1. Königsberg Castle (German: Königsberger Schloß) is a castle of the Teutonic Order in Königsberg (Kaliningrad), also called the Royal Castle. Founded in 1255 by the Czech king Ottokar II Přemysl and existed until 1968. Until 1945, various administrative and public institutions of the city and East Prussia were located within its walls, as well as museum collections and halls for receptions. The castle was destroyed to the ground by the war and later by the hands of the Soviet authorities.
2. Order Castle of the Ragnit Fortress - Order fortress in the city of Neman. In 1277, the wooden fortress of Ragnit, owned by the Prussians, was burned by the troops of the Order. After some time, in order to expand the zone of influence of Christianity, Landmaster Meinhard von Querfurt arrived at the site of the former fortress and in 1289 founded a fortress, which was first called Landeshut. In 1326 it was renamed Ragnit. The fortress was well fortified, thanks to which in 1295 it was possible to repel the attacks of the Lithuanians, and in 1338 it completely dealt them a crushing blow. In 1356, the fortress was rebuilt by Winrich von Kniprodem and this time a moat was dug around it. However, this did not stop the Lithuanians from burning the fortress again in 1365. Then Konrad Zoellner von Rottenstein got down to business and rebuilt the fortress in his own way, moving it to the place where it is now. In 1397, the construction of a stone castle began; it was built in a new style and to last for centuries. And in 1409 the construction was completed. In 1825, the castle became the site of the East Prussian prison, which remained there until 1945. However, in 1829 there was a fire and the fortress was severely damaged. It was only possible to completely repair it in 1840. Since 1839, the city and district courts were located in the fortress, since 1849 - a military tribunal, and since 1879 the court returned to the fortress.
3.Georgenburg Castle
(German: Schloss Georgenburg) is an ancient castle of the Teutonic Order, located in Chernyakhovsk. The architecturally unusual building, dating back to 1337, belonged to the bishop of Sambia. The building suffered destruction from the Lithuanians, Swedes and Tatars, and in the 19th century it became a successful stud farm. Currently, the Georgenburg building belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church and is under restoration.
4. Insterburg Castle
(German: Burg Insterburg) is located in the Kaliningrad region in the city of Chernyakhovsk (until 1946 - the city of Insterburg). Founded in 1336 by order of the Master of the Teutonic Order Dietrich von Altenburg on the site of the ancient settlement of Unzetrapis, destroyed in 1256 during the military campaign of the order in Nadrovia. In 1945, the castle was stormed and damaged by fire. After the war, a military unit was housed in the surviving buildings. Presumably in 1949, the castle citadel was almost completely destroyed by fire (only the outer walls remained). From the same moment, the dismantling of the buildings of the foreburg into bricks began (the materials were exported to Lithuania for the restoration of national economic facilities). In the early 1950s, the territory of the castle was transferred to the repair and construction department No. 1.
5. Tapiau Castle (German Tapiau) is a castle of the Teutonic Order in the city of Gvardeysk. The territory on which the castle was subsequently built was captured by the Teutons in 1265. It was first mentioned as a castle in 1258. In 1265 the fortress was rebuilt. The castle underwent the next reconstruction in 1280, when it was significantly strengthened and expanded. Since the 15th century it has been used as a prison for political prisoners. Rebuilt several times, it was seriously damaged during the First World War. After Tapiau was captured by Soviet troops in January 1945, the castle was converted into a prison.
