The history of the Castle in Otmuchów dates back to the 12th century, when Pope Hadrian gave authority to the land to the Bishop of Wrocław, including the castle. Throughout the next centuries the castle gained its significance, when Bishop Preczlaw of Pogarell called Otmuchów the capital of the Duchy of Bishops. The castle changed its architectural style to that of the Renaissance during reconstruction work in the seventeenth century. In 1810 the partially devastated south-eastern wing of the residence was deconstructed. Currently two wings of the castle survive, both having four levels.
After the secularisation in 1810, the castle was left in ruins, while the lands were given off to the powerful House of Humboldt; the Duke of Humboldt used the material from the former, other two wings to repair the currently standing reconstructed wings. In the location of the former wings, the owner built a small castle-garden, while his brother Alexander von Humboldt sent in exotic trees, such as the smoketree, ginkgo, or the Canadian lime tree.
One of the most unusual parts of the residence's interior is located in the castle's two small cells of death, where prisoners were told to enter, and fall down a 20-metre drop, where there is a scripture Go you are free (Idź jesteś wolny); the sudden drop let to the stone courtyard with a sharpened birch perch.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.