Visiting Lomnica Palace.... and Dining in the Old Stables!
Off the beaten path near the town of Jelenia Góra, we found Lomnica Palace, a lovely surprise on this cold day in October, and perfect stop for a warm Polish lunch while touring the picturesque castles nestled in the foothills of the Karkonosze Mountains or visiting the fabulous Julia Crystal Factory.
Lomnica Palace is an impressive manor house that can trace its history back to the Middle Ages. The first mention of the palace in Lomnica dates back to 1475-1654. The present Baroque palace is said to be built in the second half of the 17th century though I have also read that parts of the palace date from the early 18th century.
Lomnica Palace is an impressive manor house that can trace its history back to the Middle Ages. The first mention of the palace in Lomnica dates back to 1475-1654. The present Baroque palace is said to be built in the second half of the 17th century though I have also read that parts of the palace date from the early 18th century.
The von Küster family owned the palace from the mid-19th century right up till World War II when the palace was seized by the Polish State. After the war until 1977 the palace housed a school, then it was tragically neglected for almost two decades.
It was only after the fall of the Iron Curtain that the family received the opportunity to repurchase the palace.
In 1992 the palace was purchased by a private company in coordination with a Polish-German foundation lead by the original owner’s granddaughter. The palace was restored to its former elegant and beautiful state. The palace now serves as a museum, hotel and restaurant and offers an authentic slice of old Silesian atmosphere.
It was only after the fall of the Iron Curtain that the family received the opportunity to repurchase the palace.
In 1992 the palace was purchased by a private company in coordination with a Polish-German foundation lead by the original owner’s granddaughter. The palace was restored to its former elegant and beautiful state. The palace now serves as a museum, hotel and restaurant and offers an authentic slice of old Silesian atmosphere.
Photo above by: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Palac_Lomnica_02.jpg/1200px-Palac_Lomnica_02.jpg
Photo above: Lithograph by Alexander Duncker (1813-1897) [Public domain]
We visited the ground floor and the basement where the kitchen, pantry, and service rooms were located. I’m not sure whether the upper floors are available for touring by the public since restoration work was taking place on the stairs blocking any entry to the upper floors and we never encountered an actual museum worker. I remain curious about this!
After visiting the museum, you can enjoy a gourmet meal in the palace restaurant in the small palace across the garden called the “Widow’s Palace” or in the restaurant at the old stables located among the farm buildings across from the palace. We chose the Old Stables Restaurant since we had not made a reservation for the formal palace restaurant and were on a tight time schedule.
Photo above by Dr. Bernd Gross [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
The Old Stables Restaurant features a delicious selection of Polish rural cuisine in a cozy old-world atmosphere complete with a fireplace and couches. We ate a savory flavorful stew with red cabbage and roasted potatoes. After dining, be sure to stop in to visit the forge, linen shop and bakery which also reside in the farm building complex.
Photo above via Old Stable Restaurant Photos https://palac-lomnica.pl/galeria/folwark/
This small palace and its restaurant were a big hit with us and a perfectly restoring stop during a busy touring day.
Lomnica Palace hosts a variety of cultural activities throughout the year. Visitors can learn about traditional Polish cuisine, not only by tasting but also by participating in practical classes in a specially prepared Ziemianska Kitchen. Numerous fairs allow visitors to get acquainted with local handicrafts and the annual Flax and Gingerbread Festivals held here are important events in the life of the region.
Lomnica Palace hosts a variety of cultural activities throughout the year. Visitors can learn about traditional Polish cuisine, not only by tasting but also by participating in practical classes in a specially prepared Ziemianska Kitchen. Numerous fairs allow visitors to get acquainted with local handicrafts and the annual Flax and Gingerbread Festivals held here are important events in the life of the region.
To find out more about visiting Lomnica Palace click here! (Sorry, the palace website is not currently in English, but you can find visiting information in English at TripAdvisor and other websites as well.)
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