From the 18th century, Antonin was owned by the princes Radziwiłł. It was the largest fish farm in Poland, with an area of nearly 700 ha / 1700 acres. The summer hunting lodge was built in 1824. It has an interesting shape. It stands on a Greek cross plan, with the octagonal interior with one central pillar decorated with hunting trophies. Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł was a patron of the arts, among his friends were Goethe and Beethoven. The young pianist and composer Fryderyk Chopin was invited to Antonin twice. During his second visit in 1829, Chopin composed Polonaise in C major, Op. 3 dedicated to the prince and his daughter Wanda.
One of the successive heirs of Antonin, Michał called the Red, caused the Radziwiłłs' a bad fame. He led a carefree lifestyle. Despite his Lithuanian-Polish origin, he always considered himself as a German. When World War II broke out, Michał Radziwiłł welcomed the invaders as "liberators" and presented hunting lodge in Antonin to Adolf Hitler.
