***Fortified mansion in Modliszewice

A mansion, picteresquely situated on a small island surrounded by a pond from the southern side, from the northern side separated from land by a moat. It exemplifies a typical residence of a wealthy nobleman and with its architecture refers to the tradition of fortified buildings of the Middle Ages.

The construction, built on the basis of a rectangle measuring 10,8 x 27m of stone and brick has two storeys and two roofed cylidrical roundels located in the opposite corners. From the northern side there is a bridge and a gatehouse with an adjacent outbuilding added later.

Most sources claim that the mansion in Modliszewice was erected by the Primate Jan Lipski around 1630, probably on the remaining parts of some older building. Other authors believe that the mansion was built by Andrzej Dunin Modliszewski at the end of XVI c.  The architect of the mansion in a reneissance style, was probably a renowned Italian - Santui Gucci. At the end of XVII c. the mansion in Modliszewice was taken over by the Humiecki family and through the marriage of Izabela Humiecka with Jan Małachowski the property wento to the Małachowski family, Nałęcz Coat of Arms.

At that time there was an adjacent building added, called „a forge”, in the wall of which there was some stonework discovered that was a sign of the building already in ruin then. At the end of XIX c. the site was sold to the Tarnowski family who didn’t do any repair works in it. The building abandoned in the halt of XIX c. started to perish.

During the WWII in Modliszewice a German administrator (Kreislandswirt) Fitting resided on the premises. He was liquadated on 29 May 1944 as a result of his cruelty towards the local community.

In the 80s of the XX c. the mansion was partially restored and secured from further deterioration. Currently it is the property of Świętokrzyskie Centre of Agronomic Consulting and is one of the attractions of a bicycle trail of fortified architecture across the Świętokrzyskie Province.

***Castle Ruins in Fałków

The ruins of the castle in Fałków, erected probbaly in XIV c. by the Odrowąż family, the then owners, stand on a low hill surrounded by a moat and ancient trees. The castle was destroyed due to the Swedes’ incursion. Up to the present Times survived the first-ground walls with the windows and an entrance gate with the cellars. Because of the building small size, experts consider it to be rather a fortified mansion. The Fałków residents tend to label it as „the castle”.

translated by Anna Kania, the employee of the Tourist Information Centre in Końskie