6. Waldau Castle (Russian Waldow, German Waldau) is an ancient Prussian castle of the Teutonic Order, located in the village of Nizovye. The official mention of the construction of the Valdov fortress is noted in the chronicle for 1258. This name is based on the Balto-Slavic word “valdati”, which means “to own”. Therefore, “Waldau” can be translated into Russian as “Possession”. In 1264, at the request of the authorities of the Teutonic Order, the princes founded the first intermediate fortress near the road, like an inn, where the servicemen of the order, priests and soldiers stayed. In 1457, the old fortifications were converted into a castle. It was used as the summer residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. At the end of May 1697, a group of the Great Russian Embassy led by Tsar Peter I stayed in the castle. In 1720, the royal government of Prussia leased the Waldau castle, after which the reconstruction of the interior premises followed. In 1858, the castle housed an agricultural academy, which in 1870 was transformed into a teachers' seminary. From 1945 to the present day, the building of Waldau Castle has been under the jurisdiction of the Agricultural School (SPTU No. 20). The left wing has been used as an agricultural school dormitory since 1947. On June 14, 2014, Waldau Castle turned 750 years old. For the anniversary of the castle, the staff of the Valdavian Castle Museum cleared the basements in the castle outbuilding of debris and tidied up the abandoned medieval well, which provided water to the entire castle even before the Second World War.
7. Schaaken Castle (German: Schaaken) is an order castle in the village of Nekrasovo, Guryevsky district, Kaliningrad region. Founded on the site of a Prussian fortress (Zoke, and later Shokin) around 1270. Schaaken was practically not damaged during the Great Patriotic War. From the end of 1945, the castle housed an orphanage for German orphans, which existed until 1947. After the war, the castle grounds were used as a collective farm stable, which existed until the early 1960s. Then the castle was given over to housing, and the outbuildings were used for household needs. In the 1980s, only one family lived in the castle, which used the premises that were still suitable for habitation. The lack of timely repairs, indifference and irresponsibility of the local authorities led to the destruction of the castle building, and the surviving buildings turned into ruins. In the 2000s, the castle was leased to private individuals, restoration work was underway, and part of the fortress wall was rebuilt. Tourist excursions were held in the castle, a museum exhibition was collected, medieval prison instruments of torture were exhibited, and exotic animals were kept (children's corner). In 2011, the castle was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2012, there was a fire on the territory. Psychics came to the castle grounds to help understand mystical events.
8. Brandenburg Castle — ruined remains of the castle of the Teutonic Order in the village of Ushakovo (until 1946 Brandenburg) in the Guryevsky district. The castle can be seen as the final stage in the development of the "fortified castle" architectural style in Natangia. Unlike later castles, its courtyard is still quite large. The gate was located in the center of the western wing, opposite the fort. All four wings had basements. The first floors of the castle were used for utility rooms. In the north-eastern wing there was a kitchen, next to which there was a well made of hewn flagstone, which was filled in in 1838. In the western wing, on the second floor, there was a refectory (refectory). In 2010, the Russian edition of Forbes magazine included Brandenburg Castle in its list of six endangered landmarks in Russia. The castle, as well as the nearby Brandenburg Church, is being dismantled by local residents for bricks. In 2013, the state protection service for cultural heritage sites of the Kaliningrad region entered into an agreement with the Moscow company ART-Restavraciya on the restoration of Brandenburg Castle. The company will develop a project for the restoration of the castle. The restoration project has been frozen for 2016.
Toruń owes its founding to the Knights of the Teutonic Order, whose castle ruins can still be seen in the Old Town area. And the historical truth is that it was the “grateful” inhabitants of Thorn who destroyed it, having previously expelled the crusaders from the city.
However, everything is in order...
In 1217, Pope Honorius III declared a campaign against the Prussian pagans who had seized the lands of the Polish prince Conrad I of Mazovia. Yielding to the persuasion of his Russian wife (the granddaughter of Igor Svyatoslavich), the prince asked for help from the Teutonic knights, promising them possession of the Kulm land (present-day Chelmno), as well as the preservation of the captured territories. Few people know that the first representatives of the Teutonic Order who arrived at the Kulm lands at that time were only two brother knights! In 1230 they were joined by five more crusaders under the command of Hermann von Bock.
