A gigantic modern-day fairytale castle has been built in Poland – but it caught the nation by surprise.

Construction of mysterious Stobnica Castle began in 2015, but there was no publicity around the building and the general public in Poland didn’t become aware of it until pictures of the vast structure went viral in 2018.

Today, the castle is almost finished, with pictures showing that it’s a breathtaking sight to behold.

Stobnica features stunning towers, turrets and vast stone walls. It is currently over 70 metres high (230ft) and around 200 metres (656ft) long, according to its website.

The castle is perched on an artificial island, created as part of its construction, on the outskirts of Notecka Forest in Western Poland, around an hour away from Poznan. 

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A gigantic modern-day fairytale castle has been built in Poland. Stobnica Castle features stunning towers, turrets and vast stone walls 

Construction of Stobnica Castle began in 2015, but the general public didn’t become aware of it until pictures of the vast structure went viral in 2018

While the castle itself is still a construction site, visitors can explore the surrounding area. Tickets are available to purchase for the nearby trails on the castle’s website, starting from 30 PLN (£5.90).

On the trip, visitors can walk through the ‘Forest Educational Trail of Stobinica Castle’, and appreciate the castle’s striking architecture up close.

An Instagram account dedicated to the castle (@stobnica.zamek) shows people enjoying the picturesque surrounds.

Visitors are pictured exploring the castle’s lake on medieval-style boats, even reaching out to touch its huge walls, while others have been captured participating in medieval-themed activities, such as archery or catapulting.

Other photos show guests dressed in medieval attire, wielding shields and recreating battles from the era.

The castle is perched on an artificial island on the outskirts of Notecka Forest in Western Poland 

The castle is currently over 70 metres high and around 200 metres long 

While the castle itself is still a construction site, visitors can explore its surrounding area. This picture was taken several years ago

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The castle’s purpose is unclear at present, and while it has been in construction for nearly a decade, there is little public information about the developers.

The castle describes itself as a ‘residential building’ on its website, with some sources claiming it is linked to doctor and entrepreneur Pawel N. However, there has been speculation that the castle could be turned into a luxury hotel.

The castle is currently embroiled in an ongoing court case, as reported by the Polish magazine ‘Architecture and Business’, to determine the castle’s use with accusations that the developers violated environmental regulations during its construction.

There is currently no confirmed date for when the castle will be completed.

This is the moment an ex-convict was greeted outside jail by a £200,000 Lamborghini after being freed under Labour’s early prison release scheme.

Around 1,700 people were let out by the controversial scheme today, with everyone eligible for release apart from violent criminals jailed for more than four years.

Photographs outside HMP Pentonville in London show a group of men gathered outside a black and red Lamborghini, including one prisoner dressed in a lakers T-shirt with his hair in dreadlocks. 

Footage then shows the luxury vehicle driving along the street, with the prisoner understood to have been picked up by either the Lamborghini or a Bentley. 

The stunning car is filmed driving slowing through a pedestrian crossing and around a bend on a busy street of cars and pedestrians. 

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An ex-convict (second to right) was greeted outside jail by a £200,000 Lamborghini today 

Footage shows the luxury Lamborghini driving off after parking up outside the prison 

A group of men gathered outside Pentonville prison in London today

The car is filmed driving slowing through a pedestrian crossing and around a bend

The prisoner (pictured) is understood to have been picked up by either the Lamborghini or a Bentley 

The driver of the car is interviewed by reporters outside the prison today 

Those set free by the scheme include hardened drug dealers, violent domestic abusers and even people who have played roles in the killing of teenagers, much to the fury of their victims’ loved ones. 

More than 5,000 are to be set loose over the next six weeks, including domestic abusers and sex offenders. 

Downing Street said the policy had to be brought in to avoid the police and courts becoming unable to lock anyone up because there were no places available.

But chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor warned some of those released would be homeless which could increase their chances of reoffending. 

Apple fans are revelling in one of their favourite occasions of the year – the announcement of a new iPhone. 

The iPhone 16 unveiled last night features new AI capabilities, camera upgrades and a boost in battery life, and is available in a range of colours. 

But it is the arrival of a brand new button on the edge of the device that is getting people most excited. 

The capture button needs to be pressed once to bring up the camera app to take photos and even delivers haptic feedback, much like a video game controller. 

Commentators have called the nifty selfie shortcut ‘incredible’ and the ‘coolest feature ever’, but other fans are sharing concerns that it won’t work with a case. 

The capture button – located on the edge of the phone to the right of the screen – needs to be pressed once to bring up the camera app to take photos

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The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus were the first two smartphones unveiled at the event, with Apple claiming they ‘mark the beginning of a new era for iPhone’

With the new iPhone 16, a solid push of the capture button – located on the edge of the phone to the right of the screen – immediately brings up the camera app, while a second push snaps a photo. 

But users can also scroll their finger back and forth along the length of the button to zoom in and out. 

Naturally, fans have started to wonder how that is ‘going to work with a case’ that’s covering the edges of the device.  

On its website, Apple claims the capture button works ‘seamlessly’ with a new phone case that has ‘sapphire crystal’ and a ‘conductive layer to communicate finger movements’. 

Apple is selling this official iPhone 16 case in a range of colours on its website for a hefty £49 – an extra expense on top of the price of the phone itself. 

Commentators have called it ‘incredible’ and the ‘coolest feature ever’, but other fans are sharing concerns that it won’t work with a case

A solid push of the capture button immediately brings up the camera app, while a second push snaps a photo. But users can also scroll their finger back and forth along the length of the button to zoom in and out. Naturally fans started to wonder how that is ‘going to work with a case’ around the device

Another X user said: ‘But then you have to buy a phone cover. ‘Wondering how you will use that camera feature then’ 

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X user @Erick_O_Mokua said capture button ‘looks incredible’ in response to a video demonstrating how it works 

This official case doesn’t have a cut-out hole for the capture button, but instead uses ‘sapphire crystal’ and a ‘conductive layer to communicate finger movements’

Ultimately, it means cases sold by third-party vendors may not allow the capture button to work; MailOnline has contacted Apple for more information. 

Capture button sits flush with the side of the phone, rather than sticking out, so it may be more difficult to press with a case than without. 

MailOnline’s Shivali Best, who is in Cupertino for the iPhone 16 unveiling event, said the new button requires a ‘solid push’ and ‘takes some getting used to’. 

iPhone 16 – which comes out on September 20 – also comes equipped with another button dubbed the ‘action button’ on the other side, above the volume controls. 

While the action button was only included in the iPhone 15 Pro smartphones last year, Apple has put it on all four iPhone 16 variants this year.

Apple’s new iPhone 16 will come in much more pastel and vibrant colors than previous models

The iPhone 16, starting at $799/£799, comes in two display sizes – 6.1 inches, and 6.7 inches for the Plus model (which costs £899/$899).

Meanwhile the two most expensive options – the Pro and Pro Max – respectively have 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays and cost £999/$999 and £1,199/$1,199. 

The phones are powered by new A18 chips, which feature a 16-core neural engine designed for generative AI-linked tasks and Apple Intelligence.