Picturesque Poland attracts thousands of tourists thanks to its hilly landscapes, artsy Gothic cathedrals and, of course, impregnable castles. Many of these medieval fortresses have survived to this day, however, some of them have been modernized and converted into modern hotels. Sometimes it is even difficult to determine which are the most famous castles in Poland.
The key purpose of medieval castles is to protect the territory from the invasion of enemy troops. Therefore, they were built on the tops of hills, near rivers, on trade routes and border lands. Many castles belonged to a specific noble, merchant or princely family. Among these stands out Kurnik Castle, which served as the residence of Polish magnates, and, of course, the famous Stettin Castle, where the future Empress Catherine II was born in 1729.
In 1309, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knightly Order moved his capital to the Polish city of Malbork. At the same time, a magnificent castle appeared there, miraculously restored from the ashes after the Second World War. On the territory of Poland there were many other fortresses built by the crusaders, however, some of them are now only ennobled romantic ruins.
Of course, one cannot ignore the symbol of Poland - the famous Wawel Castle, located in the heart of Krakow. This royal residence was built in the Gothic style in the 14th century and subsequently rebuilt according to the canons of Italian Renaissance architecture. Now there is a huge museum dedicated to the daily life of Polish kings.
In the current capital of Poland - Warsaw - there used to be a luxurious royal palace, where Emperor Nicholas I was even crowned. Unfortunately, it was completely destroyed during Nazism. The modern castle building was erected at the end of the 20th century, but its appearance completely repeats the old building of the 17th century.
TOP 10 popular castles in Poland
Malbork Castle
Malbork castle
Malbork Castle first served as the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, and then became the property of the Polish king. This largest medieval brick castle in the world is deservedly under the protection of UNESCO.
The powerful Teutonic Order began its expansion in Eastern Europe back in the 13th century. In 1274, a huge castle was built in the Vistula delta. The fortress was named after Our Lady and has long been known as Marienburg. In 1309, the seat of the Teutonic Order officially moved to Malbork. From that moment on, the castle increased in size, was additionally fortified and rebuilt. For some time, three thousand people lived on its territory. However, the influence of this knightly order soon diminished sharply, and in 1457 the castle passed into the possession of the Polish king.
Malbork Castle is built of red bricks and is a prime example of the famous architectural trend known as northern brick Gothic. The appearance of the fortress is amazing - several rows of powerful fortifications have survived, including thick towers crowned with cone-shaped tiled spiers. The main defensive tower was specially connected to the castle.
The territory inside the fortress walls was located on two levels. The "High Castle" was occupied by the living quarters and the chapter hall, where the meetings of the members of the order took place. Among other things, the castle included a church consecrated in honor of the Virgin Mary; refectory and many storage and utility rooms. After lengthy restoration work - the church lay in ruins until 2016 - Malbork Castle opened its doors to tourists. Now it houses a huge museum, among the exhibits of which you can note a collection of weapons, antique furniture and objects of decorative and applied art, including the famous amber jewelry.
The vast territory of the castle is also often used as a venue for concerts, theatrical performances, knightly tournaments and other colorful festivals stylized as the Middle Ages.
Malbork Castle is located in the north of Poland in the city of the same name, about 80 kilometers from Kaliningrad. It is worth noting that in another Polish city - Torun - there is another medieval Teutonic fortress, which previously served as a military base. This monumental castle was built in the middle of the 13th century, but now only picturesque ruins remain of it.
Kwidzyn castle
Kwidzyn castle
Another masterpiece of northern brick Gothic, Kwidzyn Castle was also built by Teutonic crusaders in 1232. Subsequently, a small settlement grew up around the fortress, which received the name Marienwerder, which literally translates as "Mary's Coast".
Despite the fact that in the middle of the 15th century the Teutonic Order was subordinated to the Polish king, the castle was able to maintain its independence, since it was the seat of the powerful bishops of Pomezania. However, in the 16th century, Marienwerder nevertheless became part of Prussia, and the diocese was abolished.
