Castles of the Teutonic Knights
Golub-Dobrzyn Castle
Golub-Dobrzyñ Castle was built by Teutonic Knights at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, later rebuilt and extended in the 15th century. Between 1616 and 1623 it was a residence of Anna of Finland; during this period a Renaissance attic was added. The castle was destroyed during the The Deluge. In the 19th century, it was neglected and a gale caused the collapse of its attic. After 1945 the castle was rebuilt and r ...
Founded: c.1300 |
Location:
Golub-Dobrzyñ, Poland
Ludza Castle Ruins
The first mention of the Ludza Castle dates from 1433 when the Livonian Order built a large and strong fortress to replace an earlier wooden fortress built by the ancient Latgalians. The Ludza stone castle had three stories, six towers, three gates and two foreparts. It was built as an outpost for the Livonian order, mainly to strengthen the eastern border of Livonia and guard trade routes from Russia. In 1481 the Russia ...
Founded: 1433 |
Location:
Ludza, Latvia
Ragnit Castle Ruins
On 23rd April 1289 the Landmeister (provincial Master) of the Teutonic Order in Prussia, Meinhard von Querfurt, attacked the lands of the Skalvians. Afterwards he ordered to construct a Teutonic fortress which was to replace an old Prussian fort called "Ragaine". The new stronghold was named "Landehut", meaning "the land"s guarding fort" or "the land"s defence". At the tu ...
Founded: 1397-1409 |
Location:
Neman, Russia
Järve Castle
Järve vassal castle was first mentioned in 1497, when it was owned by Lodede. It was then called as Türpsali. The stone castle was dounded in 1508 and it was owned by Payküllide family until 1808. The castle was originally a three-storey and made of limestone. Today two lower storeys still exists, the other castle was ruined probably in the Livonian War or in the Great Northern War.
Founded: 1508 |
Location:
Järve, Estonia
Barciany Castle
The first wooden castle in Barciany was built by Teutonic Knights in 1325. The construction of the stone castle to the site began in 1377. It was completed in the 15th century. In 1945 the castle was acquired by State Agricultural Farm and today it is privately owned. Barciany castle is a well-preserved sample of medieval architecture of Teutonic Order.
Founded: 1377 |
Location:
Barciany, Poland
Krimulda Castle Ruins
The Krimulda Castle dates from the 14th century and was destroyed in a war in 1601. During the 13th century the left bank of the Gauja river was governed by the Order of the Brethren of the Sword, (later known as the Order of Livonia), while the territories on the right bank were under the domain of the Archbishop of Riga. Krimulda castle belonged to the Riga High Council which was a group of twelve high priests who advis ...
Founded: ca. 1255 |
Location:
Sigulda, Latvia
Brodnica Castle Ruins
Teutonic Castle Ruins from the 14th century with the high tower (56 m high) has been survived to the nowadays in Brodnica. The castle was the headquarters of the commander of Brodnica and was one of the most powerful Teutonic castles. During the 13-year war was occupied by the Polish army in 1454 and 1463. From 1479 to the partition of Poland in 1772 the castle was the seat of Polish mayors (1485-1604 Działyński ...
Founded: 1305-1330 |
Location:
Brodnica, Poland
Gizycko Castle Ruins
The city of Gizycko (Ger. Lötzen) was founded as a village surrounding the Teutonic Order"s castle, built around 1340. The castle was built during the reign of Grand Master Winrich von Kniprode, located in a strategic position - on the isthmus between Lakes Niegocin and Kisajno. It was a dwelling with a rectangular courtyard, surrounded by a wall, and functioned as a residence of the Teutonic Order"s prosec ...
Founded: c. 1340 |
Location:
Gizycko, Poland
Ellingen Residence
Ellingen belonged to the Teutonic Order from 1216 onwards and was the Residence of the Territorial Commander of the Bailiwick of Franconia. This was the most powerful bailiwick in the Teutonic Order, and the small town of Ellingen thus represented the centre of a far-reaching territorial and economic power. At the time when today’s palace was built, however, the Teutonic Order had already become a charitable instit ...
Founded: 1708-1720 |
Location:
Ellingen, Germany
Kandava Castle Ruins
Kandava settlement was first mentioned in 1230 in a peace treaty between the residents of Riga and the residents of the Abava valley in Courland. A military castle was built around 1257, but it was gradually dismantled over the years and now only its foundations can be seen in a town park. The oldest remaining structure is a guard tower built in 1334 and later used for gunpowder storage.
