Castles -Poland

[perdurabo]

Hey i want to start series of topic about castles from my country or ones that are abroad but onece where in our borders - like Kamieniec Podolski very famus castle from XVI-XVII century guarding us from south east from hordes of Turks and Tatars now in borders of Ukraine. It will also include castles that are mainly representative than defensive and not only medieval and renesaince but from later times also.
pls dont post castles from other parts of europe - start other topic if you want, also try to restrain yourselfe from off-topics (I will ask mods for deleting OTs)

I want to start from castle that is very special for me - Choinik. It's castle from my childhood every september my father was taking us there. His friend is castellan there. I've seen how it looked in 80ties and how it changed, now when me and my gf visit my parrents each time we go to see Choinik. It lays on rocky mountine in deep forest (part of national park with strict rules so visitors remeber follow paths and don't throw away trash) awesome views, beautifull wildlife and landscape.
John Quincy Adams visited it in 1800, in one of his letters from travels around Lower Silesia he has written:

When we where picking up wild raspberries we thougt that is was two hundret years older than dicovery of America. We thought about time, how just in 5 centuries it changed bright social life centre into wild ruin, while in my country it changed wild plains into cities full of life. Ruins of this old castle - view so often in this part of the world. Allways makes me think about it becase contrast makes my feeling of safety from good health of my country stronger(i couldn't find oryginal so its back translation from polish translation rofl so it won't be accurate sorry... if somone finds oryginal i will replace it so PM me pls.)

History:

The castle of Chojnik (German Kynast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kynast)) was originally built by the order of Bolko I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolko_I) in 1292 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1292) to protect the borders of his dominion and underwent a reconstruction by the orders of Bolko II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolko_II) starting from 1355 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1355).
After Bolko II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolko_II)'s death, his wife Agnes von Habsburg sold the castle to one of the courtiers, the knight Gotsche Schoff. Gotsche II Schoff modernized and expanded the castle in 1393. In the same year he donated the Gothic chapel, which was completed in 1403. The chapel was devoted to St. Katharina and St. George, and artful painting were preserved until the middle of the 20th century. The castle survived the next centuries without damages. It was neither affected by the Hussite Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussite_Wars) nor by Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Corvinus_of_Hungary), who destroyed many Silesian castles. In 1529 Ulrich Schaffgotsch I. expanded the building with two forecourts, depots and a pillory, and at the end of the 16th century Renaissance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance) modifications were carried out. In 1635 Hans Ulrich Schaffgotsch lost all his properties being accused of high treason as one of Albrecht von Wallensteins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_von_Wallenstein) generals. Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor), the new owner, added new bastions to the castle in 1648 before giving it back to Christoph Leopold Schaffgotsch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schaffgotsch), Hans Ulrich's son, in 1650 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1650).
During the latter's lifetime the castle burnt down completely after it had been struck by lightning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning) in 1675 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1675) and was never reconstructed again. The comital family relocated down into the valley to the old palace in Bad Warmbrunn, and the destroyed castle became a tourist attraction already in the early 18th century. It was visited by the Prussian royal family, Heinrich von Kleist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_von_Kleist), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe) or Theodor Körner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_K%C3%B6rner_%28author%29), who immortalized the ruin in one of his poems and made her famous all over Germany. 1822 the Schaffgotschs added a tavern and harbourage to the castle and three years later rebuilt the tower. In the 1920th the old legends, especially the Kunigunden saga, were resuscitated by Waldemar Müller- Erhardt, and in the next years these folk plays were performed there.
The ruins remained in the property of the counts Schaffgotsch until 1945 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945), when the family was expelled (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsion_of_Germans_after_World_War_II).

Pics:
http://www.zamkipolskie.com/chojnik/chojnik11.jpg

View before fire in XVIIth cent. from SCHLIESICHE HEIMAT - BLOTTER, 1908
http://www.zamkipolskie.com/chojnik/chojnik18.jpg
Reconstruction
http://www.zamkipolskie.com/chojnik/chojnik19.gif
Castle Plan
legend:

