The beginnings of the town of Malbork connect with the foundation of Malbork Castle (Zamek w Malborku). The Teutonic Knights built the altter. They were a German military order that took part in the Crusades, where they made a name for themselves as defenders of the faith.
In 1226, the Polish Duke Konrad of Mazovia presented them with land along the country’s northeastern borders to help fight the pagan Baltic people who were attacking his territories. Soon they conquered the Prussians and established their state in the neighboring area (later, one of the German states inherited the name “Prussia”).
Former Marienburg
They founded many cities and castles, including Malbork. This was also known as Marienburg, named after St Mary, the patroness of the Order. The construction of their stronghold on the Nogat River began in 1276 and finished early in the 14th century when it became the headquarters of the Grand Master.
Later it underwent some remodeling, becoming larger and larger. If Konrad of Masovia could have foreseen the increasing power of the Teutonic Order, he would have wished that he had never invited them. The knights in their white coats with a black cross grew to be one of the most dangerous enemies of Poland.
Although Malbork passed to Poland in 1457, the Teutonic state existed until the beginning of the 16th century. In 1525 the Grand Master swore allegiance to the Polish king, turned to Lutheranism, and dissolved the Order. Malbork remained Polish till the Partitions of Poland when Prussia annexed it. They first turned it into barracks, and later it was restored during Romanticism as a symbol of medieval Germans’ glory. Following World War II the town with the unharmed castle remained within Polish borders.
Malbork today
Today’s Malbork has a population of 40,000, and it is a local administrative center, a key local transport connection and a popular tourist destination. Apart from the imposing castle, you have some other historical sites to enjoy. The Gothic town hall, the parish church from the 15th – 16th century and the 16th century Jerusalem Hospital.
Nearby Malbork (in Stogi) you can find an unusual historical site – a Mennonite cemetery. Mennonites were Dutch Protestants who came to the area in the 16th century to escape the Spanish rulers of The Netherlands. While here they helped to build many drainage channels.
The castle is the world’s largest brick building made by human hands and one of the most impressive Gothic fortresses. It still amazes with its architectural style and size. The total content of the castle is over a quarter million cubic meters. The Teutonic Order built the fortress from the beginning of the 13th century to the middle of the 15th century as the seat of Grand Masters and the capital of the Order’s state.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
In the middle of the 15th century, the kings of Poland used the castle. Today it’s on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Castle Museum in Malbork, visited by over half a million tourists per year, offers 18 exhibitions including extensive collections of amber, military devices and Gothic sculpture.
The town is especially visited for its tremendous castle that once consisted of three parts. The outer one, ruined and not open for visits, the Middle Castle and the Upper Castle. The sightseeing starts from the Middle Castle, the later and larger segment with three wings around the yard. There is also a Palace of the Grand Masters, a magnificent monument of Gothic architecture decorated with slim columns.
You should not miss the beautiful interiors of the building, including the Winter and Summer Chambers, one of the dormitories and the Great Refectory, with their delicate adornments and impressive vaults. Many chambers hold exhibitions including a huge display of amber and a militaria collection. In 1997 the castle became a UNESCO World Heritage site.