Here is what can be learned about this from the chronicles compiled by the brother-priest and chronicler of the Teutonic Order Peter of Doesburg: “Brother Hermann Balcke, Master of Prussia, striving to follow the cause of faith, together with the above-mentioned prince (Konrad of Masovia) and the strength of his army passed through the Vistula into the land of Kulm and on the bank, in the lower reaches of the river, he built the castle Thorn in 1231. This structure was made in some oak tree, in which fortifications were built for defense; they surrounded themselves on all sides with abatis; the approach to the castle was only one. These seven brothers had ships with them, so that in the event of an attack by the Prussians, they could retreat to Nessau on ships if desperate circumstances forced them to do so. Over time, they built a city around the mentioned castle, which later, leaving the castle, because Due to constant flooding, the river was moved to the place where both the castle and the city of Thorn are now located."
The crusaders moved about 10 kilometers up the river and settled on the site of a former Slavic settlement, where earthen ramparts with partial stone walls remained from the previous inhabitants. Here they began building a fortified fortress.
Over the next decades, a residential brick building was built on the territory of the fortress. Next, they began the construction of the monastery building, the chapel of the fortress, and dug a ditch with a gateway, separating the castle from the Old Town. In 1255, the Bishop of Sambia (now the Kaliningrad region) Gebhard von Hirtzberg allocated two kilograms of silver for the construction of the tower and walls of the castle. However, the amount turned out to be quite insignificant and the tower was built only a few decades later. Construction of the complex continued for another hundred years and, upon completion, had a horseshoe-shaped plan, atypical for later Teutonic castles.
The architectural composition of the complex could be divided into three parts: the High Castle (main castle, tower, chapel, other living quarters), outbuildings (stables, mills, bakery, brewery, forge, etc.) and the interior of the fortress.
1. Pond. 2. Gdanisko Tower. 3. Castle tower. 4. Castle. 5. Western moat. 6. Gateway. 7. Signal tower of the Old Town. 8. Upper mill. 9. Castle Hospital. 10. Western Gate.
This was the first castle of the Teutonic Order on the lands of Kulmo. The historical value of the castle was that it was here that the base of the Teutonic knights was located during the period of Christianization of Prussia. The settlement surrounding the castle was named Thorn and acquired city rights already in 1233.
At the beginning of the 15th century, Thorn was a significant economic center and exporter of goods, mainly food - grain, domestic animals and products from them. The castle's granaries held more than 550 tons of grain, and the livestock on the farm numbered about 500 horses, 3,000 sheep and goats, 400 cows and bulls, and 600 pigs. The castle's storerooms were bursting with an abundance of food - they contained a huge amount of dried beef and pork, about 5,000 heads of cheese, four barrels of butter, several barrels of salted fish, 16 barrels of lard, bags of peas, and so on and so forth. All these figures became known thanks to the scrupulousness of the knights, who carefully archived all their life activities.
As for the weapons, at that time they did not evoke the same impressive emotions. Despite the fact that Thorn was an important border town and observation point for Polish lands, the castle's arsenal looked much more modest not only in comparison with such large centers as Malbork or Gdansk, but also with smaller fortifications such as Dzierzgon, Ostróda and Balga.
During the Great War (1409-1411) between the knights of the Teutonic Order on the one hand and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in alliance with the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian principalities on the other, the result for the former was disastrous. During this period, for three weeks, Thorn, speaking on the side of the Order, courageously resisted the demand for surrender, but finally surrendered his position in August 1410.