Now the Slavic name Kvidzyn has been returned to the city, and its castle is very popular among tourists. It retains elements of the striking architectural style of brick Gothic - tiny windows, ornate carved spiers and red tiled roofs.
The Kwidzyn Castle is particularly distinguished by a free-standing tower connected to the main architectural complex by a covered corridor overlooking an arched structure. It is curious that this building used to be in the middle of a river, the course of which has changed over several centuries. And during the Middle Ages, this tower was used by knights as a toilet!
Also on the territory of the castle is the cathedral, built in the middle of the XIV century. Ancient frescoes and burials have been preserved here. The cell of the hermit saint Dorothea, patroness of the Teutonic Order and all of Prussia, is especially revered.
The town of Kwidzyn is located halfway from Malbork to Torun, where amazing monuments of northern brick Gothic have also survived.
Olsztyn castle
Olsztyn castle
The large city of Olsztyn was founded in the first half of the 14th century and was named Allenstein. At the same time - in 1346-1356 - a small castle was built, surrounded by a deep moat and powerful fortress walls. Subsequently, the castle increased in size, and in the 15th century its well-recognized tower was completed by one floor and acquired a round shape.
Olsztyn Castle - like the city's cathedral - is considered a masterpiece of northern brick Gothic. The exterior of these buildings is distinguished by tiny windows and brightly tiled roofs with elaborate extensions.
For several centuries the Olsztyn castle belonged to the powerful Warmia bishopric; solemn meetings were held here with the participation of all canons. And at the beginning of the 16th century, Nicolaus Copernicus himself, a great scientist and astronomer, served as the administrator of the castle. In 1521 he organized the defense of the fortress from the attack of the knights of the Teutonic Order. Subsequently, the Olsztyn Castle, like the city of Allenstein, went to Prussia.
In 1946, an interesting local history museum was opened in the castle. A special exposition is dedicated to the activities of Nicolaus Copernicus. It is curious that this exhibition takes place directly in the room that the great astronomer himself occupied in 1516-1521. It has even preserved a unique old interior and pieces of furniture. An important exhibit associated with Copernicus and the history of astronomy is the experimental table with which the scientist calculated the equinox lines. By the way, it was in Allenstein that Copernicus worked on the work of his entire life - the scientific work "On the Rotation of the Celestial Spheres." Also in the museum are old paintings, objects of decorative and applied art, documents, household utensils and other artifacts telling about the history of the Warmia region. Among other things, the museum hosts chamber music concerts, poetry readings, knightly tournaments and vibrant festivals in the style of the Middle Ages.
Olsztyn is located a hundred kilometers from Kaliningrad. By the way, another Polish city is associated with the name of Nicolaus Copernicus - Frombork, in the magnificent cathedral of which the great astronomer is buried.
Stettin castle
Stettin castle
Stettin Castle, located on the very border with Germany, has an extraordinary history. Built back in 1346, it became the seat of the influential Pomeranian Dukes, who later became related to the Polish royal family.
The castle was completely rebuilt in the middle of the 16th century. Then he acquired the features of the style of Italian Mannerism, which was widespread at that time - intermediate between the Renaissance and the luxurious Baroque. Additional wings were added to the castle, and its northern part turned into a chapel.
In 1637 - in the midst of the Thirty Years' War - the family of the Dukes of Pomerania died out. The castle began to pass from hand to hand - it housed the residence of both Swedish and Prussian governors. In the twenties of the 18th century, Stettin finally became part of Prussia, and the garrison of Christian-Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst was located here. And in 1729, it was in this castle that his daughter, Sophia-Augusta-Dorothea, was born, who later became Empress of Russia Catherine the Great.
During the Prussian rule, all the graceful decorations of the Mannerist era were destroyed, and the castle acquired a strict exterior, suitable for a military base. However, all elements of the Renaissance decor were carefully restored at the end of the 20th century.
Now the picturesque Stettin Castle has been transformed into a cultural and entertainment center. Cozy cafes and restaurants are located in its wings, and an opera house has also opened here. Moreover, some colorful performances take place directly in the dungeons of the castle.
