At the southern edge of the Lubusz Voivodeship, we find a true tourist gem, somewhat forgotten and underrated yet so beautiful - the Manor Park in Iłowa.
The Manor Park in Iłowa is an extraordinary place, ideal for a romantic stroll among gardens of various types with lush and diverse vegetation.
The park features waterways inhabited by birds and charming ponds, and a Chinese garden has been created on one of these ponds.
In May, when the rhododendrons bloom, romantic pathways reminiscent of a period film lead through a garden full of flowers, shrubs, and trees of exceptional value.
The park covers an area of 12.5 hectares and on its grounds stands a historic palace built in 1626, later expanded and modernized (it currently houses a secondary school and is not open to the public).
Behind the palace, there are romantic pathways, the first Japanese and Chinese gardens in Europe, and many other unique elements. The park itself is styled after English and French landscaping designs and is enriched with 17th and 18th-century landscape architecture elements such as a fountain, walls, and a Chinese pagoda spanning a railway street.
An interesting fact is that the pagoda was built due to a dispute between a prince and his neighbor over the use of the road that led to his gardens on the other side of the street. As a result, in 1905, he constructed a bridge over the neighbor's road in the form of a decorative pagoda, the so-called "Bridge of Love," to enable unrestricted access between his estates.
In the 1930s, the park was a site for dahlia exhibitions and other horticultural achievements. To this day, the picturesque Manor Park in Iłowa captivates with its beauty and invites leisurely strolls and relaxation.
For those driving, a small parking area is available near the palace, and there are also restrooms on site.