Kielce was the property of the Kraków bishops from the 12th century through to 1789. This palace was built (from 1637 onwards) as one of their seats and remains a testament to the richness of that era. The highlight of a visit is the restored 17th- and 18th-century interiors, which still feel very lived in. Be sure to ask at the admission counter for a free (and excellent) English-language booklet on the sights. With the cathedral, this compound is reason enough to visit Kielce.
The centrepiece of the permanent exhibition is the former dining hall, where the whole brood of bishops stare down from their 56 portraits. The rest of this cavernous, multilevel museum leads through collections of porcelain and historical armour, and various centuries and genres of Polish painting.