Niedzica Castle
Niedzica Castle
The romantic Gothic Niedzica castle rises on a sheer cliff over the Czorsti reservoir. It is a kind of symbol of Poland and attracts thousands of tourists.
Niedzica Castle was built in the middle of the 14th century and served as an important border point. In the Middle Ages, the border between Poland and Hungary passed here, and noble and eminent Hungarians often stayed here, negotiations were held between the two rulers.
In the external appearance of the castle, features of many architectural styles were intertwined, as the building was rebuilt several times. In some rooms and in the dungeons, Gothic decoration has been preserved. The heart of the castle is its charming courtyard, flanked by an old arcade gallery.
Now a historical museum operates on the territory of the castle. Here you can see ceramics, weapons, antiques and church utensils that were previously housed in the castle chapel.
Lublin castle
Lublin castle
The stunning castle in the city of Lublin is considered the oldest surviving royal residence in Poland. The first buildings appeared here in the XII century, but the peak of Lublin's power fell on the XIV century, when the children of the King of Poland Casimir III the Great were brought up in the castle.
Preserved medieval keep - the tallest tower of the castle. It was built at the beginning of the XIII century. Under Casimir the Great, the royal chapel of the Holy Trinity appeared in the castle, made in the brick Gothic style popular at that time. And in 1418 the church was skillfully painted by a certain East Slavic master. These amazing frescoes have survived to this day in their original form and represent a unique work in which the styles of Western and Eastern icon painting are mixed.
All other structures were destroyed over time. In 1815, Lublin became part of the Russian Empire, and by order of Emperor Alexander I, an elegant neo-Gothic building was erected on the site of the castle, which for some reason was used as a prison. Only in 1954, the prison was closed, and a couple of years later, a huge collection of the city museum, already at that time, moved into the castle.
The Lublin Museum, which occupied a neo-Gothic palace from the times of the Russian Empire, consists of several departments. Here are the masterpieces of Polish craftsmen, antique furniture, ceramics, glass and porcelain. Separate exhibitions are devoted to archaeological finds, ethnographic materials and even military uniforms and weapons.
Ogorodzenets Castle
Ogorodzenets Castle
Ogorodzieniec Castle rises among the rocks in a picturesque region in southwestern Poland. Now only well-preserved ruins remain from the castle, open for tourist visits.
The first fortified building was erected here at the beginning of the 12th century by the Polish king Boleslav III. However, it was burned during the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The next castle was made in the Gothic style, and in the 16th century it passed into the hands of the wealthy governor Stanislav Varshitsky and was rebuilt in the prevailing Renaissance style at that time.
The Thirty Years' War and the Great Northern War left a sad mark on the history of the castle - it gradually collapsed until it was burned by the troops of the Swedish king Charles XII. The ruins of the castle were used as a quarry, and many chapels have survived in the vicinity, for the construction of which materials from the former fortress were used.
In 1973, the ruins were finally restored and opened to tourists. The lower floor of the castle has been amazingly preserved - here you can see prison cells and even traces of painting that have remained since the Renaissance.
Ogorodzenets Castle is part of a popular tourist route known as the Eagle's Nest Trail. It starts at the Wawel Castle in the center of Krakow and continues up the mountains to the north to Czestochowa.
Kurnik castle
Kurnik castle
The picturesque Kurnik Castle is located on the shore of the lake. The first fortified building on this site appeared in 1430 and belonged to Bishop Nikolai Kurnik, who gave the name to the castle and the city that grew up around it. Unfortunately, only the walls of the dungeon remained from the medieval castle. Subsequently, the Kurnik castle belonged to the wealthy Polish magnates Gurka, and it reached its greatest prosperity in the 17th-19th centuries, when it passed to the Dzyalinsky family.
A large-scale restoration of the castle took place in 1855. It was rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style popular at that time. The work was supervised by the famous German architect Karl Friedrich Schenkel, responsible for the reconstruction of the famous castles of the Rhine Valley.
