here at least since the 13th century. The wooden and earth stronghold was completely destroyed in 1300 during the fights of Władysław I the Elbow-high with Wenceslaus II for the Polish crown. There is also a possibility that the mention of the destruction of the hillfort refers to the fortifications on the neighboring Biśnik Mountain. The owner of the Pilica land was then the Toporczyk family. Soon after, before the mid-fourteenth century, Jan of Pilica or his son Otto erected a brick Pilica castle on the top of the rock. In the western part of the complex, a high tower with a diameter of 7.5 meters was built, from which the perimeter walls ran along the edge of the rock. The entrance to the tower was at the level of the top of the walls. The eastern part of the rock was occupied by a residential building. Soon after the castle was erected on the rock, it was expanded by two outer baileys. On the western bailey, there was a well carved in the rock to a depth of over 100 meters. This outer bailey was also defended by two half-towers. The entrances to the outer bailey led from the south, and from the north there were small wickets for communication between the outer baileys.
In 1389, Otto died, and his daughter Elizabeth married Wincenty of Grabów of Leliwa coat of arms.
Aerial view, photo by ZeroJeden, V 2020
Later, the castle became the property of the son of Elizabeth and Wincenty, voivode and castellan of Kraków Jan of the Leliwa coat of arms, who took the surname Pilecki. In the fifteenth century, the complex was expanded, during which the half-towers were turned into towers. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, construction works were resumed, as a result of which the area of the western outer bailey was enlarged and a new residential house was erected in the west corner.
The last owner of the Leliwit-Pilecki family was also Jan, who in 1570 sold the castle to bishop Filip Padniewski, who handed it over to his nephew Wojciech. The castle was not used as the owner's seat from then on, and after 1610, when Wojciech Padniewski erected a castle in Nowa Pilica, Smoleń was completely abandoned.
The castle slowly fell into ruin, and this process was accelerated by the wars with the Swedes.
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e first wooden fortifications probably existed here at least since the 13th century. The wooden and earth stronghold was completely destroyed in 1300 during the fights of Władysław I the Elbow-high with Wenceslaus II for the Polish crown. There is also a possibility that the mention of the destruction of the hillfort refers to the fortifications on the neighboring Biśnik Mountain. The owner of the Pilica land was then the Toporczyk family. Soon after, before the mid-fourteenth century, Jan of Pilica or his son Otto erected a brick Pilica castle on the top of the rock. In the western part of the complex, a high tower with a diameter of 7.5 meters was built, from which the perimeter walls ran along the edge of the rock. The entrance to the tower was at the level of the top of the walls. The eastern part of the rock was occupied by a residential building. Soon after the castle was erected on the rock, it was expanded by two outer baileys. On the western bailey, there was a well carved in the rock to a depth of over 100 meters. This outer bailey was also defended by two half-towers. The entrances to the outer bailey led from the south, and from the north there were small wickets for communication between the outer baileys.
