Tapiau Castle Ruins

During the 13th century Prussian Crusade, the current Gvardeysk area was conquered by the Teutonic Knights. To protect Samland from the Nadrovians and Scalovians, the crusaders built a wooden fort between the Deime and Pregel rivers from 1283–90. This was replaced by Tapiau Castle, a stone Ordensburg, in 1351. Vytautas, forthcoming grand duke of Lithuania was baptised here in 1383 after he breached of Krėvė prison. Since 1450 town and castle was named Tapiau. After Teutonic state was downed by Poland and Lithuania, Teutons moved order archives to Tapiau castle and kept it during 1469-1722. Later Tapiau castle was abbandoned. Soviets built a jail on the mound, it remains active.

Address
ulitsa Dzerzhinskogo, Gvardeysky, Russia

Established
1283–90