Jan III Sobieski and his family left behind residences that to this day impress not only with their architecture, but also with their remarkable history. The estates of the king and his descendants stretched not only across the territory of present-day Poland, but also beyond its borders, encompassing the lands of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and other corners of Europe. This guide takes the reader on a journey in the footsteps of the Sobieski family, presenting places closely associated with the life and activities of the monarch and his family. It shows both the splendour of the era in which the family played a key role and the later history of the buildings associated with them. The first part is devoted to the Sobieski family residences, which are symbols of their power and influence. The second part introduces selected buildings related to John III's wife, Queen Maria Kazimiera, and his children - scattered across different parts of Europe. In this way, the guide becomes not only a testimony to a bygone era, but also a story of the Sobieski legacy that has survived the centuries.

PART 1

1. the castle in Żółkiew
Zhovkva was the favourite residence of John III Sobieski, being not only a political and military centre, but also a place rich in mementos of the king. Żółkiew was founded in 1597 by Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski, grandfather of John III. After the Sobieski family took ownership, the castle was rebuilt and fortified. The king fortified the town with modern fortifications and decorated it in the Baroque style. It was here that he brought his many war trophies, including captured Turkish banners after the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Zhovkva was also the site of the ceremony where Louis XIV awarded John III Sobieski the Order of the Holy Spirit and the celebration of the victory at Vienna. After the death of King Jan III Sobieski, his sons inherited Zhovkva, but over time the town passed into the hands of other owners. In the 18th century, under the rule of successive magnate families, the castle gradually declined, and in the 19th century the Austrians converted it into military barracks.

Today, Zhovkva Castle is under the care of the Lviv Art Gallery and is undergoing restoration work, including that funded by the Polonica Institute, about which we write more in a separate entry .

Other buildings related to the Sobieski family in Żółkwi
St. Lawrence Collegiate Church - founded by Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski, it became the family mausoleum during the reign of John III Sobieski. The king took care of the temple and decorated its interiors with monumental battle paintings depicting his victories, including those at Vienna and Chocim.

More information about the Collegiate Church of St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence Collegiate Church in Zhovkva

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Dominican Monastery - a foundation of Teofila Sobieska, grandmother of John III, as a votive offering for the soul of Marek Sobieski (brother of the future king). John III continued to support the monastery and incorporated it into the prestigious landscape of the family residence.

The former St Andrew's Church and Dominican Sisters' Monastery - in 1682 Jan III Sobieski brought the Dominican Sisters from Kamieniec Podolski here, funding a new residence for them and providing funds for its development.

Sobieski-szul synagogue - in 1687, Jan III Sobieski issued a privilege allowing Jews to build a brick synagogue in Zhovkva and allocated considerable funds for this purpose. To this day, the building bears his name. There were also monuments to Jan III Sobieski and Stanislaw Żółkiewski in the town - destroyed by the Soviets in 1940, they were a key part of the landscape of Żółkiew as a city of the triumph of Polish arms. Today, Zhovkva remains one of the most important places associated with Jan III Sobieski and his family, uniting the memory of his victories and the importance of his family for the history of Poland.

2. the castle in Podhorce

Podhorce, located in today's Ukraine, was one of the residences of Jan III Sobieski. The castle itself, built in 1637-1640 on the initiative of Grand Crown Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski, combined residential and defensive functions, referring to the Italian palazzo in fortezza style. It was designed by the Italian architect Andrea dell' Aqua, and its construction was supervised by Mikołaj Silvestri and Johann Ludwig von Wolzogen.

After the death of Stanisław Koniecpolski, Podhorce remained in the hands of his descendants until 1682, when the last of the family, Stanisław Koniecpolski, handed it over to the Sobieski family. John III Sobieski took over the already dilapidated residence and took care of its conservation. During the Sobieski era, a monumental staircase was added at the main entrance and side loggias on the first floor. The garden on the lowest terrace of the chateau was transformed into a figery. However, as early as 1717, the inventory noted the poor technical condition of the chateau and the neglected garden. In 1718. Konstanty Sobieski sold Podhorce to Stanisław Mateusz Rzewuski. Under the Rzewuskis, the residence experienced a period of splendour - it became one of the most important cultural centres of the Republic. Wacław Rzewuski organised a theatre here, rebuilt the palace, and in 1752-1766 St Joseph's Church was built on its axis. After 1865, Podhorce became the property of the Sanguszko family, who opened the palace to the public. In the inter-war period Roman Sanguszko undertook renovation work. Unfortunately, during World War II the interiors were looted and after the war the building was used as a tuberculosis hospital. In 1956, the palace burnt down. Today, the monument remains in ruins, although since 1997 it has been under the care of the Lviv Art Gallery.

