In short: Dunajec Castle in Niedzica was built in the 14th century on a rock 566 m above sea level, about 35 metres above today’s Lake Czorsztyn. Today it houses a museum. The castle is linked to a legend of Inca treasure. From Willa pod Smrekiem it is about 22 km.
You stand in the courtyard and the surface of the lake gleams below you. On the other side of the water, on a hill, you can see the ruins of the castle in Czorsztyn. For centuries these two strongholds looked at each other across a border. Today a lake separates them, and a tour boat and one of the most remarkable stories in Poland connect them.
A short history of the castle
Niedzica Castle was built in the 14th century on a rocky hill above the Dunajec. For centuries it guarded a trade route and the Polish-Hungarian border. Its owners changed, and the stronghold was extended and rebuilt. Today the castle is looked after by the Association of Art Historians, which runs a museum in it.
The legend of the Inca treasure
The most famous story linked to Niedzica sounds like the plot of an adventure film. According to the legend, in the 18th century descendants of the Incas came to the castle, bringing with them part of a hidden treasure. Traces of this story were said to remain in the castle walls.
The legend was revived by Andrzej Benesz, who in the 20th century described the discovery at the castle of a quipu, an Inca record made of knots on strings. To this day nobody knows how much truth there is in the story and how much imagination. Nobody has officially found the treasure, which only adds to the charm of the tale.
What to see on site
- Museum interiors with exhibitions on the history of the castle and the region.
- Courtyards and walls, with views over Lake Czorsztyn.
- A view of the dam in Niedzica and of the ruins of the castle in Czorsztyn on the other side of the water.
Opening hours and ticket prices change seasonally, so check them before you travel.
How to combine Niedzica with other attractions
Niedzica combines well with the rest of the area around the lake:
- in season a tour boat takes you across to Czorsztyn, where you can see the ruins of the castle there,
- right next to it is the dam in Niedzica, the tallest earth dam in Poland,
- cyclists can ride round the lake on the Velo Czorsztyn route.
Getting there from Białka Tatrzańska
From Willa pod Smrekiem to Niedzica Castle it is about 22 km. You visit the castle in the morning, take a walk or a boat trip on the lake in the afternoon, and return to Białka in the evening for dinner in the gazebo. It is one of the most pleasant day plans we can recommend to guests. You will find rooms for such a trip here.
Sources of information and photos
We checked the facts, figures and opening hours in the sources below. Prices, timetables and admission rules can change, so please check the organisers’ websites before you travel.
- Zamek Dunajec, Wikipedia
- Niedzica, Wikipedia
- Jezioro Czorsztyńskie, Wikipedia
- Zapora Niedzica, Wikipedia
Photos (main image and illustrations in the text), used under the licences specified by their authors:
- Dunajec Castle in Niedzica above Lake Czorsztyn: Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
- Lake Czorsztyn in the Pieniny: Photo: pl:Wikipedysta:Mariusz G, Public domain, source: Wikimedia Commons
- The dam in Niedzica on the Dunajec: Photo: Rafał M. Socha (Azymut), CC BY-SA 4.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
