The castle of the Teutonic Order, Malbork, in northern Poland, is not only the largest in the world in terms of area, but also the largest medieval brick castle! It's huge and incredibly impressive. All this brick Gothic, towers and courtyards, secret staircases and rooms with surprises! The atmosphere of the castle keeps memories of the formidable Teutons who carried Christianity to these pagan lands with fire and sword. What secrets of the crusaders keep these ancient walls?
In the early 13th century, the Polish prince Konrad Mazowiecki made an alliance with the Teutonic Order. After that, structures began to appear on the Polish and Prussian territories, which were defensive fortresses and monasteries. Harsh knights in white cloaks with black crosses steadily increased their control over these areas.
View of Malbork Castle from above.
In 1274 Malbork Castle was built. Then he bore the name Marienburg and was the seat of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. It was erected on the low bank of the Nogat River, about 25 miles from the Baltic Sea. The river forms a natural border with the site where the castle stands. The other two sides are fenced in by swamps, leaving only the south side of the castle for defense. This side is most strongly fortified by double strong walls and towers. Inside this enclosure are three self-contained defensive structures linked by a complex network of fortifications.
The castle served as a fortified fortress and monastery for the knights of the Teutonic Organ.
In 1309, the capital of the order was moved here from Venice. Commanders from all regions came to the castle and the Grand Council of the Order was held. The fortress began to expand and improve, because the number of monks and knights was constantly growing. The fortress had already turned into one of the most impressive castle complexes in the world. Events of primary importance were transmitted from the bell tower to neighboring cities using smoke signals.
The beautiful Gothic architecture of the castle impresses even seasoned travelers.
The territory of the complex began to be divided into the High Castle (the oldest buildings), the Middle Castle (the luxurious residence of the Grand Master) and the Lower Castle (various utility rooms). The castle complex was not inferior in its wealth to the royal residences of the monarchs of that time. All buildings were connected by a central heating system - an unheard of luxury and rarity for that era. The castle hosted lavish festivities, knightly tournaments and various entertainments for aristocrats.
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The castle was not inferior in luxury to the residences of European monarchs.
The castle was built of bricks as the area lacked quality stones for construction. However, in order for the castle to be able to withstand the invaders well, a solid foundation was required. Thus, the first few meters of all the walls were built from river boulders filled with smaller stones. The bricks were made right here in the outer courtyard from local clay. The stone was used sparingly, only for decorative elements, especially in the entrances to the church and the main house. It is said that between seven and thirty million bricks were used in the construction of the castle.
In the construction of the castle, from 7 to 30 million bricks were used.
The strategic position of Malbork Castle on the river gave the Teutonic Knights a monopoly on river trade, allowing them to collect river duties from passing ships. The castle belonged to the knights for about 150 years, until it was captured by Polish troops in 1457 during the Thirteen Years War. It became the royal residence of the Polish monarchs for the next 300 years.
The Teutons have owned the castle for 150 years.
By the first partition of Poland in 1772, the castle was very much neglected, began to be used as a shelter and barracks for the Prussian army. In 1794, a structural survey of the castle was carried out to decide whether to keep the castle or to demolish it more easily. Sketches of the castle and its architecture, made during an inspection by the Prussian architect David Gilly, were published by Gilly's son a few years later. These engravings delighted the Prussian public and rediscovered the castle and the history of the Teutonic knights.
There was a time when the castle began to decline.
After the war of the Sixth Coalition, the castle became a symbol of Prussian history. The government decided to restore it, and the process continued in stages over a hundred years. During the Nazi regime, the castle was turned into a place of pilgrimage. Nazis often used images of Teutonic knights in their propaganda and ideology, portraying the actions of the knights as a harbinger of the Nazi conquest of Eastern Europe. Especially Himmler, who was obsessed with the Teutonic Order and wanted to see the SS as the modern incarnation of the old Order.
Malbork Castle after World War II.
Ironically, despite these references to the history of the Teutonic Order in Nazi propaganda, the Order itself was banned by Hitler. He believed that throughout history the Roman Catholic military-religious orders were instruments of the Holy See and as such posed a threat to the Nazi regime. There was a lot of fighting in the area during World War II and the castle was badly damaged by Allied shelling. Almost half of the castle was destroyed. Over the next seventy years, the castle slowly returned to its original form. The restoration work was completed just over four years ago, in 2016. Malbork Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