The city was given by the Polish king Wladyslaw Jagiello to the management of Vincent Granovsky (whose wife, by the way, after his death, married the king). And the king himself arrived in Toruń with a small retinue on September 29, 1410. The chronicles report: “When the king disembarked from the ship, he was met by city officials and ordinary people. Then, accompanied by the chant “Thine is the power, Thine is the Kingdom,” the whole procession headed in a solemn procession to the parish church of St. John.” However, the king and the Poles were not always greeted so solemnly in the city. In 1404, during an official visit to Thorn, King Vladislav was doused with... slop by some cook. The unfortunate woman was captured and, by order of the Grand Master, was condemned to drowning. However, thanks to the king's mercy, she escaped this severe punishment. True, the chronicles do not indicate whether the cook committed this crime intentionally or accidentally :-)
The Polish occupation of the castle lasted until February 1, 1411, after which, in accordance with the First Peace Treaty concluded in Torun between the Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Poland, the Polish troops stationed on the territory of the castle were forced to leave it. The new commander (commandant) of the castle was Eberhard Hallenfeld, who hastened to improve the defense capability of the complex: by 1413, the castle contained 19 combat units of artillery and firearms, a large number of lead bullets and three barrels of gunpowder. Thanks to this, the castle managed to survive new wars in 1414 and 1422 and further attempts to capture the castle by Polish troops.
In 1420, a fire broke out in the complex and severely damaged many buildings. The very poor relationship between the crusaders and the city at that time was evidenced by subsequent complaints from the commander, which said “that during the fire, the townspeople, instead of helping to extinguish the fire, stood and mocked the knights-monks.”
Less than two years later, restoration of the complex began, at which time the castle was covered with a new roof. However, due to the deplorable financial situation (the Teutonic knights were deeply in debt to the Torun townsfolk), not all of the fortress’s objects could be repaired, as evidenced by a record dating back to 1453, which talks about the poor condition of the object.
By 1428, 15 brother knights lived in the castle. In addition to weapons, each of them at that time had 2-3 horses, with the exception of the commander and one of the knights named Ludwig von Landecke, who had six horses at their disposal. The priests and the kitchen manager were not armed.
In the 15th century, the Torun townspeople decided to get rid of the “tutorship” of the Teutonic Order. On February 6, 1454, a deputy of the city council appeared at the walls of the fortress with a trumpeter and, after attracting attention with the sounds of the trumpet, demanded a conversation with the commander of the castle. Such a situation had never occurred in the history of the courtyard and greatly alarmed its inhabitants, forcing them to take refuge in the castle. But two days later, several thousand inhabitants of Torun besieged the castle, which was defended by only twelve knights and a small handful of mercenaries, whose morale was supported by two priests. The commander of the fortress, Albrecht Kalb, refused to comply with the demand to surrender and threatened retribution for this riot. Then the crowd gathered at the fortress began an assault. In the end, the knights had to accept the terms of surrender. Accompanied by municipal guards, the crusaders were led out of the city, after which the jubilant crowd successfully plundered the complex. Next, with the consent of the City Council, the townspeople began the systematic destruction of the fortress so that never again would a single military garrison threaten the freedom of the city. Almost only ruins remained from the residence of the crusaders.
Over the next five centuries, a real city dump formed on the site of the castle ruins. Excavations began here in 1958. By removing the 8-meter cultural layer, archaeologists managed to open the walls and basements of the castle.
The ruins of the castle, preserved from further destruction, turned into a museum. Today the castle is a tourist attraction, hosting street festivals, fashion shows and a Christian song festival.
Active holidays in Poland are a pleasure. Mountains, sea, bike trails, hiking routes. What's not here? A separate item on this list is traveling to Teutonic castles in the northern part of the country.
During the several hundred years of its rule, the Teutonic Order built about 90 castles and fortresses on these lands. Some of them did not survive to this day - they were destroyed, burned or demolished. Those that remain amaze with the grandeur of their Gothic architecture, boast a rich history, and are shrouded in numerous secrets and legends. All this exclusively testifies to the unsurpassed skill of medieval builders. Teutonic castles are eagerly visited by tourists from all over the world. We invite you to follow in the footsteps of the crusaders.
Crusaders are knights of the Teutonic Order.
We begin the expedition route in the footsteps of the crusaders from Toruń. This city was founded by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1230. boasts the wonderful Old Town, full of historical attractions, and the not much younger New Town. From the mighty Teutonic castle, destroyed during the 13-year war, only colorful ruins remain.
