Offering rooms with elegant interiors and modern amenities, Podewils Krag Castle stands in the Knights' Castle, overlooks the lake, and is surrounded by 2.6 hectares of lush historic parkland enclosed by a stone wall.
Inside, among the richly decorated rooms is a delightful restaurant where you can enjoy typical local dishes. Guests have access to a sauna, the large garden with children's playground and riding facilities, bicycle rentals, and many hiking and biking trails nearby.
Hotel Podewils Folwark History
In the 14th century the medieval section of the castle was located where the cellars are today, in the southern part of the east side of the castle.
Around 1580 the castle was razed and rebuilt as a Renaissance castle of a defensive nature. The cellars were modified, and a new building was erected to the east that connected to the old one and was enhanced by four towers and an attic. The attic of Krag Castle was similar to that of the castle of the Pomeranian princes in Szczecin, but unfortunately it was destroyed to make way for another floor. In the 19th century a new wing was built in the Neo-Renaissance style.
In the mid-17th century, the castle was further expanded, becoming a Renaissance castle but, this time, not defensive in nature. An extension was built on the north side and the attic was demolished in order to raise the building an additional floor.
In the late 19th century, a three-story west wing and two more one-story extensions were added to the main building to lengthen the castle. A terrace with an ornate staircase was built. A wall decorated with gates was built on the south side of the castle. The northeast wing was extended in the direction of the lake. Currently, the castle is in the shape of an inverted letter "E," and the elevations have remained unchanged since the 19th century.
The first written record of the castle dates back to 1458. At that time the building was inhabited by Anton von dem Borne. It is thought that from the year 1480 the castle became the property of the Podewils family as a favor of a Pomaran prince. Related to this event is the following legend: when the Koszalinians attacked the castle of Prince Boguslaw X, he was in danger of losing his head were it not for the prompt reaction of Adam Podewils who saved his life. In gratitude for this gesture, Krag Castle was given by the prince to Adam Podewils along with the surrounding land. It was originally the prince's hunting lodge. The Renaissance character of the castle is due to Felix Podewils, who loved the style of that era.
In 1860 the castle was sold to Major Hugo van Loen for 81,500 thalers. The castle remained in his possession for only 20 years. Hugo van Loen sold the entire estate to the von Riepenhausen family (for 188 000 thalers), and legend has it that he sold it because of gambling debts. Meanwhile, the size of the estate shrank because some parts were sold and others became the property of other people.
The last owner was Dr. Karl Alexander von Riepenhausen, who married an American woman. They had a daughter who died shortly after her birth, meaning she had no heirs. Karl von Riepenhausen himself died in 1944. The castle thus remained without an owner. In March 1945 it was hit by artillery, caught fire and was badly damaged. Windows, doors, stairs, floors and everything else that could be used was stolen by looters. Being uninhabitable, all rooms were inhabited by bats, whose presence instilled great fear. The castle was left in ruins. For this reason, the castle was destined to be demolished. Loud protests from conservators of old buildings and local residents writing to local newspapers forced the people in charge to act. The castle and associated church were placed on the Register of Protected Monuments. In 1933 reconstruction began based on the original plans that still exist. The Szczecin Road and Bridge Company provided the funding, and the building was restored for use as a vacation center. Following political reforms, the castle was taken over by the local government of Polanow, which put it up for auction in the 1990s.
The castle is surrounded by 2.6 hectares of ornamental parkland extending on one side to the road and on the other, to the north, to the lake shore, which is almost perfectly circular. At the point where the park reaches the road is a wall that is one of the oldest elements of the castle property.
The small church, located near the castle, was once the castle chapel. It was built in 1580, but in the 17th and 18th centuries it was modified several times. In 1700 it was enlarged with the addition of a rest chapel, richly decorated on the outside. Looking at the chapel these days, one can clearly see its two parts: the older one, in Renaissance style, and the newer one, in Baroque style. The interior of the church is richly furnished in the Renaissance style: the pulpit and altar, the baptismal font, and the patron pews. There is also a memorial plaque in the church for soldiers who died during World War I. This plaque was restored in 1997 by Hans Kasischke, a former resident of Krag.
In the chapel are two Baroque sarcophagi: a brass one for Henryk Podewils (died 1696) and a marble one decorated with carvings for Adam Podewils (died 1697), confirming that the castle belonged to the Podewils family.