Visiting Malbork Castle

Work on Malbork Castle began in 1274 when the Teutonic Knights first arrived in Poland at the request of the Polish Royal family to help convert the pagan tribes in the area to Christianity. It took them about 30 years to build a small stronghold named St Mary’s City (in German: Marienburg).

In 1309 the Grand Master of the Order, Siegfried von Feuchtwagen, moved his office from Venice to Malbork castle, which turned the castle and surrounding town into the capital of the Teutonic state. New needs spurred castle expansion. After almost 40 years the original stronghold became the inner High Castle of the complex. Flanked with moats and walls, it became the main residence of the Teutonic grand masters and top ranking officials.

Construction of a Lower Castle,(The Bailey )began during the 14th and 15th century. It contained a Karwan (armoury), granary, storehouse, as well as St. Lawrence chapel. All of these buildings were surrounded by walls, towers and moats and connected with the defensive walls of the city.

During the Thirteen Years War of the late 1400's, Malbork castle was occupied by the Polish army and as a result of the signing of the Peace of Torun in 1466, the castle was handed to Poland and remained in Polish hands for the next 315 years.

With the ousting of the Teutonic nights, Malbork castle changed its function from monastery to fortress. The Royal starosta (governor) and his murgrabia (deputy governor) became the administrators.

Between 1626 and 1656, Malbork castle was occupied by Sweden and king Carl Gustaf ordered the castle to be surrounded with ground ramparts, very few traces of which still exist. The Polish never conquered the castle - it was given up as a result of a peace deal signed in Oliwa.

In May of 1644 the roofs of High Castle and some of its galleries caught fire and were destroyed. In 1647 the roof of the church was restored and in 1675, because of the slow rate of restoration, part of the vaulting collapsed in the chapter house. In the 18th century, by order of king August II, a new roof over the High Castle was laid.

In 1756-1767 a Jesuit college was built. The Jesuits then started restoring the church of the Holiest Mary Virgin. Restoration of the castle was limited to current repairs.

As a result of the partition of Poland in 1772, Malbork castle was occupied this time by the Prussian army. It became a barracks and was rebuilt to accompany the needs of the military. In 1799 Frederick William III ordered the role of the High Castle be changed to that of a military storage depot.

After withdrawal of the Napoleonic armies, in 1816, Administration for Restoration of Malbork Castle (Ger. Schloßbauverwaltung Marienburg) was established. From now on medieval castles came under the care of sensitive for beauty of the fortress restaurateurs, and they dynamically restored Malbork to its original state.

In 1881 the Prussian government decided to rebuild the church of the Holiest Mary Virgin in the High Castle. Restaurateurs continuously gained numerous funds for care and reconstruction of the castle until the beginning of the World War II.

The flag of Third Reich was displayed in the castle on May 1st, 1933 and became a place of celebrations for high ranking officers of NSDAP party. On September 1st, 1939, there was a ceremonial announcement of the return of the former territories of West Prussia to Germany. In May 1940 copies of the Teutonic Order's flags - Banderia Pruntenorum - were brought here from Wawel castle in Cracow.

The castle was severely damaged by warfare in 1945 with an estimated 50% of the castle being destroyed.

Starting in fifties the care of the castle was taken over by PTTK (Polish Tourist and Country Lovers Society).

In 1957 a celebration marking 500 years of liberation of Malbork was held. Its goal was to bring to the attention of the government, the state of the monument, which resulted in the establishment of a Castle Museum on January 1st, 1961. In 1997 the complex was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.