Ruins of a Teutonic castle in the city of Torun.
About 15 kilometers southwest of Toruń is the Bezgłowski Castle, a small village with a well-preserved fortress. Bezhglov Fortress is one of the oldest Teutonic buildings (1270). It was in it that the residence of the commander (commander of a separate detachment of the knightly order) was located. The castle was destroyed several times during battles, but in the middle of the 19th century it was completely rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style.
The Bezhglov fortress is one of the oldest.
We cross the Vistula and head north to the town of Świecie. Already from afar one can see the massive ruins of a Teutonic castle, which was built on an artificial island, not far from the confluence of the Vda and the Vistula. Svetsky Castle has preserved part of the medieval wall and a high, more than 30 meters, cylindrical tower, from the top of which a delightful panorama opens.
Tower of the Svetsky Castle.
Now we will have to go along the banks of the Vistula in a northerly direction in order to reach the city of Wrath. The most beautiful view of the city will open to us from the eastern side. Gniew Gothic Castle was built in the second half of the 13th century. The castle looked especially luxurious during the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Michal Kuhmeysiter, within its walls.
Gniew Castle.
Far to the west, near the ancient borders of the Teutonic State, stands the majestic Czlukhov Castle. It has survived to this day only partially - a fragment of the city wall and a high 46-meter tower, which offers an amazing view of the city of Czlukhov. One of the commanders of the Chlukhov stronghold was the famous Konrad von Wallenrod, the 24th Master of the Order and the greatest commander of the Middle Ages.
Teutonic fortress in Czlukhov.
Another attraction, located far to the west, is the Teutonic castle in Bytov. This is one of the best preserved fortresses, whose history begins in the 14th century. The architect of the Bytovsky castle was Mikolaj Fellenstein - the same one who built the fortress in Malbrok. Today the castle houses a museum and a hotel.
Bytovsky Castle.
We return to the Vistula valley, and then follow along its eastern tributary Nogata to see the most significant landmark of the Teutonic traces. Castle in Malbroc. This, the largest brick building in the world, was built with the aim of establishing the capital of the Teutonic State in it. Every year thousands of tourists come to admire this treasure of Gothic architecture.
Malbork is the most famous crusader castle.
Now we head south to see the castle in Sztum. On the isthmus between two lakes, in a place occupying an excellent defensive position, stands the Štum Castle, built in the mid-14th century. The building has perfectly preserved underground floors, defensive walls and a moat. Currently, the Association of the Knights' Brotherhood of the Land of Sztumov is located in the Sztumov Castle.
The Teutonic Order, which was one of the most powerful forces in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states from the 13th to the beginning of the 15th centuries, relied on the organization of support bases, that is, fortified castles, throughout the territory of its influence. As a result, according to historians, only on the territory of the modern Kaliningrad region of Russia there were about forty Teutonic castles.
Castles are symbols of greatness
- Ragnit Castle was founded in 1289 on the Neman River and in many ways repeated the fate of many castles of the Teutonic Order in these territories. Originally it was a Prussian settlement, occupied by knights who built a wooden fortification here. Only at the end of the 14th century did Ragnit become a completely stone castle. It is noteworthy that, according to historians, one of the architects of the newly completed Marienburg supervised the construction of the stone Ragnit;
- at the end of the 13th century, a major uprising against the Teutonic Order took place on Prussian lands, which was suppressed. One of the participants in the uprising was the owner of the Prussian castle Zoke on the shores of the Curonian Lagoon. The Order took the castle as war booty and, around 1270, founded its own wooden fortification in its place, called Schaaken, with an extensive system of defensive ditches and palisades. At the beginning of the 14th century, Schaaken was built in stone, but its layout differed from other typical castles of the Order of that time. Typically, Teutonic castles were quadrangular structures with an obligatory forburg (that is, a pre-castle fortification). Schaaken, in plan, had an almost circular diameter, which was caused, according to researchers, by the constant threat from the Lithuanians, so the builders of the Order simply erected stone walls along the already existing perimeter of the old fortifications, without having time to create a “standard” castle.
