History

The palace was built in 1802, at the request of the then owner of the property, Zygmunt Grudziński. The design is attributed to H. Szpilowski. Before World War II, the building was owned by the Skrzyński family. After the war, it started to go into ruin, and a National Animal Insemination Station was placed in it. In 1978-1989, general renovation works were carried out, after which the building became the office of the Wartkowice Commune.

Description

The palace in Gostków is the main element of a palace and park complex. The complex is located on a large plot near the junction of roads from Wartkowice and Poddębice to Łęczyca.

The complex includes an extensive park characterised by a regular layout and two brick outbuildings. The palace is situated deep within the plot, there is a courtyard with porte-cochère in front of it leading to the main access road. On both sides of the road, there are outbuildings. The park stretches from the west and north, and there is a lake located on the main axis of the complex. The palace is built on a rectangular floor plan and is adjoined from the west by a semi-circular avant-corps. The two-storey building is made of brick and covered with a hip roof. The roof truss is made of wood. The front façade faces east. Its dominant feature is a shallow avant-corps in the middle section, and in front of it - a massive Ionic portico in the giant order, topped with a triangular gable. On the frieze, there is a Latin inscription, reading Superanda omnis fortuna ferenda est .

All ground storey walls are rusticated. The window openings have profiled surrounds. The façade is crowned with a bracketed cornice. On the axis of the western façade, there is a semi-circular, strongly advanced avant-corps.

The interior has a two-bay layout, with oval drawing rooms on both stories. The most valuable items of the interior fittings are tempera paintings in the staircase, drawing rooms, and other rooms. The antique topics of the paintings underscore the classical style of the whole building. The paintings are dated to years 1809-1812. Apart from the paintings, also wooden floors made of transversely cut oak logs, and four preserved ovens, are worth particular attention.

The palace is open to visitors, during the working hours of the Commune Office.

compiled by Anna Michalska, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Łódź, 03.09.2014.

Bibliography

• Ruszkowski A., Sieradz i okolice, Sieradz 2000.