Ogrodzieniec Castle aka Sodden Hill – Visit The Witcher Castle in Poland!

News from The Continent! Witcher Fans, did you know you can visit Sodden Battlefield in Poland? 

As a huge fan of The Witcher, there is nothing I love more than chasing down filming locations from the show.

On my recent trip to Krakow, I discovered that Ogrodzieniec Castle was just a few hours away from there.

If you didn’t know, this is The Witcher Castle that featured as Sodden Hill during the last episodes of series one where Aretuza mages fight Nilfgaardian forces.

I knew that I simply had to go so I embarked on a wild adventure to the Trail of the Eagle’s Nests to visit a part of the Witcherverse.

I highly recommend visiting this impressive medieval castle, even if you aren’t a fan. It’s a romantic ruin that will transport you back in time. 

Here is a complete guide for visiting The Witcher Castle in Poland aka Zamek Ogrodzieniec.

Was The Witcher filmed in Poland? 

Yes, a part of The Witcher series was filmed in Poland near the royal city of Krakow. 

The popular Netflix series has used many locations around the world to recreate places like Nilfgaard, Aretuza, Oxenfurt and Cintra.

The producers of the show also wanted to film a small part in Poland as a nod to Andrzej Sapkowski, the author of The Witcher series.

After lots of location scouting, they decided on the evocative medieval ruins of Ogrodzieniec Castle.

Ogrodzieniec Castle Witcher filming location

Ogrodzieniec Castle was chosen as the filming location for the dramatic Battle of Sodden Hill.

During series 1, episode 8 ‘Much More’, we see the castle as the elven keep where the mages gather to fight off Nilfgaardian forces.

Many of the scenes were filmed with the actors and actresses onsite such as Anya Chalotra who plays Yennefer, Anna Shaffer who plays Triss and Therica Wilson-Read who plays Sabrina. 

But, many of the more explosive action scenes feature their stunt doubles and CGI. 

As Geralt of Rivia wasn’t present for the battle, Henry Cavill didn’t visit the Witcher Castle in Poland *sniff*. 

Either way, it’s still very cool to explore the castle featured in the show and it’s a must-visit for Witcher fans!

Ogrodzieniec Castle history 

Of course, Ogrodzieniec Castle was here in Poland before the world of The Witcher.

Although the castle ruins we see today originate from the 14th century, there were fortifications built here as early as the 12th century.

This was constructed during the reign of Boleslaus III and was destroyed during the Mongol Invasion.

A new and stronger Gothic castle was constructed in the 14th century for the wealthy Włodek Sulima family.

After that, there were several owners including some townsmen from Cracovia, a rector of Przemysl and the notable Pilecki and Chełmiński families. 

Jan Boner later owned the castle in 1523 and then passed it to his nephew Seweryn Boner who converted it into a renaissance castle in the 1530s. 

You can still see many of the original frescoes inside the ruins today.

It was then taken over by the Habsburg Empire, owned by the Męciński family and later destroyed by Swedish Troops.

Several families lived at the castle in the 19th century but dismantled much of the old fort for building materials leaving it a ruin. 

After WWII, the castle was nationalised and work began to convert the keep into a tourist attraction in 1949. 

It finally opened to the public as a museum in 1973 and is still a very popular attraction that you can visit in Poland today. 

But, look out, according to legend this castle is haunted by the “Black Dog of Ogrodzieniec”. The beast can be seen prowling the ruins at night time!

The hound is thought to inhabit the soul of Stanisław Warszycki, a Castellan of Kraków.

He had a penchant for torture and there’s a small exhibition with a few of his favourite methods inside.

How to get to The Witcher Castle in Poland

Zamek Ogrodzieniec is located in the small village of Podzamcze in the south of Poland in an area called the Polish Jura. 

It’s located on Castle Mountain or Góra Zamkowa which is just over 515 metres high.

It forms part of the Trail of the Eagles Nests which is a marked hiking trail of 25 medieval castles that you can visit between Częstochowa and Kraków.

The easiest way to visit the castle would be to drive as it’s in quite a remote area. There are plenty of paid car parks when you arrive. 

The journey will be around 90 minutes from Krakow or 50 minutes from Katowice. 

How to visit Ogrodzieniec Castle by public transport 

If you’re not driving or able to rent a car, it is possible to visit the castle with public transport. 

According to the website, they recommend getting a train from Krakow to Olkusz and then a taxi to the castle.

But, I would recommend getting a train to Zawiercie and then a bus to Podzamcze or a taxi. Zawiercie is much closer.

I managed to get a taxi to Ogrodzieniec Castle but I wasn’t able to get one back as it was Sunday and the area didn’t have any buses or taxi service.

I was panicking as I thought I would be stranded in the town but luckily a kind barkeep ended up giving me a ride to Zawiercie train station.

