The first castle in Głogówek was built by the Piasts from the Opole line probably in the 13th century. In the years 1532-1561, the Zeidlitz family took the castle over from the previous owners; in 1561 it was in possession of the Oppersdorffs. They decided to demolish the Gothic building and replace it with a Renaissance structure which has survived - only with minor transformations - to the present day.
The first project was the upper castle with the duke’s chamber and corner towers (1561-1606); from 1606, the lower castle was developed along with a chapel. In the years 1743-1781, the sough wing of the lower castle was expanded and Baroque detailed were added; in the mid-19th century, part of the castle was rebuilt under the supervision of an architect named Gluck.
During the Swedish invasion in 1655, the castle was home to King Jan Kazimierz and his court, and in 1806 it was visited by Ludwig van Beethoven fleeing from the Napoleon’s army.In 1945 the last member of the Oppersdorff family left the castle which has ever since changed hands and has served different functions: youth hostel, regional museum, art gallery, and culture centre. Today, the building is owned by the municipality again and restoration works are underway.
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The Broch of Gurness is an Iron Age broch village. Settlement here began sometime between 500 and 200 BC. At the centre of the settlement is a stone tower or broch, which once probably reached a height of around 10 metres. Its interior is divided into sections by upright slabs. The tower features two skins of drystone walls, with stone-floored galleries in between. These are accessed by steps. Stone ledges suggest that there was once an upper storey with a timber floor. The roof would have been thatched, surrounded by a wall walk linked by stairs to the ground floor. The broch features two hearths and a subterranean stone cistern with steps leading down into it. It is thought to have some religious significance, relating to an Iron Age cult of the underground.
The remains of the central tower are up to 3.6 metres high, and the stone walls are up to 4.1 metres thick.