Palace

The palace in Pieńków was built in 1851 by Heinrich Friedrich von Below. It was a single-story building with a hipped roof. The palace housed a mysterious Prayer Hall. An interesting story is connected to the history of the von Below family, involving the establishment by the ruling family of a new faith—the Belowian sect. This took place in the first half of the 19th century. The sect gained many followers in the Sławno and Słupsk regions. In 1820, its founders broke definitively with the established church and argued that the clergy of the time had lost their faith and had become mere officials. Members of the sect conducted their own services in private homes, read the Bible and religious texts, and even performed wedding ceremonies. Local authorities were alarmed by the rapid growth of this new religious movement. Fines were imposed on the Belowians, and numerous inspections were conducted. All of this led to the movement’s successors returning to the Protestant faith after the founders’ deaths.

The palace acquired its current form in the early 20th century, between 1906 and 1907. Gerhard Heinrich Filip von Below built a new residence, incorporating part of the old palace. The thoroughly remodeled section of the old residence became the core of the new palace. It was constructed in an eclectic style under the direction of Słupsk architect Eduard Koch. The palace is situated in beautiful surroundings on Lake Pieńkowskie, within a park featuring an interesting mix of trees. An impressive avenue of English oaks leads up to the palace from the east. The palace is a monumental, three-story building. It has retained its original charm to this day.

The last owner of the palace in 1945 was Sybilla Schach von Wittenau—the daughter of Gerhard Heinrich Philip von Below, the palace’s builder—who lived here with her family after her father’s death. The family committed suicide upon learning that the Russians were approaching Pieńków. The graves of Sybilla, her husband, and Gerhard Heinrich Philip’s wife, Ewa, are located within the park.

Since 1994, the palace has been in private hands. After World War II, it served as the headquarters of, among others, the State Breeding Center; it also housed a cafeteria, a community center, and a library. The palace is not open to the public, but it is clearly visible from the road.