Initially, the castle of Głogów, probably made of wood, was located on Ostrów Tumski, the place of the later collegiate church from the 13th century. In the 13th century, the castle was a residence of the castellan. In 1249 after the creation of the Duchy of Głogów, the castle could no longer satisfy the needs of the duke and his court.

Before 1270, the first of Głogów dukes, Konrad I, had a new castle erected on the left bank of the Odra River, within the town's fortifications at the Odrzańska Gate. The castle was situated in the corner of the city walls, separated from the city by a moat, with a drawbridge over it. The castle was most probably built on a rectangule-shaped base with three wings and a curtain wall from the south. Next to the wall, in the south-west corner there was a cylindrical brick tower. The outer castle was located on the side of the town. The area to the south of the castle walls was occupied by stables and gardens.

In the 14th century, the castle was probably further developed. During the 14th and 15th centuries it was the residence of the Governor General of the Czechs and Hungary, and so the dukes had a new residence erected in the south-east of the town. In 1480 the fortress was damaged by a fire. During the after-fire repairs, the castle was developed. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, the Governor General was Zygmunt Jagiellończyk (the later King of Poland). In the 16th century the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. After the damage done during the 30-Year War, between 1652-1669, with the use of the Gothic and Renaissance walls there was created the present Baroque palace. After the partitions of Poland, the castle got within the borders of Prussia and it became the property of the state. In the second half of the 18th century and in the second half of the 19th century it was rebuilt again. During the Second World War, the castle was badly damaged and then in the years 1971-1980 it was restored.