Malbork Castle

Malbork is the largest castle in the world by land area and the largest brick building in Europe, a vast fortress-monastery built by the Teutonic Knights on the Nogat river from the thirteenth century as the seat of their crusading state. A UNESCO Gothic colossus of red brick, towers and courtyards, it is one of the great medieval buildings of Europe.

Background

The German name, Ordensburg Marienburg, honours Mary, mother of Jesus. Most historians place the building work in a span of 132 years, from 1274 to 1406, and when finished in 1406 it was the largest brick castle in the world. An early phase lasted until around 1300 under Heinrich von Wilnowe. The Teutonic Order that raised it had been founded in 1191 in Acre. In 1457 the castle was sold to King Casimir IV of Poland, and it then served as a Polish royal residence, one of several, until 1772. Poland named it a national Historic Monument on 8 September 1994, and UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in December 1997.

Source: Wikipedia, "Malbork Castle"

The main sights

• The great brick fortress - the vast Gothic castle of red brick on the river.
• The three castles - the High, Middle and Lower castles within the walls.
• The Grand Masters' Palace - the ornate residence of the Teutonic leaders.
• The amber collection - the treasures displayed within.

When to go

The warm months for the full castle and the riverside setting; it is a popular day trip from Gdansk. A guided or audio tour helps navigate the vast complex.

What to expect

It is enormous, so a visit involves a lot of walking, and an audio or guided tour helps make sense of it. Much of what you see is twentieth-century reconstruction rather than original fabric. It is a day trip from Gdansk, in northern Poland.

Nearby

Gdansk and the Baltic coast are to the north; the Nogat river runs beside the castle.

Key facts