I went to book a ticket for a direct train back to Krakow but it was entirely sold out and the last train was at 7 pm.  

So, I ended up sitting on the floor of the train the whole way back to Krakow and paid a little bit extra to buy a ticket onboard. 

But, hey, it was an adventure and I still had fun! I would get a return taxi there or just rent a car to avoid the hassle of it. 

Arriving at Ogrodzieniec Castle

When you arrive at Ogrodzieniec Castle, it’s quite a shock as you essentially walk up a big street filled with market stalls and food vans.

At first, I was worried that the castle would be too over-commercialised and lose some of its natural beauty.

But, you will be happy to know that the castle itself has been perfectly preserved and will transport you back in time to the medieval era. 

When you enter the grounds it’s a world apart from the attractions and theme parks on the road outside. 

At the very top of the street, you’ll find a tourist information centre and this is where you can buy your tickets.

Welcome to Sodden Battlefield 

As soon as I walked into the fortified walls of the castle, it was like a portal straight into The Witcherverse.

You’ll make your way up to the keep on a cobbled path and you’ll get some incredible views of the ruins on your way up. 

You will instantly recognise several locations that featured in the Battle of Sodden Hill around the grounds.

There was even a tent with a guy dressed up as a medieval monk selling all sorts of Mead and other wares. How Witcher-Coded is that?! 

Exploring the Witcher Castle ruins

As you make your way over the draw bridge under the portcullis gate, you will enter the main castle courtyard. 

From here, you make your way over to the visitor route which runs on a one-way system. 

You initially climb up several metal winding staircases and then follow a marked trail through the dramatic ruins of the castle. 

You’ll walk through several of the old rooms, clamber up and down staircases and see cannons along the battlements.

The only thing I think could have been improved is more signage about what the rooms were used for and their history. But, you can imagine!

It’s all a ruin today with no furniture inside but the gaps in the walls mean you get some incredible views of the rolling hills below. 

If you wanted the best view, I would head up to the tallest tower.

Although the climb up is a bit intimidating, it’s worth it for the amazing panorama you get. 

The whole tour took around 45 minutes to an hour depending on how long you would like to visit each of the rooms.

After your tour of the castle, you can get a souvenir gold coin in their machines!

They make a great souvenir from your visit to The Witcher Castle.

Karczma Rycerska – Knight’s Inn

If you’ve worked up a thirst on the castle trail, I would recommend heading into their bar called Karczma Rycerska (Knight’s Inn).

This only serves drinks but they have a range of locally brewed beers onsite that you can drink in their tavern.

The whole cellar is beautifully decorated with twinkling fairy lights, candles, swords and shields.

This dungeon bar felt like a tavern in the Witcherverse and you could *almost* imagine that you’re sipping a Redanian Lager in Novigrad.

Torture Chamber

After you’ve explored the main castle, you can leave the fortress and start your climb up to the Torture Chamber.

According to the museum, Stanisław Warszycki owned the castle during the 17th century and was a notorious lover of torture!

This little museum on a hillside contains all sorts of torture equipment and weapons from the Middle Ages. 

You can see things like a Nuremberg Virgin (Iron Maiden), Shame Masks and The Rack amongst other gruesome tools.

All of these delightful things would have been used as punishment and to force you to confess your crimes.

From the torture museum, you can get a great photo of Ogrodzieniec Castle from above.

It’s the best photography location in my opinion and I loved recreating the scenes.

In the Witcher series, this is where they film all the mages walking to Sodden Hill in the series to prepare for battle. 

Unique limestone rock formations 

One of the things I thought was really cool about the Ogrodzieniec Castle was the unique limestone rock formations you could see around the area.

The one nearest to the castle looked exactly like the Loch Ness Monster, a dragon or a dinosaur with a ridged back!

You can walk up to these rocks to see a free viewpoint of the castle if you don’t want to pay to go inside. 

I tried to find it from the castle itself but failed. So, I presume you can find the viewing platform by walking around the back of the fortification walls. 

Reenactments and seasonal events

The thing I loved about Ogrodzieniec Castle is the fact that they have numerous reenactment events throughout the year.

On my visit, they had a Napoleonic reenactment where you could see soldiers dressed up to perform sword tricks with their horses.

But, they often have medieval battle reenactments and special events throughout the year.

These (usually) don’t cost any extra either and come included as part of a normal entry ticket.

Every year, they also hold a The Witcher-style Midsummer event where hundreds of people gather.

They create an entire medieval village on the grounds! It looks so fun and I’d love to go one day.

Is Ogrodzieniec Castle worth visiting?

Yes, if you’re a fan of The Witcher series then you must make a visit to Ogrodzieniec Castle in Poland.

It felt surreal to be able to explore Sodden Battlefield from the Netflix show and I absolutely loved chasing down all the filming locations.

