Palace

From 1337 to 1819, the estate in Smolnica was owned by the van der Marwitz family. In 1766, a palace modeled after the old magnate residences was built on the estate. However, the family soon fell into debt and was forced to sell the entire estate, including the palace, in 1819. The estate subsequently changed hands several times. In 1879, when the von Sydow family owned the estate, a fire broke out in the palace, completely destroying the building. However, the palace was quickly rebuilt and restored to its former glory. The new palace building was whitewashed and covered with ivy. The facades were adorned with stone spirals. The reconstruction of the palace meant that it was equipped with numerous amenities for that time—sewerage, running water, and central heating. In 1908, Max Freidheim became the new owner of the estate. He made many changes and modernizations to the property. The palace itself also underwent renovation and was repainted light brown in 1932. The last owner of the estate until 1945 was Friedrich Flick. Toward the end of the war, Soviet troops were stationed in the palace, which resulted in its devastation and the looting of its valuable furnishings. After the war, the palace served as housing for repatriates, a summer camp, and offices for the state-owned agricultural enterprise (PGR). In 1965, the estate was taken over by the Agriculture Department of the Szczecin Regional National Council, which established the State Agricultural Technical School in the palace. In 1983, the school was renamed the Agricultural School Complex and continues to operate under that name today.

As for the architecture itself, the palace in Smolnica was built in the Neoclassical style with Neo-Baroque elements. It is a two-story building with a usable attic. On the longer facades, we can see three-story pseudo-risers topped with triangular gables. Risers of various shapes are also visible in the gable sections. Two towers also stand out on the palace’s structure—one octagonal, the other circular. The towers contain staircases. Little of the interior furnishings has survived to the present day. The most valuable elements are the stucco decorations in the former ballroom on the ground floor of the building.

The palace can be viewed from the outside.

The former manor park, covering an area of approximately 5.3 hectares, stretches around the palace. The park was established in the 19th century. It features many interesting species of shrubs and trees. Many of the trees are over 100 years old. In the park, you can see hornbeams, linden trees, oaks, ash trees, chestnut trees, and hornbeams.