The colour of the facade of the Chęciny starosta’s manor house brings a smile on the faces of tourists travelling around the administrative district Chęciny. Delightful sight of Italian-style gardens surrounding this place makes it perfect for a nice walk. Just near you will find The Leonardo da Vinci Science Centre is an unusual point on the map of the Świętokrzyskie province – designed for youngsters to have fun in an active and inspiring way, it is an ideal spot for families with children, school groups, and even active seniors.
PARK AND PALACE COMPLEX IN PODZAMCZE CHĘCIŃSKIE
At the beginning of the seventeenth century at the site of a former estate a fortified manor house was built at the request of Chęciny district governor, Jan Branicki, Gryf coat of arms. When the Royal Castle located nearby was destroyed by the Swedes, the seat of the Checiny district governor was moved to Podzamcze in the vicinity of Chęciny. Then an outhouse was erected and a defensive residence was transformed into an elegant palace, probably designed by the architect Tylman van Gameren. Today, the original layout is retained only by a well-preserved main building of the fortified manor, an outhouse and the remains of the moat, currently used as a pond. The interior of the palace is decorated in a baroque style, preserving barrel and barrel-cross vaults. The manor has two corner alcoves, which are a characteristic element of Polish architecture of the turn of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The complex also comprises a decorative entrance gate in the form of a triumphal arch, supposedly erected to greet King Jan III Sobieski returning from Vienna. The gate was founded by Stefan Bidziński in the years 1673-1674. The Palace and Park Complex in Podzamcze Chęcińskie is the only example of such a residence from the period of the so-called Mature Baroque in the Świętokrzyskie region.
LEONARDO DA VINCI SCIENCE CENTRE
It is the only place of its kind in Poland as all the exhibitions and educational activities are focused on the healthy and proper functioning of the human body, as well as our surroundings and environment. The centre hosts the following exhibitions: Man – An Unusual Machine, Man – A Cog in the Machine of Nature and also Leonardo’s Machines. Using a variety of multimedia and mechatronic stands, these exhibitions aim to remind visitors how complex and demanding the human body is. In addition to tours around the exhibitions under the watchful eye of activity staff, the facility also has a number of rooms and laboratories where workshops and scientific classes can be organised, as well as an Experimental Garden.
