Ujazd brings together a clearly dated local history, a palace complex, a Baroque church and the Microcosmos. Particularly striking is the transition from historic construction to more than 50 giant sculptures depicting bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Town Rights and Palace History
On May 17, 1428, King Władysław Jagiełło granted Ujazd town privileges. The town held these rights from 1428 to 1869, defining a long, clearly dated period in its history. The Palace of Antoni Ostrowski can also be traced through several periods of construction: it was built in 1812 on the site of an earlier 17th-century palace. This predecessor was built by Kasper Denhof and, in turn, used the walls of a ruined castle. The sequence leads from the castle through the 17th-century palace to the later building of 1812. The history of the complex therefore began before the palace known by its current name.
The Park in the Piasecznica Valley
The palace complex includes a 14-hectare park in the Piasecznica Valley. Its design follows 17th-century principles, and its valuable old-growth trees also shape the park. Its size, valley setting and historic design give the grounds their own distinctive character. The complex is therefore defined not only by successive palace buildings, but also by a park with its own older design foundations.
St. Wojciech Church and Sacred Architecture
St. Wojciech Church was built in 1674–1676 at the instigation of Gniezno Archbishop Andrzej Olszewski. The Baroque church has a bell tower built in the 18th century in the Neoclassical style. Its furnishings include Rococo altars and an Ostrowski Chapel. A Rococo pulpit was brought from Italy between 1810 and 1818. In 1892, a Baroque family chapel-mausoleum of the Ostrowskis was added, designed by Konstanty Wojciechowski. St. Anna Cemetery Chapel is also part of the town’s historic character; it is protected in the register of monuments. Baroque, Neoclassicism and Rococo represent different layers of construction and decoration here, rather than a single unified style.
The Microcosmos: Biological Themes on a Grand Scale
The Microcosmos shifts the scale. More than 50 giant sculptures depict bacteria, viruses and fungi. Educational trails offer explanations of insects and microorganisms, adding further biological themes to the large-scale displays. Exotic birds live in aviaries; black swans, ducks and geese can be found by a pond. The sculptures, explanatory trails and birdlife offer different ways to explore nature, from microorganisms to living animals.
Planning Your Stay
The Grunwald Trail runs from Wolbórz through Ujazd to Lubochnia. If you include it in your travel plans, check the current route in advance. The palace can be viewed from the outside; check the current access conditions before visiting. When looking for a hotel in Ujazd, choosing a focus can help: would you like your stay to center more on architectural history and the park, or on the biological themes of the Microcosmos?
Discover more destinations: Czerniewice, Józefów Stary, Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Kanice, Spała, Smardzewice, Inowłódz
For the broader travel overview: Tomaszowski.