Alexander Babitsky
Numerous 700-year-old castles of the Teutonic Order make the Kaliningrad region a special region. Medieval castles are scattered throughout the Kaliningrad region, so it will not be easy to cover them in one trip. But using our route, you can do it.
1. Königsberg Castle
It is convenient to start the review from the ruins of the Koenigsberg Castle (1255), which are located right in front of the Kaliningrad Hotel (Poletskogo St., 108). In 1697, the Grand Embassy of Peter I was received here, and a few years later the first king of Prussia, Frederick I, was crowned in the castle.
The castle was destroyed to the ground by the war and later by the hands of the Soviet authorities. Experts say that the Amber Room, which was brought here during this period, burned down in the fires of war.
Tourists can see the foundation and finds from excavations in an open exhibition. Before visiting, you should call: +7-905-24-570-24.
2. Brandenburg Castle in Ushakovo
21 km from Kaliningrad in the village of Ushakovo on the shore of the Kaliningrad Bay are the ruins of Brandenburg Castle (1266). Only the red brick ruins of two buildings of the fort, which you will notice on the right side of the road, remain intact.
3. Schaaken Castle in Nekrasovo
We go to the village of Nekrasovo to the remains of the Shaaken castle (1270). The defensive wall, which is better preserved than other parts, looks especially impressive. There is a tourist center with many exciting offers: the Inquisition Museum, archery, horseback riding and tavern visits.
4. Waldau Castle in Nizovye
On the way to Gvardeysk it is wonderful to look into the village of Nizovye to see the Waldau Castle from 1258-1264 (Kaliningradskaya St.). The castle was marked by the visit of Peter I. The current structure is more reminiscent of an estate, since in the 1860s the building was reconstructed - the towers and fortress walls were dismantled.
It is noteworthy that the building is one of the three best preserved castles in Kaliningrad, along with Tapiau and Georgenburg. Tourists note the most interesting exhibition and live excursions held in the annex.
5. Tapiau Castle in Gvardeysk
The further route goes straight to Gvardeysk, not to the ruins, but to the active prison - also known as Tapiau Castle (Dzerdzhinsky St., 12). The castle first appears in documents in 1258, but since then it has been rebuilt several times. Since the 19th century it was made a prison, in 1945 a pre-trial detention center for war criminals, and then again a prison.
Since the castle can only be seen from the outside, it is worth visiting in conjunction with an overview of the city of Gvardeysk.
6. Insterburg Castle in the city of Chernyakhovsk
Let's go to the city of Chernyakhovsk to visit a wonderful place - Insterburg Castle (Zamkovaya St., 1). Founded in 1336, the castle served as a base for the Crusaders, the future King of England Henry IV stayed here, and in 1812 Napoleon used it as a hospital.
Now the castle houses a local history museum, where many ancient objects are exhibited. Festivals and historical reenactments are often held on the castle grounds. Before your visit, you need to make an appointment in advance by phone: 8-906-233-78-63.
7. Georgenburg Castle in Mayevka
In the Chernyakhov region there is another medieval castle - Georgenburg, located in the village of Mayevka. The architecturally unusual building, dating back to 1337, belonged to the bishop of Sambia. The building suffered destruction from the Lithuanians, Swedes and Tatars, and in the 19th century it became a successful stud farm.
Currently, the Georgenburg building belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church and is under restoration. His visit also needs to be coordinated by phone: 8-40-141-233-28.
8. Ragnit Castle in Neman
And finally, the city of Neman, shrouded in legends, and its order castle Ragnit of the 13th century (Pobeda Street). The grandiose red brick structure with thick walls played the role of a key outpost on the difficult Lithuanian border. Nearby is a 25-meter clock tower.
All that remains is to put marks on the map and go on an exciting and mysterious journey.
