Poland has the largest Gothic fortress in Europe. It is located in the city of the same name and has a rather rich historical past. It represents the former ancient capital of the Teutonic Order. This amazingly attractive castle is called Malbork and is listed by UNESCO.
What is this huge castle really called: Malbork or Marienburg? Is it in Poland or Germany? What can be seen in him and in his surroundings? The article contains a description of the city and its main attractions.
Brief historical information
Another variant of the name, German, Marienburg, has stuck to Malbork, since the ancient castle once served as the capital of the German (Teutonic) Order.
Malbork is a castle whose history began seven centuries ago, when the Prince of Poland Konrad of Mazowiecki turned to the Teutonic Knights for help. They were supposed to protect the Polish from the raids of the Prussian pagan tribes.land and force the enemies to be baptized. The Pope gave a blessing to this crusade against Prussia, in connection with which he issued a decree ("Golden Bull"), giving freedom of action to the knights in the B altic.
Although the lands conquered by the Teutons came under the patronage of the throne of the Pope, the knights felt themselves full masters in these places. They took control of the entire B altic coast, settled in the territories they conquered, and brutally suppressed all manifestations of paganism. As a result, a people with a long history (Prussians) was almost completely exterminated. On the conquered lands of Poland, the knights built their border fortresses.
The Teutons in 1274 laid the foundation of the described castle. Then it was named Marienburg in honor of the Virgin Mary. In just a few years, a 4-storey building with numerous barracks intended for knights has grown over the slopes of the Nogat River, and since 1280 a knights' convention has settled in it.
Before we describe Malbork Castle in more detail, let's briefly introduce the city in which this wonderful historical site is located.
City of Malbork
This is a small old town located in northern Poland, in the delta of the river. Wisla. It is located 130 km from the city of Torun and 70 km from the city of Gdansk, near the border with the Kaliningrad region. Its German name is Marienburg. The city of Malbork is known primarily due to the famous historical castle of Marienburg.
Despitethe provinciality of the city and its relatively small size, it attracts a lot of tourists here due to its rich centuries-old history and the unique atmosphere of chivalry. The city itself is cozy and attractive. Here you can stay overnight, or just stop by for one day to walk around the territory of the fortress and see Malbork Castle, which is located almost in the center of the city. There is a good paid parking near the castle, not far from which there is a ticket office where tickets for visiting the fortress are sold.
Fortress Museum
In 1454-1466, a long Thirteen Years' War was waged between the Teutons and the Poles. Poland won it, as a result of which it returned part of its previously captured lands, thanks to which it gained access to the B altic. Marienburg Castle was sold to Casimir IV Jagiellon (Polish monarch) in 1457 for gold (665 kg), and since then the king's administration has been located here.
The Prussians who came to power in 1772 converted the castle into a military warehouse. The fortress was pretty badly destroyed in 1945 (more than in all the previous 7 centuries). After World War II, the entire building was rebuilt. Today, Malbork Castle in Poland is a massive brick wall with pointed towers reflected in the waters of the river Nogat.
A museum has been opened in the fortress premises, presenting a rich collection of armor, weapons and jewelry made of amber. Craft fairs are often held in the castle,concerts and exciting theatrical performances staging the capture of Malbork.
Description
Malbork is the largest man-made brick building. It occupies an area of about 21 hectares. Its towers are designed and built with special devices for the convenience of firing firearms.
This complex is considered the most interesting and popular object in the city for tourists to visit. Its unique grandeur amazes absolutely everyone. The huge complex of Malbork consists of 3 castles: Middle, Upper and Lower. The most popular is the Upper Castle, which is a monastery where knight monks live. Surrounded by defensive walls on all sides, the castle is located on the banks of the river. Deep ditches were dug nearby.
Interesting objects on the territory are the chapel of St. Anna (burial of the great masters) and the church of St. Virgin Mary. The middle Malbork Castle was built on the site of the former Upper Courtyard. It was once the political and administrative center of the Teutonic Order, where knights from all over Europe gathered. Today, it houses offices for the rulers of Poland and officials.
Also impresses with its unique beauty The large refectory, which has a magnificent openwork architecture, with beautiful arched vaults. There is also a hospital for the elderly and sick monk-knights. The lower lock (or Pre-lock) is intended mainly for household needs.
In the famous ArmoryWar wagons and cannons are on display in the ward. The castle also has a foundry, forges, a brewery and stables.
Exhibits telling about people's lives in the past
Malbork Castle is rich in numerous rather interesting exhibits. Tourists who come here on an excursion can see both the fortress buildings themselves and galleries with interesting collections. Usually the entire official part of a group tour takes four hours. Tourists are introduced to the rich history of Malbork Castle.
Here you can see firsthand how ancient coins were made in those days. Tourists see a man in medieval clothes minting coins before their eyes. Here you can also buy wonderful souvenirs for little money - bags of coins.
The halls (chambers) of the Grand Masters also present an amazing shocking sight: a cannonball embedded in the wall, flown into the castle during the hostilities (the military council was meeting here at that time). The most interesting thing is that if the core hit the column (the castle rests on it), the consequences would be disastrous. Unforgettable impressions are also made by wonderful theatrical performances: “With Fire and Sword”, “Light and Sound”, “The Deposition of Malbork”. The last one is the most spectacular.
How to get to the museum?
It's easy to get to the Malbork Museum in Poland. From the railway station of the city of Malbork, it takes about 15 minutes to walk to it. At the same time, at any kiosk along the way, you can get a free booklet with all the information necessary for a tourist, and you can also buy a convenient Russian-language guide toMalbork, which will help you walk around the castle on your own, without a guide. Many take advantage of this opportunity due to the fact that, as noted above, a standard group tour lasts approximately 4 hours.
Tickets are sold near the entrance to the museum complex. Any tourist can get to Malbork Castle (Poland). The ticket price is approximately 10 euros. It should be noted that there are special tickets for the family, which are much cheaper than if taken separately for each member.
The castle is open for visits all year round: from October 1 to April 30 from 9 am to 3 pm, from May 1 to September 30 it is open from 9 am to 5 pm. Tour times sometimes change. It should be noted that screenings in Russian are not held here.
Interesting fact
It is curious that those same Teutons, due to the fact that they were preachers of the cult of the Virgin Mary, observed the vows of obedience and chastity, respectively, although sometimes they circumvented these prohibitions.
Somehow the castle needed a cook to work in the kitchen, and then the knights turned to the Pope for permission. He, in turn, gave the go-ahead, but on the condition that they would take a woman no younger than 60 years old into the fortress. The Germans, on reflection, hired 3 cooks, each of whom was only 20 years old.
Malbork - ghost castle
Many legends are associated with the castle. It is believed that the ghost of a woman lives in the monastery. According to conversations, this is the spirit of the Polish princess. She wanted to save her husband, who was captured by the knights. Dressed as a nun, she successfully entered the castle, but the careless woman was quickly exposed, and as punishment, she was walled up alive.
Since then, her sad ghost wanders the halls of the castle in search of a loved one. It is believed that the one who sees the ghostly princess can become happy in love. Don't be afraid of her.
Conclusion
Although it's hard to imagine looking at the huge grounds of the current castle, it used to be even bigger. History did not spare Malbork, because its size has almost halved.
