Krasków

Krasków, also known as Kratzkau, is a small village located in Lower Silesia, in the Świdnica County, within the administrative district of Marcinowice. Its history dates back to the mid-13th century when the settlement was established as a knight's estate with a fortified castle surrounded by a moat. The first mention of the village comes from a papal document of 1250, where it was referred to as "Crazcov," a name later Germanized to Kratzkau. Initially, the village belonged to the bishops of Wrocław and the abbey on Piasek Island, and subsequently passed into the hands of various noble families, including the von Seidlitz and von Zedlitz lineages. In 1746, a palace was built by Count David Sigismund von Zedlitz und Leipe on the site of the former castle, which had been destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. Designed in the Baroque style by Fischer von Erlach, the palace was surrounded by romantic gardens, realized by the famous landscape architect Peter Lenné in the mid-19th century. Despite suffering war damage and a period of neglect during the Polish People's Republic era, the residence was restored in 1992 by an Austrian antiquarian, who transformed it into a luxury hotel. The adjacent service buildings now house a Polish-German kindergarten. With only 53 inhabitants today, Krasków is the smallest village in the Marcinowice municipality. Its architecture, the history of its fascinating palace, and its beautiful surroundings attract culture and history enthusiasts. From 1975 to 1998, the village was administratively part of the Wałbrzych Voivodeship. Interestingly, the palace, now a tourist attraction, once witnessed centuries of transformations and various owners, making it a significant element of local history and cultural heritage.