What happened
Krzyżtopór in Ujazd was one of the largest aristocratic residences in Europe before Versailles. Krzysztof Ossoliński, voivode of Sandomierz, built it until 1644 and died less than a year later. His only son, Krzysztof Baldwin, was killed in 1649 at the Battle of Zborów, and during the Swedish Deluge the palace was plundered. Locals say that on moonlit nights two ghosts meet on the walls: a knight in armour on a black horse, identified with Krzysztof Baldwin, and a white female figure, said to be the founder's last wife. Other accounts have the apparition crossing a stone bridge at night. Some years ago a group of tourists from Kielce took a photo in which some saw a figure in a black habit – their guide suggested it might be the founder himself, doing penance for his sins. The building's symbolism has fed the legend too: supposedly as many windows as days in the year and as many halls as weeks.
Witnesses
Residents of Ujazd, guides and tourists; the photo of the “ghost in a habit” was reported by Radio Kielce.
Explanations and hypotheses
The history of the Ossoliński family and of the castle's destruction is well documented: the Swedes plundered it in 1655, and in 1770 it was burned by Russian troops fighting the Bar Confederates. The calendar-like numbers of windows and halls are more likely a later tale than a confirmed design intention. Photos of “ghosts” in the ruins are an example of pareidolia – the tendency to see figures in shadows and textured walls. The site's managers now run night tours with illumination.
Legend A story handed down through generations – it can be neither confirmed nor disproved.
Sources
More: Wikipedia (pl) Wikipedia (en)