More information about the castle in Podhorce

3. Olesko Castle
Olesko Castle is one of the key sites associated with Jan III Sobieski, as it was here, on 17 August 1629, that the future King of Poland was born. Olesko was owned by the Daniłowicz family, and through the marriage of Teofila Daniłowiczówna to Jakub Sobieski, the estate passed into the hands of the Sobieski family. John III Sobieski, already as a ruler, took special care of his birthplace. The castle passed into the hands of lessees several times, was destroyed by Cossack and Tartar invasions, but it was Sobieski who undertook to renovate it and restore its splendour. Together with Queen Maria Kazimiera, he took care of the renovation of the interior decoration, especially the castle chapel, as well as the revitalisation of the garden and ponds around the castle.

After the king's death, his son Jakub Sobieski sold Olesko to the Rzewuskis, which initiated a period of gradual decline of the castle. In the 19th century, as part of an initiative to commemorate the relief of Vienna, a civic committee bought the castle from private owners to make it a national monument to Jan III Sobieski. Unfortunately, it was devastated by Russian troops during the First World War, and further damage was brought by the Second World War. So, on this topic we write in the article about the castle in Olesko .

Today, Olesko Castle is one of the branches of the Lviv Art Gallery, and its interiors house a collection of ancient art, including exhibits relating to the Sobieski era.

Objects connected with Sobieski in Olesko

St Anne's Castle Chapel - renovated by John III Sobieski, it is distinguished by its Baroque décor and beautiful wall paintings.
The castle courtyard - a place of historical gatherings and important events connected with the Sobieski family.
Memorial plaque with the coat of arms of the Daniłowicz family - a reminder of the founders of the castle and their connection with the Sobieski family.
Castle garden and ponds - restored on the initiative of Queen Maria Kazimiera, they were an integral part of the Sobieski residence.

4 The Royal Tenement House in Lviv
. The Royal House, located in the eastern frontage of the Lviv Market Square, is the former residence of the Sobieski family and King John III. In 1640 it was purchased by Jakub Sobieski, father of the future king, and after his death it was managed by Teofila Sobieska. Jan Sobieski often resided there, and during his reign the cloisters in the courtyard were extended. The building also served a commercial function - its ground floor housed shops rented out to merchants, and the cellars were used to store honey from the monarch's apiaries. After the king's death, the building continued to be in the hands of his family, including Queen Maria Kazimiera and Prince Alexander. In the 18th century, it passed into the hands of the Rzewuskis, becoming part of their city residence, where opera performances were organised. By the end of the 18th century, the building was already regarded as a memento of John III Sobieski, as evidenced by the plaque with the inscription "AEDES OLIM IOANNIS III REGIS POLONIAE" (The seat once belonging to John III, King of Poland). You can read about the royal house and its inhabitants in a separate article . In the 19th and 20th centuries it was the subject of numerous renovations, and in 1908 it was transformed into the King John III National Museum, now continued by the Lviv Historical Museum. The Royal House remains to this day a symbol of the Sobieski family's presence in Lviv and their heritage.

5. the Hunting Mansion in Yavorivtsy
. Yavorov, a town located on the Shklov River, was an important part of the Sobieski estate in Red Ruthenia. John III Sobieski had a special fondness for this town, as it was here that he gained his first experience in managing a landed estate. In 1675, he concluded a secret treaty of alliance with France against the Hohenzollerns and Austria in Yavorov, and in 1676 he prepared for war with the Turks. In 1684, during the preparations for the recapture of Kamieniec Podolski, Yavorov became a place for diplomatic meetings between the monarch and the deputies of Spain, Austria and Venice.

There were two important Sobieski residences in Yavorov - a wooden castle and a hunting lodge. The castle, surrounded by ramparts and a moat, was a fortified residence with wooden residential buildings and numerous utility rooms. It included a chapel, gardens and a pond. The hunting manor, built on a hill, served the king during his many hunts. Surrounded by linden trees, it had distinctive vaulted windows and a main door leading into the hallway on the west side.

Unfortunately, both the castle and the manor house have not survived to the present day. The castle was demolished in the 18th century and the remnants of the hunting manor were transformed into the residence of the Dębicki family, which still existed before World War II. Despite the destruction, Jaworów remains a place of great historical significance, strongly associated with the figure of John III Sobieski. You can also find information about the hunting lodge in this entry .

6 Złoczów Castle
The castle in Zloczów, located in what is now Ukraine, was one of the favourite residences of John III Sobieski. The stronghold was built in the years 1634-1636 by his father, Jakub Sobieski. Built according to the fortification principles of the Old Dutch school, the castle was quadrilateral in shape with four bastions in the corners and surrounded by a deep moat. Its grounds included the palace, the gate building and the so-called Chinese pavilion, decorated with the Janin coat of arms.

