Poland's Castles See Renaissance

If your clients want a unique bragging-rights opportunity experience in Europe, suggest they go on a tour of Poland's castles. The Associated Press is reporting that Polish developers are completely rebuilding medieval castles to house museums, hotels or conference centers.

Dariusz Lasecki, a businessman and one of two brothers rebuilding a medieval castle in Bobolice, a town near Czestochowa, notes in the article that Germany has castles on the Rhine, France has castles on the Loire and the Czech Republic has many castles open to visitors—all of which have proved popular tourist attractions.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Poland ruled a significant portion of Europe stretching from the Baltic Sea in the north almost down to the Black Sea. Many of the castles being rebuilt today fell into ruin around the time of the notorious Swedish invasions of the 17th century. Medieval structures decayed further during the communist era due to a lack of investments and building materials.

Jacek Nazarko, a real-estate developer, has just completed the rebuilding of the 16th-century red-brick castle in Tykocin, which had been in ruins since 1755. With a well and a cannon in the courtyard, it now dominates marshy land on the edge of Tykocin. It is to open soon as a hotel, restaurant and reception center for weddings and other events.

Read more