The castle in Bobolice, like every other fortress in Polish Jura, has its legends.
There are many of them, versions may vary depending on who is telling the story. Let me present to you some of my favorites; the ones I heard years ago when I was a little kid…
The legend of two brothers and the tragic love…
Let me present to you the first of the legends of Bobolice Castle…
Once upon a time, when both castles – Bobolice and Mirow were teeming with life, when they were full of knights and dames, there were two nobles, brothers who owned them. Bobol was the owner of Bobolice, Mir of Mirow Castle. They were not only brothers but also best friends. The legend says, they were used to spend all the time together, supporting and helping each other. Apart from enjoying their lives as manors’ owners, they also regularly participated in military campaigns organized by the king.
As they were very good fighters, the brothers always returned from the wars with precious loot; bags full of gold and gems. And they always shared everything equally. As the number of treasures was enormous, the brothers decided to build huge cellars under their castles together with a very long underground corridor to connect both fortresses. Soon after, also the corridor was full of gold… One year, during another victorious campaign one of the brothers took as a loot a beautiful princess of the conquered land. The legend says she was of Russian origin. But how to share a woman? Only one of the knights could take her as a wife…
They drew lots and the winner, Bobol, the owner of Bobolice Castle, got married to the beautiful lady. But the legend emphazises that the Russian princess preferred Mir acctually… Every time her husband was leaving the castle, she ran through the underground tunnel to meet her lover. The brothers were no more inseparable… When the lord of Bobolice was taking off on hunting or trade-trip, his brother was always seeking an excuse to stay at his manor… Within the time, betrayed husband started to feel that something wrong is going on… The behavior of his wife and brother gave rise to some doubts…
One day Bobol collected some of his carriages and servants and announced that he was leaving for some weeks to Cracow, to king’s court. He left but stopped just after a few kilometers in the forest. The jealous brother waited for the dusk and then in the dark of night, he returned unnoticed to his fortress. Unsurprisingly, he found his wife’s chambers empty… In fury, he rushed to the cellars, and in the middle of the secret tunnel, he found his love sleeping in the arms of his brother…
His anger became stronger than all the love he had in his heart. He grasped his sword and killed his disloyal brother. For his wife he prepared more severe and cruel punishment. He ordered to wall her up alive… The poor lady died after some weeks of hunger and thirst.
The story does not say what has happened with the betrayed lord… But what is sure, on moonlit nights, you may see the ghost of the princess, wearing a white, long dress, standing on the walls or tower of Bobolice Castle and looking direction Mirow… Hoping to meet again with her lover… If you are brave enough you may take a night-walk around the castle and check if this legend is true…
Some of the oldest residents of Bobolice and Mirow villages believe that there is another ghost connected to this tragic tale… I have heard a story that shortly after the Second World War, the group of youngs went to the castle hill to celebrate Saint John’s night (you may read more about these traditional Polish celebrations in this article). It was already after midnight when they heard strange noises coming from the castle’s walls… When they turned that direction they saw a black bull with red, kind of flickering, eyes… Strong wind, quite a storm came up and the stones started to roll down from the hill… The group ran in a hurry back to the village… Till today they do believe that it was a ghost of Bobol and his repenting soul transformed into a bull…
The legend of three white ladies from Bobolice Castle
Another of the legends of Bobolice Castle mentions not only one but three white ladies or ghosts, being precise, appearing on the castle’s tower.
They are supposed to be the ghosts of three young girls who died jumping out from the bastion.
It is said to happen during the time when prince Wladyslaw Opolczyk was owning the fortress. He and his companions loved spending time hunting, drinking wine, and organizing revelries. The legend says that during those hunts they “hunted” not only wild animals but sometimes also young girls from the nearby villages…
Once they kidnapped three innocent, very young girls and brought them to the fortress. When the feast started, one of the girls got out the knife hidden in the folds of her dress, attacked one of the courtiers, and together with two other girls tried to escape. They ran out of the hall and tried to find the way out from the fortress… But that was not easy… Especially that the pursuit started immediately. Poor women chose the wrong way… They were backed to the yard’s corner and at some point, the only way they had was the one up to the castle’s tower. They did not hesitate and began climbing the steep stairs. But the top of the tower was their trap… There was no way out…
Three young women in their desperation decided to jump out from the top of the bastion… None of them survived the jump…
Since then, locals believe that if you are near the castle around midnight, you may hear terrible screams and see the shadows of three girls jumping out from the tower’s higher point…
The legend of old count and his unfortunate wife
According to the third legend of Bobolice Castle, there is also another ghost showing up from time to time on the walls of this fortress.
It is said, that this is the soul of a very kind, gentle and good-hearted lady who once lived in the castle.
Many hundreds of years ago, she, just 18 years old, got married to the count, owner of the castle. The story points out that he was 42 years older than the bride. Surprisingly, the marriage was happy. The count loved his wife with all his heart and she respected him and took care of him. During the five years of their marriage, three children were born. The parents were giving all their love and affection to them. Unfortunately, the old count died when the kids were still toddlers.
Young widow rejected all the nobles courting, she decided to devote her life to her children. She kept the memories of beautiful, peaceful years of her marriage and lead the quiet, simple life in the castle.
Unfortunately, some years after two youngest children got sick and died. Poor mother, fragmented by grief and pain, remained with her oldest son Ludwik only. The old count’s family, jealous of all the wealth the young widow inherited, accused her of causing her children’s deaths. In the last will, the old count left everything to his children, but in case they die, all the assets were supposed to be given to his wife. The family accused her that by killing her little ones, she wanted to take over the fortune.
The mother was devastated… But she carried out the wish of her husband’s family and sent Ludwik, her only left son, to be raised by them. From that day on, she was spending her days thinking of him, crying in the empty chambers, waiting for the day she could see her firstborn again.
Within the time the countess developed mysterious, magical ability. Although her son was many miles away, she could see him; she knew what he was doing. She saw him playing with friends, she saw him at school, she knew when he was happy or ill. The magical bond between mother and child let her be still part of his life.
Unfortunately, on one very hot day, she saw Ludwik going to splash in the nearby pond. She froze as she knew that Ludwik could not swim… And the old guardian, who was supposed to take care of the boy, fell asleep under a nearby tree. Ludwik got in the water but never got out… The poor mother lost her last child… Her heart could not stand it. It broke and the countess died shortly after her last child…
If during the night you see a beautiful but very pale lady appearing on the castle’s walls, that will be the ghost of the unfortunate mother coming back to her earthy estate… But please, do not be afraid of her – everybody in the area of Bobolice believes that meeting the “pale lady” brings good luck… So maybe it is worth trying to spot her?