Black colour XIVth cent. walls,
Dark brown XV/XVIth ones
Light brown XVIth.
1. Dukes house 2. courtyard of high castle 3. bergfried, 4. gate with chappel 5. arsenal, 6. courtyard of middle castle, 7. court room, 8. basements, 9. troops house, 10. kitchen, 11. stables, 12. commander house 13. administrative yard, 14. tower and prison,
15. space beatwin walls, 16. hotel PTTK, 17. grand bastion, 18. outside bastion (XVIIw.),19. main gate with bridge, 20. gate tower (XVIIw.)
http://www.ulima.com.pl/niemcy/Grafika/chojnik1.jpg
atumn
http://pictures.polandforall.com/images/chojnik-castle.jpg
winter
http://www.karkonosze.pl/chojnik/chojnik.jpg
spring or summer duno :)

http://www.karkonosze.pl/chojnik/widok2.jpg
view from - down below this is part of my hometown
http://www.karkonosze.pl/chojnik/widok4.jpg
other angle

(now i'm at my future inlaws house but when i'll be back at my house i will post some of our pics, and try to translate legends connected to this castle -there are two or three one about dutches Kunegunda that throw herselfe out of tower and down below there are two holes in rock from her buttocks -she had larege a$$rofl)

[Midav]

That is pretty cool. Thanks for sharing :)

[miguelencanarias]

Do you have pics of bastioned fortifications in your country? I am a fortification buff.

[wagon]

Nice pictures, perdurabo. Thanks for sharing.

[JRT]

Would be nice to visit some of these places. You people drive like crazy mother****ers, though. I drove through Poland in summer '04 and being a bit heavy-footed myself, drove at 80 km/h when the speed limit was 40 km/h and everyone, even the old grandma's in their FSO Polonez's went faster than me.

Not to mention lunatics overtaking where the road bends...

Next time visits are: Wolfsschanze, Krakow and Auschwitz. It sure is nice on your southern border, mountains and big trees and such.

[miguelencanarias]

You people drive like crazy mother****ers, though. I drove through Poland in summer '04 and being a bit heavy-footed myself, drove at 80 km/h when the speed limit was 40 km/h and everyone, even the old grandma's in their FSO Polonez's went faster than me.Thank God you haven't decided to visit Greece yet...

[kitatatsumi]

I am also a big fan of "fortresses", particularly ones with parts of their walls missing.
Here in Germany, people often send me on wild goose chases to see 'castles', which are 'palaces' according to my definition.
Quite disappointing.
I drove into Prague and through Slovakia and it seemed like they had one on every mound of earth.
I am planning a trip to Poland soon, so this thread double-delivers for me.
Thanks.

[JRT]

Thank God you haven't decided to visit Greece yet...

Been there 4 times, last time a year ago. I think the polaks were even more insane. In Greece I rented a 50cc scooter and after learning a few tricks could drive a lot faster than the locals in their cars.

[Switek]

Do you have pics of bastioned fortifications in your country? I am a fortification buff.

May be it you'll find interesting:


Festung Posen - Fortress of Poznań

http://www.poznan.pl/mim/public/turystyka/pictures.html?co=show1&id=14471&instance=1017&parent=5526&lang=en (http://www.poznan.pl/mim/public/turystyka/pictures.html?co=show2&id=14471&instance=1017&parent=5526&lang=en)

The fortification of Poznań was initiated by General Carl Wilhelm Georg von Grolman (1777-1843), who, between 1815 and 1819, was the chief of Prussian General Staff, and later the commander of the Fifth Army Corps stationed in the Grand Duchy of Poznań. It was the strategic location of the city on Prussian-Russian border and the fears of Berlin of Polish liberation movement (during the second partition of Poland in 1793, the city was captured by Prussia) that triggered the decision on transforming Poznań into a fortress.
The fortress was build for two reasons, i.e. to defend itself and Berlin against the potential attack from the direction of Warsaw, which at those times was in the hands of Russia. Despite official friendship, Prussia and Russia failed to trust each other.
You must remember that Berlin is only 270 km away from the city center and Warsaw - 300 km. Another bonus of the choice of Poznań was the Warta River and advantageous landform features. The times Festung Posen was built were appalling for the city. Its development was hampered for many years.
You are welcome to visit the remains of this exceptional fortress...


And interesing website with photo gallery:


http://www.bunkrowcy.yoyo.pl/


unfortunately in Polish.


Those forts 1, 1a, 2, 4 are popular for asg maniacs ;). Many meetings are held there.

[Venom PL]

Malbork Castle

From Wiki



Malbork Castle (German (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language): Ordensburg Marienburg) was built by the Teutonic Order (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teutonic_Order) as an Ordensburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordensburg) and named Marienburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marienburg) (literally "Mary's Castle"). The town which grew around it was also named Marienburg. It is now known as Malbork (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork).

