Since 1832 the Palace had belonged to Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg, the commander of the 6th Corps of the Prussian army stationed in Wrocław; Friedrich von Brandenburg was the son of Friedrick William II (Friedrich Wilhelm II), the king of Prussia, born out of his morganatic marriage with Julia von Dönhoff. In the 1830s Friedrich gave his residence a new setting, for instance by arranging a ballroom in the palace with a classical décor and by building outbuilding in Classical style accompanying the palace.

History

The knight’s seat in Domanice already existed in 2nd part of the 13th century. In 13th century or in 1st half of 14th century a defensive brick tower was erected on a solid rock nearby the Bystrzyca River, the relics of which are preserved in the southwestern part of the walls of the present palace. In 2nd half of In 16th century the existing residence was extended, probably for Caspar von Müllheim, and enlarged on the southeastern side. The mansion, which was built at that time, was rebuilt in 1648-1694 after the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War by Baron Louis Monteveques de Avignon and his successor, Herman von Oppersdorf. At that time it was a magnificent building covered with gable roofs with decorative gables, fascia window frames, a gate tower and an internal courtyard surrounded by galleries. After 1763, the residence was rebuilt again, giving it its present palace character. In 1832 the lands in Domanice were acquired by Fredrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg, the commander of the 6th Corps of the Prussian army stationed in Wrocław; Friedrich von Brandenburg was the son of Friedrick William II (Friedrich Wilhelm II), the king of Prussia, born out of his morganatic marriage with Julia von Dönhoff. In 1830s Fredrich Wilhelm rebuilt the baroque residence in the spirit of classicism, e.g. by furnishing a ballroom and erecting classicist outbuilding accompanying the palace.

In 1908, the palace underwent restoration. From 1988 it was a member of Polish Actors Association (ZASP), now it is privately owned.

In 1989-1990, architectural and archaeological surveys were conducted in the building (under the supervision of Jerzy Rozpędowski); probing excavations of polychrome walls and ceilings were also performed. In 1993 the tower’s helmet was repaired, in 1995 its load-bearing structure was strengthened; in 1998-1999 the structure of stone walls of the south-western corner of the palace and the vault of the gate passage were reinforced.

Description

The palace is situated on the edge of an embankment rising above the Bystrzyca River, on a terrace separated by a dry moat, in front of which there is a driveway framed on both sides by classical gate buildings and outbuildings with stables and a coach house from 1830s. On the terrace, to the west of the palace, there is a classical garden pavilion with a bathhouse (1830s). The terrace is bounded by a stone wall with false roundel; meanwhile a stone bridge rises above the moat. Below the palace there is a park established in 1st half of 18th century as an ornamental garden, then transformed into a landscape park in the early and in 3rd quarter of 19th century.

The palace is built of brick, plastered, three-storey, two-winged, with a monumental body, covered with ceramic mansard roofs with eyelid windows. It was set on an irregular floor plan, close to the letter “L”, with a higher, square tower added on the western side, in which there is a passage gate leading to a non-regular internal courtyard, surrounded with arcaded galleries at the ground floor. The last storey of the tower is octagonal, topped with a polygonal cupola with a lantern. The corners of the building and the lower floor façades are rusticated, covered with cornice stripes and an extended crowning cornice. Some of the window openings have Renaissance, fasciated sandstone frames, others have plaster bands. The main entrance is framed by a portal with doubled pilasters. The interior layout of the palace is irregular, in the walls there is a clear outline of the original residential tower. In some rooms there are preserved vaults, ceiling and wall decorations (e.g. classical decor of the ballroom) as well as fireplaces and stoves from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The monument is not accessible to visitors (private property).

Complied by Beata Sebzda, Regional Branch of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Wrocław, 7 September 2015.

Bibliography

• Chorowska M., Rezydencje średniowieczne na Śląsku. Zamki, pałace, wieże mieszkalne (Castles, Palaces, Tower Houses), Wrocław 2002, p. 34, 35.
• Dunkler A., Die ländliche Wohnsitze, Schlösser und Residenzen der Ritterschaftlichen Grundbesitzer in den Preussichen Monarchie, Berlin 1857-1883, vol. 1, item 37.
• Guerquin B., Zamki śląskie (Silesian Castles), Warsaw 1957, p. 45.
• Łuczyński R.M., Zamki i pałace Dolnego Śląska. Przedgórze Sudeckie, Nizina Śląska – część wschodnia (Castles and Palaces of the Lower Silesia Region. The Sudeten Foothills, the Silesian Lowlands - Eastern Part), Wrocław 2001, pp. 35-38.
• Pilch J., Leksykon zabytków architektury Dolnego Śląska (Lexicon of the Architectural Monuments in the Lower Silesia), Warsaw 2005, pp. 63-64.
• Słownik geografii turystycznej Sudetów (Dictionary of Tourist Geography of the Sudeten Mountains), vol. 20: Masyw Ślęży (The Massif of Ślęża Mountain). Równina Świdnicka (The Świdnica Plain). Kotlina Dzierżoniowska (The Dzierżoniów Valley), Wrocław 2005, 144-149.
• Zabytki sztuki w Polsce. Śląsk (Art Monuments in Poland. Silesia), Warsaw 2006, p. 241.