I visited on a very rainy day which was definitely a Witchery vibe and I absolutely loved the moodiness.

Even if you’re not a fan of The Witcher, I still think that this impressive castle is well worth visiting.

It’s a romantic ruin that dates back to the 12th century and has a huge history in Polish Jura!

It forms part of the Trail of the Eagle’s Nests which is a marked trail of 25 medieval castles between Częstochowa and Kraków.

So, this entire area in Poland makes a great day trip or place to spend a few days exploring.

Top travel tips for visiting The Witcher castle

• Plan your route – It’s best to plan your entire route for getting to the castle and back as it’s in quite a remote location.

• Leave 2-3 hours to explore – it’s a large castle with lots to see and do. I’d set at least 2 hours aside for your visit.

• Wear sensible shoes – the castle is very old and there are many parts which have weathered with time. Wear sensible shoes to explore!

• Accessibility – pretty much non-existent. You can visit the bottom floor easily with pushchairs/wheelchairs but if you want to explore the entire route you have to climb up lots of steps, hold onto barriers and even grab onto chains to traverse the steep, slippy and winding staircases. 

Opening times and ticket prices

If you were planning a trip to The Witcher Castle in Poland, it’s good to know that it’s open every day of the year including holidays.

You can visit Ogrodzieniec Castle anytime between 9 am and 8 pm with a last entry of one hour before closing.

Ticket prices are 26 PLN for an adult and 18 PLN for reduced entries. They also have combo tickets for the castle on Birów Mountain.

Discover the Trail of the Eagle’s Nests

After your visit to The Witcher Castle, you may wish to visit other medieval fortresses on the Trail of the Eagles Nests.

These castles all date from around the 14th century and were constructed during the reign of Casimir the Great.

On your visit, you can buy a combo ticket which includes the castle at Mount Birów nearby.

Both can be seen in one day as it’s only a 20-minute walk away albeit steep.

Unfortunately, as I visited quite late in the afternoon I didn’t have time on this occasion but it did look awesome.

If you are exploring the area by car or on foot, you can visit many other medieval castles on your way back to Krakow.

Check out the Wolf Pit Tavern in Krakow

If you wanted to eat somewhere that has medieval vibes, then I would head over to the Wolf Pit Tavern in the old town of Krakow. 

This is a ‘The Witcher’ inspired restaurant that serves up medieval fare with a fantasy theme.

The servers are all dressed up with pointed ears and swords on their backs. 

You can dine on meat from the grill surrounded by heraldic flags and armour whilst listening to medieval tunes.

I loved their cocktails as they were given to you as a potion to create! Plus, you can have a go at archery or buy some wares from their shoppe. 

They use their own currency of ducats if you want to get involved and this gives you a slight discount. But, zloty’s work just fine or you can use your ‘magic card’ for payments. 

Again, you can’t make reservations but you don’t have to wait long in the queue.

Honestly, this place was so cool and one of my favourite places I ate on my recent trip to Poland!

Other Poland Witcher locations

So far, there have been no other The Witcher filming locations in Poland. But, the Netflix series is far from being over!

However, you’ll be happy to know that you can visit places that have inspired the world of The Witcher.

Of course, Andrzej Sapkowski is Polish and many cities he loved contributed to his fantasy world for the books. 

Gamers will love that several places in Poland inspired locations in The Witcher games by CD Projekt RED.

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, you may recognise scenes from the Free City of Novigrad from the Free City of Danzig (Gdansk) including the giant crane.

Fyke Isle Tower in Velen was inspired by the Mouse Tower in Kruszwica. Also, Lindenvale was most likely inspired by the colourful Zalipie village.

Finally, many people believe that scenes in Oxenfurt were inspired by the Old Towns of Wroclaw and Krakow.

Final thoughts

Although I had a bit of a nightmare getting back to Krakow from here, I still think this was one of my favourite day trips I took in Poland.

As a Witcher fan, I was over the moon to be able to experience visiting Sodden Battlefield from the series. 

But, even if I wasn’t a fan, Ogrodzieniec Castle is such an impressive romantic ruin in the scenic countryside of Polish Jura.

The entire place will transport you back in time to the medieval era and it’s such an incredible place to spend a day.

Good Luck on the Path, friends. I’ll update you on more of my Witcher adventures very soon!

Read more of my Witcher travel guides

How to Visit Plumpton Rocks from The Witcher

How to visit Malbork Castle in Poland

Fountains Abbey – Where Yen Saves Cahir

The Witcher filming locations in Gordale Scar

Epic Witcher filming locations in the Lake District

Hodge Close Quarry – Visit Kaer Morhen in the UK

How to find Rydal Cave – The Witcher filming location

How to visit Blea Tarn from The Witcher

Low Force Waterfall – Witcher series 2 filming location

Save the Ogrodzieniec Castle Witcher filming location for later!