The castle is a classic example of a medieval fortress (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress); it is the world’s largest brick gothic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_gothic) castle and one of the most impressive of its kind in Europe. The castle and its museum are listed as UNESCO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO)'s World Heritage Sites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sites), being added to the register in December 1997 as Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, as one of two sites in the region which owes its origins to the Teutonic Order, the Medieval Town of Toruń being the other, founded in 1231 as the site of their castle Thorn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toru%C5%84) (Toruń).

The castle was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1274 on the Southeastern bank of the river Nogat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nogat), and named Marienburg after the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the Order.

In 1309, in the wake of both the papal persecution of the Knights Templar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar) as well as the Teutonic takeover of Danzig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teutonic_takeover_of_Danzig), the Order under Siegfried von Feuchtwangen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_von_Feuchtwangen) moved its headquarters from Venice to the Marienburg, in the Prussian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussia_(region)) part of their monastic state (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastic_state).

The castle was expanded several time to host the growing number of Knights, and became the largest fortified Gothic building in Europe, featuring several sections and walls. It comprises three separate sections- the High, Middle and Low Castles, separated by multiple dry moats and towers. The castle once housed approximately 3,000 "brothers in arms", and the outermost castle walls enclose 52 acres (210,000 m²), four times larger than the enclosed space of Windsor Castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_Castle).

The favourable position of the castle on the river Nogat and its relatively flat surrounding allowed for easy access by barges and trading ships, from the Vistula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula) and the Baltic Sea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Sea). During their governance, the Teutonic Knights collected river tolls on passing ships, as did other castles along the rivers, imposing a monopoly on the trade of amber (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber). When the city became a member of the Hanseatic League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League), many Hanseatic meetings were held at the Marienburg.

In summer of 1410, the castle was besieged following defeat at the Battle of Grunwald (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grunwald), but Heinrich von Plauen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_von_Plauen) successfully led the defense of the castle during the Siege of Marienburg (1410) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Marienburg_(1410)) during which the city itself was razed.

In 1456, during the Thirteen Years' War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Years%27_War) started by a rebellion of the cities organized as Prussian Confederation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_Confederation). The Order, deserted and opposed by many of its taxpayers, could not pay its mercenary troops after two years of warfare. Hochmeister Ludwig von Erlichshausen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_von_Erlichshausen) moved the seat of the Order to Königsberg, and handed over possession of the castle to the soldiers from Bohemia, as a substitute for their wages. The mercenaries left after having sold the castle to King Casimir IV Jagiellon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_IV_Jagiellon) of Poland, who thus acquired the castle neither he nor his predecessor could conquer by force. He entered the castle triumphantly in 1457 without opposition.

Under mayor Bartholomäus Blume, the city resisted the Polish onslaught for an additional three years, until he himself was captured and hanged in 1460. A monument to him was erected in 1864.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork_Castle#cite_note-0)
The castle and town passed to Polish control in 1466 as part of the province of Royal Prussia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Prussia). Prior to the First Partition of Poland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitions_of_Poland) in 1772, Malbork served as one of the several Polish royal residences.

The castle was in the process of being restored to its presumed medieval appearance when World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) broke out. In 1945, the castle was over 50% destroyed as a result of fighting. The castle has since been mostly reconstructed and restoration has been ongoing since the war. However, the main cathedral in the castle, fully restored just prior to the war and destroyed during the war, remains in its ruined state.


http://www.zamek.malbork.com.pl/zamek01d.jpg

http://www.zamek.malbork.com.pl/zamek02d.jpg

http://www.zamek.malbork.com.pl/zamek03d.jpg

http://www.zamek.malbork.com.pl/zamek04d.jpg


....and here is The Malborc Castle Museum website (in English) - http://www.zamek.malbork.pl/en/index.html

[perdurabo]

Do you have pics of bastioned fortifications in your country? I am a fortification buff.
there is lots of "modern" fortifications from XIX and XXth century but i don't like them too mutch (espetially those from XXth cent. with gray beton walls compared to masterpieces like Malbork or Ogrodzieniec they are fugly)

