Currently the palace is ruined with a partially preserved moat.

History

The manor house of the noble family von Stosch was erected in mid-17th century, probably on the site of a medieval seat, which is evidenced by a vaulted room preserved in the basement under the northern wing, dated back to the 15th century. Preserved 16th-century stonework fragments testify another stage of construction. The manor house was thoroughly rebuilt in the early 18th century by Jerzy Abraham von Stosch. A quadrilateral layout with an inner courtyard with towers and a gate tower was created. In the early 18th century Czernina became the property of the von Lestwitz family. Still in the 18th century Charles Rudolf von Lestwitz added one storey to the palace. When he died childless in 1803, he bequeathed his entire estate to the foundation he established, which was an educational institution for noble-born orphaned girls. The Foundation operated until World War II. The palace, disused after 1945, quickly deteriorated and was secured as a permanent ruin in 1960.

Description

The palace with a preserved southern section of the moat is located in the south-eastern part of the vast palace and grange complex. It is made of brick and stone. Currently it is in a state of ruin with preserved heavily damaged perimeter walls. It was designed on a rectangular floor plan. Four-winged with an internal courtyard and a façade (western façade) flanked by wide cylindrical towers. The central part of the façade is accented with a rectangular bi-axial avant-corps. The palace is a three-storey building, founded on a high plinth. The façades with rectangular window openings are segmented with Ionic pilasters, rusticated at the lower part and wide flat inter-storey cornices. In the façade axis there is a rectangular balcony portico, whereas under the window opening on the second storey there are two bas-relief sandstone cartouches of arms of the von Lestwitz and von Stosch families. In the roof part, the central part of the façade is crowned with a rectangular extension with triangular side sections, topped with a triangular jerkin head. The opening of the clock face, supported by two putti, has been preserved in the head section.

Site accessible to the visitors. Palace is ruined.

Complied by Maria Czyszczoń, Regional Branch of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Wrocław, 10 December 2015.

Bibliography

• Krzyślak B., Czernina. Palace complex. Brief historical and architectural documentation on the topic: “Katalog zabytków architektury dawnego powiatu górowskiego”, Poznań 1986 (Catalog of architectural monuments of the former Górowski District, Posen 1986), typescript, Archive of the Provincial Service for Monuments Protection in Wrocław.
• Pilch J., Leksykon zabytków architektury Dolnego Śląska (Lexicon of Architectural Monuments of Lower Silesia), Warsaw 2005, p. 57.
• Zabytki sztuki w Polsce. Śląsk (Art Monuments in Poland. Silesia), Warsaw 2006, p. 228.