Palace at Żyrowa. Transformations from the 15^th to Early 20^th Centuries

The paper presents the results of research carried out in the palace at Żyrowa. The introduction discusses the architecture of the palace, analyses source references to the site and identifies successive owners. The architectural research into technology, building material and architectural detail, as well as iconographic studies were the basis for the considerations. They gave grounds for the identification of the oldest building that dates back to the Gothic period and of the scope of the Mannerist expansion that was carried out in 1631–44 by Count Melchior Ferdinand de Gaschin. The scope of the Baroque and new-style transformations in the early 20^th century is also discussed. The summary emphasizes the uniqueness of the layout which stands out from other Silesian residences in terms of size, programme and architecture.