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We visited Malbork in August, 2003 and were quite amazed at the castle we found there, the largest brick castle in the world. This castle was originally settled in 1280 and was built by the Teutonic Knights as their new stronghold. They began with the High Castle (completed about 1300), a Middle Castle completed later in the 1300s, and a lower castle from the 1400s. Much of the castle was surrounded by a moat and defensive walls. Below is a photo of the Middle and High Castles taken from across the river. Because of its size, you have to stand this far away to get the entire view.
The sheer size of the castle is a bit overwhelming and it is amazing that it has stood for so many years. Parts of it were reconstructed in the 1800s, but then during W.W.II it suffered great damage from shelling. There are pictures inside which show what it looked like in 1945 - much of what you see today has been reconstructed from that time. While they have maintained the architectural lines, the newly added brickwork is obvious, providing a grim reminder of the damage done.
In the High Castle stands the cathedral which has not yet been restored (below right). Here you can get a real sensation of the damage done and the massive work effort required to restore it. We were amazed at the amount of work that has already been done in the rest of the complex.
Above left is a view down on of the many Gothic hallways that provide access to the many rooms and courtyards. In the High Castle there is a beautiful central courtyard with well (photo with Jim, below)to provide water for the residents. At the top of the covered well is a swan protecting her cygnets.
Unfortunately, no one was protecting her during the fighting and today she remain bullet-ridden (right).
Even though the castle complex has seen much damage over the years, some area still have amazing fragment of the original work, such as the painted arch ceilings as shown below, right. as well as the stained glass below left from the 19th century.
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Of course, the castle, as a defensive structure, has high walls, inner moats, draw gates, portcullis, and other features meant to keep out the enemies. At the entrance to the High Castle (photo, left, you can get an idea of the amount of security provided. This is especially interesting in that you had to get through the defended middle castle before you could get to this point where you now met with a secure gate system over a moat that separated the two castles. The Middle Castle had its own security, an entrance that was a system of 4 gates and a portcullis. The knights wanted to make sure they were securely ensconced in their castle. This worked until 1457 when King Casimir IV Jagiello bought the stronghold and it became Polish property for the next 300 years.
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In 1772 it came under Prussian rule as a result of the first partition of Poland. It was used for various purposes and was about to undergo extensive redevelopment in 1804 when King Frederick Wilhelm III decided to begin rebuilding the stronghold. The rebuilding has continued to this day.Of course, one of the areas that interested Verna was the Kitchen (right) in the Middle Castle. It was a warm, inviting place, but seemed to be missing some of the more modern conveniences that we are used to today.
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