Malec

Malec is a historic village located in southern Poland within the administrative district of Gmina Kęty, Oświęcim County, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Situated at an elevation of 270 meters, the settlement has roots tracing back to the early 13th century. Historically, it fell under the jurisdiction of the Duchy of Oświęcim, a feudal state established in 1315 and ruled by a local branch of the Piast dynasty. The village first appeared in written records under the name Malyecz in a document dated February 21, 1457, which recorded the sale of the duchy to the Polish Crown. Prior to this integration, the region had briefly served as a fief of the Kingdom of Bohemia starting in 1327.

The architectural and political landscape of Malec evolved significantly over the centuries following its medieval origins. In 1564, the territory was fully incorporated into Poland as part of the Silesian County within the Kraków Voivodeship. The village later experienced foreign rule after the First Partition of Poland in 1772, becoming part of the Austrian Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. It returned to Polish sovereignty after World War I and the collapse of Austria-Hungary, only to be annexed by Nazi Germany at the onset of World War II before finally being restored to Poland. Today, Malec remains an active rural community with a population of approximately 1,239 residents. While specific details regarding a standalone castle structure are not explicitly detailed in the available records, the village itself stands as a testament to the complex feudal history and shifting borders of the Silesian and Lesser Poland regions.