Built between 1637 and 1641 for the Kraków bishop Jakub Zadzik, the palace is one of the few surviving examples of an early-Baroque magnate residence in Poland and the city's headline sight. The exterior is restrained — symmetrical wings, a central tower, tall sandstone window frames — but the interiors are extraordinary, with original painted beam ceilings, marble portals, and a complete cycle of bishops' portraits in the dining hall.
The palace today houses the National Museum in Kielce, with a strong collection of Polish painting, sacred art, and the celebrated Sceptre of the Bishop's Crown. The geological wing in the basement holds an impressive cabinet of minerals from the surrounding Holy Cross Mountains. Allow at least an hour and a half. The terraced garden behind the palace is open and free, and the views across to the cathedral and the old town below are the best in the city.