In the 13th century, the knight Dobrosław, son of Wojsław of the Gierałt family of the coat of arms of Ośmioróg, built a wooden fortress, first mentioned in 1231. Another version says that the castle was built by the German robber knight from the Rhine, Gerard, or Wojsław of the coat of arms of Ośmioróg, and his son Dobrosław ruled the castle from 1231. There are the first references, dated 1382, to wooden buildings surrounded by high sandstone perimeter walls on a quadrilateral plan, about 2 metres thick and 5.5 metres high, with a crenellation with loopholes along the guard porch and a gate to which a wooden drawbridge led.  The castle changed owners several times from the 13th to the 18th century. It was taken over by the knight Chebda of Tropsztyn in 1390. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, the Chebdas erected a Gothic brick building to the south, followed by a five-storey massive corner defence tower with walls up to 3 metres thick. Later, the castle belonged to the Kmita, Robakowski, and Gabon families.  In the 16th century, a representative residence was built to the north, and a new gate with a wooden deck was built to the west. In the 16th century, a representative residence was built to the north, and a new gate with a wooden deck was built to the west.

The castle was to guard the so-called Sądecka Gate, through which an important water and land trade route to Hungary led. At that time, the burgraves living in the castle were trying to take control of the trade routes and were engaged in robbery. They organised pirate raids on merchants floating goods down the Dunajec trade route. In 1574, the owners of neighbouring Rożnowo attacked the castle with arms to end this practice.  The castle was captured and completely ruined. From then on, it was the seat of robbers without being rebuilt, and later abandoned, it fell into complete ruin.

In 1863, the Nowy Sącz historian Szczęsny Morawski carried out the first archaeological excavations at the castle.

In 1970, Andrzej Benesz, then Deputy Speaker of the Sejm, became the owner of the ruins. Archaeological investigations in 1993 delineated the castle's body, which was rebuilt from scratch using the surviving walls. Since 1995, the Tropsztyn Castle Reconstruction Foundation has been working according to the plans of historians, archaeologists, and architects from the region.  In general terms, the castle is complete, the outer walls, east gate and entrance gate have been erected, the tower in the southwest corner is still missing. The castle was reconstructed from stone, reinforced concrete, concrete and steel on a steep promontory flanked on three sides by the waters of the Dunajec River. The concrete elements will be clad in stone mosaic, as on the interior staircase and in the Knights' Hall. There is also to be a museum of mainly Inca culture and thematic exhibitions.

The castle can be visited in summer. There are several chambers, including a most interesting torture chamber. A documentary on the search for the legendary Inca treasure, which is said to have been hidden in tunnels and dungeons beneath the castle, is screened.  In the stone dungeons is an entrance to a corridor leading to Tropia on the other side of the Dunajec River and an entrance to a vertical dungeon, perhaps with a passage to the castle in Czchów. Three rooms with toys, slides, and TV await the children. The tower offers a panoramic view of Lake Czchowskie and the Rożnowskie Foothills. You can walk along the castle walls and walk around the courtyard. The castle also has a helipad, a café, and a gift shop. It is also worth walking around the castle on the outside of the walls along the Rocky Inca Trail.