Founded: c. 1257 |
Location:
Kandava, Latvia
Bobrowniki Castle Ruins
Bobrowniki Castle was built by the Teutonic Knights. Following the Peace of Thorn (1411), it was taken over by the Polish, later to become a residence of the local mayor. Since the 18th century the castle has been laid in ruins. Bobrowniki castle was erected at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, after the purchase of Bobrowniki village by the Teutonic Knights in 1392, possibly as an extension of an earlier fortress ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Bobrowniki, Poland
Kalvi Manor
The estate was first mentioned in 1485, when there was a vassal fortress built by the von Lode family. Later on, the estate belonged to the Kalffs, von Essens and von Stackelbergs. The Early-Classical main building that had replaced the medieval fortress in the 1770s burnt down in 1911 (in ruins), after which a new luxurious eclectic main building was erected nearby and completed in 1913. Because of its corner towers a ...
Founded: 1913 |
Location:
Aseri, Estonia
Szczytno Castle Ruins
Between 1350 and 1360 Ortolf von Trier, a knight of the Teutonic Order and the Komtur of Elbląg, founded a fort in Galindia, probably near an Old Prussian settlement. The first mentioning of the fort was a document from 24 September 1360, after Ortolf invited Masoviancolonists, among whom the settlement became known as Szczytno. The first custodian of the settlement was Heinrich Murer. In 1370 the wooden fort was destroy ...
Founded: 1350-1360 |
Location:
Szczytno, Poland
Papowo Biskupie Castle Ruins
Papowo Biskupie Castle was completed in the 14th century. It changed hands several times in Wars between Poland and Teutonic Knights in the 15th century. The Polish army conquered and burned the castle down in 1458. Later it was owned by the bishops of Chelmno. Today only ruins remain.
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Papowo Biskupie, Poland
Pieniezno Castle Ruins
During the Middle Ages, an Old Prussian fort called Malcekuke was located near the current site of Pieniężno. The Teutonic Knights built an Ordensburg castle near Malcekuke in 1302. Both the castle and the town which developed nearby were destroyed during the war between the Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Poland in 1414. During the Thirteen Years" War, Mehlsack surrendered to the Order, and the castle bu ...
Founded: 1302 |
Location:
Pieniężno, Poland
Lidzbark Warminski Castle
Lidzbark Gothic Castle was built in 1350-1401 on a site previously occupied by a small Prussian fort called Lecbarg, which had been situated between two rivers: the Łyna and the Symsarna. For many years Lidzbark Castle was a residence of the bishops of Warmia and a stronghold protecting the eastern border of their domain. The basic structure of the castle consists of four wings enclosing the inner ward, surrounded b ...
Founded: 1350-1401 |
Location:
Gmina Lidzbark Warmiński, Poland
Angerja Castle Ruins
The vassal tower-stronghold of Angerja was probably built in the 14th century. The rectangular construction was made of limestone, the walls were two meters thick and it was surrounded by a moat. Some parts of the walls remain to this day and a moat is still visible. It is thought that the stronghold was destroyed during the Livonian war. Tower-strongholds were built by vassals to protect themselves, mostly against peasa ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Kohila, Estonia
Klaipeda Castle Ruins
Klaipėda Castle, also known as Memelburg or Memel Castle, is an archeological site and museum housed in a castle built by the Teutonic Knights. The castle was first mentioned in written sources in 1252, and underwent numerous destructions and reconstructions in the centuries that followed. The Christian Teutonic Order had been waging an ongoing war against the Prussians during the 13th century; in order to entrench ...
Founded: 1253 |
Location:
Klaipėda, Lithuania
Horneck Castle
Horneck castle was built around 1200 and was given to the Teutonic Order by Konrad von Horneck in 1438, thereby making it the seat of the 'Deutschmeister' (German Master) until it was destroyed in 1525 by fire during the German Peasants" War. Despite reconstruction shortly after Horneck Castle"s destruction, Mergentheim became the new headquarters for the Teutonic Order in that region in 1527. As of 2 ...
Founded: 1200/1533 |
Location:
Gundelsheim, Germany
Vasknarva Castle Ruins
The first Vasknarva order castle (Neuschloss) was founded in 1349 on the northeastern border of Old Livonia. 1427–1442 a new castle (Vastne-Narva) was built, which became the centre of the vogtei of the Livonian Order. The castle was wracked in the Livonian War. Until the Great Northern War it was a fort of great importance, commanding the mouth of the Narva River. It has been known in Russian chronicles either as S ...
Founded: 1349 |
Location:
Ida-Virumaa, Estonia