The modern Kurnik Castle is an elegant, symmetrical, cream-colored building with powerful turrets at the edges. The main facade of the building is made in the form of an arch, while the Indian flavor is noticeable in its appearance. To the east of the castle was added a high neo-Gothic tower made of red brick and therefore contrasted with the general architectural appearance of the entire building. Old utility rooms have also been preserved in the park.
Kurnik Castle is very popular among tourists. Now there is a museum, a huge library, and around the castle itself the oldest arboretum in the whole country is laid out.
The museum of Kurnik Castle displays collections that previously belonged to its owners - the Dzyalinsky family. Here you can see antique furniture, masterpieces of European painting, silver and porcelain items, decorative and applied arts and much more. The most beautiful hall of the entire castle is the Moorish room, furnished in an exquisite oriental style. Its interior is a bit like the famous Alhambra in the Spanish city of Granada. The neo-Gothic tower hosts curious ethnographic exhibitions dedicated to the peoples of Australia and Oceania. The library contains ancient manuscripts, as well as personal documents that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte himself.
The arboretum of Kurnik Castle is considered the largest in all of Poland. Many trees were planted two hundred years ago. The park is especially beautiful in spring when fruit trees, delicate rhododendrons and magnolias bloom.
Choinik Castle
Choinik Castle
Choinik Castle rises on an impregnable rock in a picturesque nature reserve called Jelenia Gora (Olenya Gora). First, a small hunting lodge that belonged to the Grand Duke Boleslav the Lysy appeared on this mountain. In 1292, the construction of a full-fledged fortress began. In 1368, the widow of the last owner of the castle, Agnes von Habsburg, resold it to her favorite, the founder of the noble Silesian family of Schaffgosch. Thus, Khoinik Castle was in their hands until the end of the Second World War.
Improved and modernized, the castle was able to withstand the Hussite uprising and even the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War. Ultimately, the Khoinik castle has never been captured by enemy troops in its history. However, in 1675 lightning struck it, a terrible fire broke out, and only ruins remained of the medieval fortress.
As early as the 18th century, the picturesque ruins of Choinik Castle began to attract artists, poets and even members of the Prussian royal family. The great Goethe has also been here. The castle was still owned by the Shaffgosh family, who moved down the valley. They took care of the improvement of the ruins, and in the middle of the 19th century they even opened a small tavern and an inn on the territory of the fortress. It's funny, but now there is a hotel and a restaurant at the Khoinik castle.
Choinik Castle is open to tourists. Nowadays, there are pretty ruins left of it, consisting of a round medieval tower and thick crenellated walls. You can even discern traces of the modernized fortifications added already during the Renaissance.
The Chojnik Castle also hosts the largest crossbow shooting tournaments in Poland.
Ksenzh Castle
Ksenzh Castle
Ksiaz Castle is considered the third largest in all of Poland. It is located in a picturesque mountain valley in Silesia, near the Czech border. The first fortified buildings appeared on this site even before the 13th century, but were soon destroyed. The modern castle grew up here at the end of the thirteenth century and subsequently often passed from hand to hand. For some time it was owned by Agnes von Habsburg and King of Bohemia and Germany Wenceslas IV.
After bloody wars with the Hussites and Hungarians, the fortress finally passed into the possession of the German noble family of Hochbergs, who later received the title of count. The castle has been rebuilt several times, so in its appearance you can see a mixture of various styles - the Renaissance, Baroque and even Rococo.
In the architectural appearance of the Ksizh castle, the powerful donjon tower and the main facade, which have been preserved since the Middle Ages, stand out. It is worth noting the picturesque half-timbered decorations of the old wing of the building. The other wing is more modern - it is painted in soft pink and opens directly to the luxurious palace park, furnished in austere French style. Here you can see many figuratively trimmed flower beds and graceful sculptures.
After lengthy restorations, it was possible to restore the interior of the Ksi castle, corresponding to the style of the Rococo era. Now the castle is open for tourist visits, a museum is open here. Tourists are invited to stroll through the palace's lavishly furnished rooms, admire antique furniture and arts and crafts, and even descend into frightening tunnels dug during World War II.
