Replete with forests, lakes and hiking trails, Lubniewice is a picturesque and alluring area for romance, relaxation and outdoor activites. A historical spa and recreational resort, in the 1970s this popular retreat lured the famous Polish gynecologist and sexologist Michalina Wisłocka, whose short, steamy fling while working here on the shores of Lake Lubiąż would inspire her bestselling book Sztuka Kochanie - a groundbreaking love and sex manual published in English as ‘A Practical Guide to Marital Bliss.’ In 2012, the lakeside ‘Love Park’ - part of the Palace & Park Complex of the Lubomirski Princes - was aptly named in her honour. The Wisłocka Love Park’s attractions include several sculptures, a ‘love bench,’ and a charming ‘love bridge’ where adoring couples have taken up the popular practice of hanging engraved padlocks as testament to their enduring love.
Bridge over Lake Lubiąż in Lubniewice; photo by Jerzy Strzelecki.
The history of the Lubniewice Palace Complex goes back much further, of course. Located between the Lubiąż and Krajnik lakes, the site of the ‘Old Castle’ dates back to the 14th century; the current structure was built in neoclassicist style in 1874. Though the building itself is not open to tourists, visitors can enjoy the Wisłocka Love Park and take the long pedestrian bridge over Lake Lubiąż to see the eclectic ‘New Castle’ and a few other historical structures as well. Built in 1909-1911 for Carl Friedrich Ernst Edward von Waldow-Reitzenstein, the ‘New Castle’ is a shockingly intact and well-kept palace that still features many of its original furnishings and architectural characteristics, ranging in style from neo-renaissance to rococo. Privately owned by the Princes Lubomirski family, visitors can go on guided tours of the richly decorated interiors from May to September by booking by phone in advance: (+48) 882 005 033.
The ('New') Castle of the Lubormirski Princes in Lubniewice; photo by Michał Gorski.
.jpg)
-Jerzystrzelecki-wikimediacommons.jpg)
Comments