I am also a big fan of "fortresses", particularly ones with parts of their walls missing.
Here in Germany, people often send me on wild goose chases to see 'castles', which are 'palaces' according to my definition.
Quite disappointing.
I drove into Prague and through Slovakia and it seemed like they had one on every mound of earth.
I am planning a trip to Poland soon, so this thread double-delivers for me.
Thanks.Visit espetially Lower Silesia its castles, fortess and palaces heavy also it has very intresting history (first belonging to Poland then Czechs then Austrians then Prussians and then Germans and now back in Poland)
Other region with lots of castles is Orle Gniazda (Eagels Nests) its series of medieval castles build beatwin SmallerPoland and UpperSilesia, fully Polish made in withe stone altough moustly in sad shape some are now resurected like Bobolice owned by Lasecki family (from total ruin they are now almoust complete they lack roofs and interiors but walls are back in prime shape)

[Mishka Zubov]

Here is a link to the page containing links to all sorts of pictures of castles, palaces and manors in Poland organized alphabetically - general views, panoramas, details, ruins, etc. But without some sort of guide this page is simply too overhelming.

http://zamki.net.pl/mapa-foto.php?p=0

My short take on the subject is this:

South-Western Poland, Silesia: This land have seen all sorts of ownership over the ages: Polish, Czech, German and Polish again. Architectural character of many Silesian castles is unmistakenly German. See for example, Wikipedia entry on the city of Wroclaw, the capital of the Lower Silesia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wroc%C5%82aw

Northern and North-Eastern Poland: Many surviving castles remember the times of the Teutonic Knights (15th century and later). Later on the East Prussians left their lagacy there as well. Malbork has been already illustrated in this thread[1]. The northern city of Torun on the Vistula River is the best kept secret of the architectural marvel dating back to Teutonic Knights, Copernicus, and generally middle ages.[2]

South and South-Eastern Poland: Many castles have been built in the Karpatian mountain range to serve as strongholds to protect the borders of Poland, Hungary and later on the Austro-Hungarian empire. Further east, in Podolia, in today's Ukraine, forts were built to contain attacks of Cossacks, Tartars, Turks, and Moldavians. That was the 16-18th centure "Wild East". Most of those places were primitive, but some, such as Kamieniec, were powerful fortifications built on rocky outcrops in forks of big rivers.

Central Poland: Less exposed to direct attacks, this was a land of wooden manors and later brick and stone palaces, but not the castles. Many beautiful palaces have been built all over Poland by imported Italian architects (16th-19th centuries). Zamosc comes to mind as a well planned 16th century town.


[1] One apparent reason why there are so many castles in Loire Valley, France is lack of the hygiene in the middle ages. French people did their stuff behind the curtains and when the odor became too overhelming new castles was being build.:-) In contrary, the Teutonic Knights cared about hygiene and installed their lavatories in turrets over the moat, http://z.about.com/d/goeasteurope/1/0/Q/8/-/-/MalborkPhoto5.JPG.

[2] If you have been to Carcassonne, France, you would know what I mean. There are plenty of good pages pointing out to the medieval architecture of Torun. There are two remnants of two castles in Torun: the ruins of the castle of Teutonic Knights and the castle of visiting Polish kings. The former was destroyed by the rebelious inhabitants of Torun, who vowed to eradicate the Knights and never allow to rebuild their castle. So it has never happened.

[minimus]

I drove into Prague and through Slovakia and it seemed like they had one on every mound of earth.
Thats to protect them from your grand grand grand grand dad going for a ride thru there. ;-) :-D

[Rumcajs]

I am also a big fan of "fortresses", particularly ones with parts of their walls missing.
Here in Germany, people often send me on wild goose chases to see 'castles', which are 'palaces' according to my definition.
Quite disappointing.
I drove into Prague and through Slovakia and it seemed like they had one on every mound of earth.
I am planning a trip to Poland soon, so this thread double-delivers for me.
Thanks.


not it seems, but the Czechlands is sometimes called Land of the castles, already Bismarck has said - the Czechlands is the Fortress of the Europe...

[smalandian]

Great subject.

Venom BL: The Malborc Castle is really beautiful. Thanks for the pics.

[Gustlik]

http://www.mm.pl/~t8mi/www.grudziadz.fortyfikacje.pl/main.html (http://www.mm.pl/%7Et8mi/www.grudziadz.fortyfikacje.pl/main.html) - I think that is very interesting.
Unfortunately it's in polish, but this is about one of the biggest fortress/citadel in Europe. Grudziądz- Graudenz.
There're a lot of photos, maps and infos:D