Udórz Castle

Udórz Castle is the ruin of a knightly stronghold on Zamczysko hill, above the Udorka stream, on the south-eastern edge of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. It belongs to the system of the Eagles' Nests.

What is known of the castle's history

The castle was probably built in the 14th or 15th century. Its founder is thought to be Iwo of Obiechowa of the Wieniawa coat of arms. A document from 1232 mentions the village but not the castle. After 1581 the estate passed from Mikołaj Długosz to Andrzej Koryciński. At the end of the 18th century an entry in the registers of the parish in Pilica recorded only traces of ruins.

What remains on the hill

Excavations in 1987-1988 and 1990 uncovered fortifications on the plan of an irregular pentagon. No traces of buildings were found inside, so the castle may never have been finished. The eastern fortifications may go back to the Lusatian culture. To this day fragments of two stone walls and earthworks can be seen on the beech-covered hill.

Nearby

The nearest castles on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests are Smoleń Castle and Żarnowiec Castle.

Practical information

• Location: the village of Udórz, Żarnowiec municipality, Zawiercie County.
• Reach it by the yellow trail from the village; the climb is steep. Ruins and ramparts survive, with no interiors to visit.