The ruins of the palace

In the 13th century, Witnica belonged to the Cistercians. The village was granted to the monks by Barnim I in 1247. In the southern part of the village, you’ll find the ruins of a 19th-century Neo-Renaissance palace. The palace was built in 1840 by the von Oelsen family and expanded with wings in 1879. The architect of the palace is unknown. The building was erected on the site of a previous structure that had been destroyed by fire.

The palace was a two-story building with a total area of 1,256.12m². Its architecture reflected eclecticism and combined many styles. The facade features decorative cornices, risalits, Tuscan pilasters, and semicircular arched doors and windows.

After World War II, the property was taken over by the local state-owned farm (PGR). The palace was renovated twice—in 1955 and 1975. In July 1987, the building was listed as a historic monument. Three years later—on March 29, 1990—the palace burned down. No attempt was made to rebuild the structure after this event. Currently, the building can only be viewed from the outside—the walls have survived, but the window openings on the ground floor have been bricked up.

In front of the palace, the entrance gate with a coat of arms depicting a hand with a ring has also been preserved. Next to the palace, there is a landscape park and well-preserved 19th-century farm buildings.