John III Sobieski renovated the castle after the destruction of the Cossack wars. In 1672, the building was seized by the Turks, but soon returned to Polish hands. In 1675, the fortress defended itself against a Tartar attack, and in 1690 Sobieski personally survived a siege by a Tartar czambul here. The castle gardens were also renovated during his reign. After the king's death, the residence passed to his descendants and then to the Radziwill family. In the 19th century, Count Lukasz Komarnicki saved the building from ruin by turning it into his main residence. In later years, the castle served military and penitentiary functions - during the Second Republic there was a prison here, and during World War II the NKVD executed Polish and Ukrainian prisoners within its walls. After 1954, the castle was turned into a museum and underwent numerous renovations.

Today, the castle houses the State Museum-Reserve "Zloczow Castle", which is a branch of the Lviv Art Gallery. The Chinese pavilion houses the Museum of Eastern Cultures. Read more about Zlocow Castle in this article.

7 Old Siole Castle
Stary Siole Castle, although mainly associated with the Ostrogski and Zaslavski families, also had links with the Sobieski family in the 17th century. After the death of Władysław Dominik Zasławski-Ostrogski in 1656, his son Aleksander Janusz Zasławski-Ostrogski came under the care of his mother, Catherine Sobieska, sister of John III Sobieski. It was she who managed the Starosielsk estate until her son came of age.

The castle, which was one of the largest strongholds in Ukraine, played an important role in the 17th-century conflicts. In 1655, it withstood a siege by Bohdan Khmelnytsky's army, and in 1672 it was not captured by the Turks. Catherine Sobieska, as administrator of the castle, took care of its maintenance and defence. After her death, the Starosielsk estate passed into the hands of the Lubomirskis, and the castle itself gradually fell into disrepair. In the 19th century, the building was converted into a brewery and warehouse, which accelerated its deterioration. The ruins of the palace and part of the ramparts have survived to this day. You can read about the castle in Starý Sioľ in this text.

PART 2
John III Sobieski and his family left their traces not only in the lands of the Commonwealth, but also in Western Europe. Of particular importance here was Queen Maria Kazimiera (Marysieńka), who, after the death of her husband, moved first to Rome and then to France. Other sites include buildings associated with Teresa Kunegunda Sobieska.

Italy
Rome

1. Tempietto of Maria Kazimiera
After arriving in Rome in 1699, Maria Kazimiera took up residence in the Odescalchi Palace and then in the Palazzo Zuccari. In 1711, the Tempietto, a loggia-portico opening the palace to the Piazza Trinità dei Monti, was built at her behest. The structure, attributed to Filippo Juvara, served as a theatre lodge for concerts and performances organised by the Queen. You can read more in this article .

2 Palazzo Zuccari and Arco della Regina
Between 1702 and 1714 Maria Kazimiera lived in Palazzo Zuccari, known as the 'House of Monsters' (Casa dei Mostri). In 1702 she obtained permission to build a wooden bridge over via Felice, the Queen's Arch (Arco della Regina), which connected Palazzo Zuccari with her gardens at Villa Torres. The bridge was also a stage for the orchestra during concerts and operas organised by the Queen.

3rd Palazzo Chigi-Odescalchi

It was built to a design by Carlo Maderno for the Colonna family, and rebuilt in 1665 by Lorenzo Bernini in collaboration with Carlo Fontana. In 1661 the palace was sold to Pope Alexander VII of the Chigi family. Since 1745 it has been in the possession of the Odescalchi family, to which it still belongs today. From 1699 to 1701 the palace was home to Marie Kazimiera d'Arquien, widow of John III Sobieski, together with her three sons and numerous court. Within the walls of the residence, the queen hosted poets and actors, and also received Pope Clement XI. In the second half of the 19th century, the palace was home to Zofia Branicka (d. 1886), sister of Count Katarzyna Potocka and wife of Duke Livio III Odescalchi. During this period, the palace again became an important meeting place for the Roman Polish community. The Vatican diplomat Wlodzimierz Czacki also resided there for several years.

4th St. Stanislaus Church

The Church of St Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr in Rome (San Stanislao dei Polacchi) is the most important Polish church in the Eternal City, founded in 1578 by Pope Gregory XIII as a pastoral centre for Poles. The temple's association with the Sobieski family was particularly strong at the end of the 17th century. Marie Kazimiera d'Arquien, widow of King John III Sobieski, took care of the church during her stay in Rome in 1699-1701 and generously supported its activities. Queen Marysieńka, living in the nearby Chigi-Odescalchi Palace, visited the church and organised prayers and religious ceremonies there. The church contains numerous memorabilia related to Polish history, and during the period when Maria Kazimiera and her sons lived there, the church was the centre of Polish religious life in Rome. It was there that the Queen met with the clergy and Polish pilgrims. Two paintings depicting Jan III Sobieski and Maria Kazimiera have been preserved in the church. The church contained six medallions painted on canvas in the en grisaille technique commemorating events in the life of John III Sobieski. Four of them are now preserved in the Palazzo Barberini.

