The best traffic-free bike rides around Piekoszów

Piekoszów can be an interesting stop on a bicycle route around Kielce. There are ruins of Jan Aleksander Tarło's palace, which was almost a copy of the Kielce bishops' palace. Although only a ruin without a roof remains of the former residence, you can still see the layout of the rooms. The history of the palace's construction is connected with an anecdote about Tarło's rivalry with the bishop of Kraków. The building is publicly accessible, but unfortunately neglected, but it can still be an interesting point on the map for history lovers.

The Miedzianka Mountains Nature Reserve is one of the most picturesque places in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, famous for its limestone rocks and former ore mining. At the top of the mountain (356 m above sea level) there are remains of former shafts and adits, as well as viewpoints with a panorama of the surrounding hills and valleys. The reserve is a great place for lovers of geology, nature and history - you can see rare xerothermic plants and traces of copper mining dating back to ancient times. The routes lead through rocky paths, so it is worth having solid footwear. This is a great destination for cycling and hiking, combining the beauty of nature with the fascinating history of the region.

Very interesting description of the history of the palace - > https://www.zamkipolskie.com/piekut/piekut.html

... along a gravel street.

The palace was built in the years 1645–1650 by Jan Aleksander Tarło. It was very similar to the Kielce residence of the Kraków bishops. It remained in the Tarło family until 1842. It burned down in the mid-19th century. Since then, despite numerous attempts, its glory has not been restored. It is sad to look at 😟

Great view

The construction of the fortified magnate residence, which was almost a copy of the Kielce palace of the Kraków bishops, is generally attributed to Jan Aleksander Tarło, the voivode of Sandomierz and Lublin. This aristocrat from Lesser Poland, patron of the arts, writer and diplomat married Princess Anna Czartoryska in 1653 and the foundation of the new residence may have been connected with this event. The following anecdote provides a slightly different reason for the construction of the palace. At a reception organised by the Kraków bishop Jakub Zadzik in his Kielce residence, the proud host contemptuously refused the voivode's invitation, adding with his innate modesty: "I don't go to cottages". The offended Tarło retorted: "I therefore invite your Excellency to Piekoszów in two years, to the same palace that you have here, your Excellency". Two years later, a building built strictly according to Kielce dimensions was erected in Piekoszów. The palace was built in the years 1645-50. According to tradition, it cost the founder as much as 30 villages from his estate. Tarło also ordered a small palace to be built near the new residence, which was to be a name-day gift for his wife. Another local legend is associated with this apartment, as if in the middle of summer, a capricious housewife requested to be taken to him by sleigh. Under the pressure of her lamentations, her husband finally gave up and ordered the road to be salted. Piekoszów remained in the hands of the Tarłos until 1842, being inhabited throughout the time. Later, it changed owners several times. In the mid-19th century, the palace burned down and was never rebuilt. To this day, all that remains of the Tarłos' former seat is a roofless, picturesque ruin with a well-preserved internal division. The building is publicly accessible, which clearly does not serve it well. Its interior serves as a garbage dump, there are also traces of bonfires and a lot of human excrement. It's a pity that no one is taking care of this beautiful monument. In place of the former garden now grows grain.