Sztynort

Sztynort, known by its German name (Groß) Steinort, is a settlement in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, located on Lake Sztynorckie, on a peninsula between lakes Dargin, Kirsajty, and Mamry. The village, whose history dates back to the 14th century, was associated with the Lehndorff family from 1420 to 1944, a family with roots in the Chełmno Land. The first palace, which stood in a different location, was destroyed in the 16th century, and a second structure built between 1554 and 1572 burned down during the Swedish Deluge. A new, two-story palace was constructed between 1689 and 1691, funded by Countess Maria Eleonora von Dönhoff. The surrounding park, designed by her, was rich in sculptures and featured formal oak avenues. In the 19th century, the estate, managed by three Lehndorffs named Karl, fell into decline, but it was saved from ruin by the wife of one of them, Anna, who introduced architectural changes and initiated the creation of a fideicommissum. In the Lehndorff family mausoleum, built around 1830, were the family graves, and the chapel also served the wider community. After World War II, the palace was shared by the Lehndorff family and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Third Reich. Heinrich von Lehndorff, the last representative of the family, modernized the estate until the outbreak of the war. In 1945, the palace avoided destruction, but its overall condition deteriorated after the war. During the Polish People's Republic, it served as a canteen for a state farm (PGR), and after 1989, it fell into further disrepair. In 2009, the property was transferred to the Polish-German Foundation for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, which began preservation work. Although not fully renovated, the palace remains an important cultural and historical site in the region, especially in the context of the Great Masurian Lakes. An interesting fact is that one of Heinrich von Lehndorff's daughters, Vera, became a famous 1960s model known as Verushka. Currently, changes are planned in the area, including the construction of houses by the new landowner, which puts the future of the Sztynort Palace to the test.