5 Palazzo Muti (formerly Palazzo del Re) Piazza Santi Apostoli

The palace was intended by Pope Clement XI as the Roman residence of the royal couple without a kingdom - James III Stuart and Maria Clementina Sobieska Stuart and their two children. Today, in front of the entrance to the courtyard, there is a plaque in Italian commemorating the stay in the palace of Cardinal Henry Stuart, son of the royal couple and the last representative of the family.

6th Basilica of the Holy Apostles (Santi Apostoli), Piazza dei Santi Apostoli

This church was the site of the funeral of Mary Clementine Sobieski-Stuart, princess and queen of England (without a kingdom), wife of the Jacobite pretender to the throne James III Stuart, who died on 18 January 1735 at the age of 33.

7th Basilica of Saint Cecilia in the Zatibirie

Mary Clementine Sobieska (1702-1735), granddaughter of John III Sobieski, was the wife of James Francis Stuart, pretender to the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland of the Stuart dynasty, stayed at the monastery several times. Souvenirs of her stays there have been preserved.

8 Villa Torres
Villa belonging to Maria Casimire

9 St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro), Vatican City
. Tombstone monument to Maria Clementina Sobieska Stuart.

10. Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Capuchin church (Santa Maria della Concezione), Via Veneto 27
Tomb of Alexander Sobieski, son of John III and Maria Kazimiera.

11th Church of Santissimo Nome di Maria, Piazza del Foro di Traiano
Memorials related to the Battle of Vienna.

France
Paris

Blois
Blois Palace
Towards the end of her life, Maria Kazimiera left Rome and moved to France. The King forbade her to come to Paris, she then took up residence at the Château Royal in Blois.

Germany
Munich
Wittelsbach Palace
Married to the Elector Maximilian II Emmanuel of Bavaria, Kunegunda Sobieska took up residence in the Wittelsbach Palace. This was the main residence of the Bavarian rulers and the place where she raised her son, later Emperor Charles VII.

2 Nymphenburg Castle
The summer residence of the Electors of Bavaria, where Kunegunda Sobieski spent much of her time with her family and court. Known for its Baroque architecture and gardens, it is one of Munich's most important sights.

3. Theatinerkirche (Theatine Church)
After her death, Kunegunda Sobieska was buried in the Theatinerkirche, one of the most important churches of the Bavarian aristocracy. On the façade is the coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, commemorating her relationship with Maximilian II Emmanuel.

4th Maximilianeum - mosaic with the Battle of Vienna
. One of the most interesting Polish artifacts related to the Battle of Vienna and the Sobieski family in Western Europe is the mosaic depicting the Battle of Vienna, located in the Maximilianeum in Munich.

The Maximilianeum is a monumental building built between 1857 and 1874 on the initiative of King Maximilian II of Bavaria. Originally intended as a foundation to support the education of talented students, it has been the seat of the Bavarian Landtag since 1949. The façade of this edifice features mosaics illustrating the history of Bavaria, including a depiction of the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

In the central part of the mosaics, one can see King John III Sobieski, shown wearing his characteristic fur cap with heron feather, riding a horse. Next to him is Maximilian I Emanuel Wittelsbach, later father-in-law of Kunegunda Sobieska, who points with his hand in the direction of the attack. The scene highlights both the heroism of the Polish monarch and the role of the future Elector of Bavaria in the victory over the Turks.
The mosaic was executed in 1902, based on a fresco by the German painter Feodor Dietz (1813-1870). His original oil sketch was created as early as 1858, depicting the battle as a key event in European history.

Austria
Vienna - Kahlenberg

Commemoration of the Sobieski family on the Kahlenberg
Kahlenberg is the symbolic site of John III Sobieski's victory over the Turks in 1683. It is commemorated by:
. Chapel of John III Sobieski - in the reconstructed church on Kahlenberg there is a chapel dedicated to the victorious king. Paintings by Jan Henrik Rosen - one of the side chapels depicts scenes from the siege of Vienna, also commemorating the Sobieski family. Since 1906, the church has been under the care of the Polish Resurrectionist priests, continuing the memory of the Sobieski family's role in history. You can read about the Polish traces on Kahlenberg in a separate article .