Krzyżtopór castle is one of the most beautiful and mighty 17th century polish Residences. It has stayed in ruin since the Polish-Swedish wars. The castle was raised in the years 1626-1644 for Sandomierz Voivode Krzysztof Ossoliński according to a design by Wawrzyniec Senes. The residence had a form of a castle placed inside a pentagon fortress with bastions; outside the ramparts there was a garden . Krzyżtopór castle conjoins the elements of Mannerist style with those of early Baroque and local styles. Its name contains a puzzle referring to the krzyż (cross), a counter-reformation symbol of faith and the topór (axe), a family coat of arms; the representations of both objects made of black marble mound guard over the entrance into the castle yard. Stories would go from mouth to mouth about the extraordinary ostentation of the building which was supposed to have as many windows as many days, as many rooms as many weeks, and as many halls as many months in a year, and in one of the halls the ceiling contained a gigantic aquarium.