History

First record of the knight estate dates back to 1363. Labędnik became important and well-known in the end of the 17th century, when Friedrich von der Groeben, an outstanding diplomat, Polish and Prussian general, participant of a number of wars, with Battle of Vienna (1683) included, became its owner. Friedrich von der Groeben invested the money brought from wars in land property, purchasing extensive estates in the Duchy of Prussia: Nowa Wioska, Łodygowo, Łabędnik, and Ponary. Year before his heirless death (1712), he established majorats in the purchased estates, which were inherited by four his nephews. The successor in Łabędnik, Wolf Sebastian von der Groeben, inherited both the extensive land property as well as the newly built palace (1694-1712). The date of completion of the construction is confirmed by the cartouche placed in the lintel of the main portal with initials F[riedrich] V[on] D[er] G[roeben] and date 1712. The constructor and founder of the estate ordered a quite unusual, since entirely secular, full-size sculpture in an armour and Baroque wig to be erected in the patronage church. In 1861, the palace was extended by a two-axis part with staircase in a projecting section, and a corner terrace on the eastern side, as well as by extending the building upwards by a non-full floor, the so-called mezzanino. Also the front façade became Baroque in style, since a new portal was added to it, with the cartouche from the early 18th century preserved, as well as a volute-shaped gable of the façade, together with two allegorical heads and an oculus. Such a representative building had to be accompanied by a park — originally in the form of a Baroque garden, which was transformed in the 19th century in a landscape complex. Łabędnik remained in the hands of the Groeben family until 1945.

Description

Łabędnik is located by the Bartoszyce-Kętrzyn route, ca. 11 km to the south-east from Bartoszyce. The complex is comprehensively arranged, with individual elements linked spatially and functionally: the separated residential part including the palace and park, the church forming with the palace a landscape whole, the manor farm yard with few preserved buildings (former stable with carriage house, former forge) as well as former rural residential buildings. The palace is made of brick and stone and plastered, built on a rectangular floor plan, with a lower outbuilding added at straight angle on the west. It is covered with a gable roof. On the axis of the front façade, there is shallow avant-corps framed with pilasters in the corners and topped with a volute gable. The front façade originally featured 9 axes (3 + 3 + 3); after conversion in 1861, the building was extended, and an additional staircase was added on its northern side. The side walls were adjoined by terraces, and on the southern side, in the balustrade of the palace, a Baroque relief. The building is two-storey, with a mezzanino, interior layout follows a two-bay order, without historic fittings. The park with an area of more than 8 ha is discernible in its historical borders, but its arrangement is diluted, with sparse old-growth threes. It was comprised of two parts divided by an access road. The northern, most densely wooded part, with crop gardens that no longer exist, was intended for strolling. The southern part, ahead of the front façade of the palace, with a park pond with an area of more than 0.5 ha, on the main axis of the complex, opens to the surrounding landscape with a dominant point constituted by the church.

Limited access to the historic building. Private property.

Compiled by Marzena Zwierowicz , 5.12.2014.

Bibliography

• Jackiewicz Garniec M., Garniec M., Pałace i dwory dawnych Prus Wschodnich, Olsztyn 1999, s. 167 - 170.
• Lorck C. von, Landschlösser und Gutshäuser in Ost- und Westpreussen, Frankfurt a.Main 1972, s. 238.
• Rzempołuch A., Przewodnik po zabytkach sztuki dawnych Prus Wschodnich, Olsztyn 1992, s.9.