Palace in Wodzisław Śląski-Kokoszyce

The palace and park complex in Kokoszyce, a district of Wodzisław Śląski, consists of a palace from the early 19th century and an extensive landscape park of about 30 hectares. Today the palace houses an archdiocesan retreat house, so the interiors serve mainly its guests.

History of the palace

Construction was completed around 1822, and the first owner was Wilhelm Franz von Zawadzki. The heritage register gives the date 1783, once read from the façade, but later findings move the construction to the early 19th century. Until 1928 the palace was a private residence of successive owners of Kokoszyce. In 1928 it was bought by the Katowice metropolitan curia, which set up a retreat house in it. In the 1960s Karol Wojtyła, later John Paul II, visited here. Today the house bears the name of Bishop Stanisław Adamski.

The park

The park was laid out together with the palace. It contains an almost complete cross-section of the trees and shrubs found in Poland: oaks, pines (including avenues of Weymouth pine), larches, spruces, ash trees, beeches, alders, hornbeams, rowans, elms and chestnuts. There are also specimens from other latitudes, rare tulip trees and a collection of azaleas. There are eight ponds on the park grounds, and a stud farm operates nearby.

Nearby

Right next to it stands the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Pałacowa 53, Wodzisław Śląski, Kokoszyce.
• The palace is the seat of a retreat centre, and the rules for entering the interiors and the park are set by the manager, that is, the Archdiocese of Katowice. Check them before a visit.