Eight castles of the Teutonic Order on the territory of the Kaliningrad region. Malbork Castle, the ancient citadel of the dog knights Waldau Castle in the village

In December 1230 (according to other sources in the spring of 1231), after waiting for the Vistula to rise, the order brothers with bollards led by Hermann von Balck, appointed Landmaster of Prussia, together with a detachment of crusaders crossed to east coast rivers.

The first captured Prussian fortification was adapted by them as a temporary shelter. This fortification was named Thorn. In the same year, on the very bank of the river, they found a place where they decided to build a castle, which was also named Thorn. Therefore, the first fortification became known as Alt Thorn or Old Thorn.

In this year, 1231, the Order no longer planned to advance deeper into Prussia. The main task was to strengthen and equip its bridgehead on the right bank of the Vistula, thus obtaining a solid base for further movement to the north and east. The following year, the Order actively began to advance into the Prussian lands.

The next castles founded by the Order were Althaus and, not far from it, Kulm.

But the supply routes from Thorn were not blocked, and therefore were subject to Prussian attacks. The Order was forced to build another castle on the road between the castles of Thorn and Althaus - Birgelau.

In the same year, one of the order detachments made a throw to the north, along the Vistula for more than 60 km, establishing the Marienwerder castle at the end of the throw. Throughout 1233, the order's garrisons tried to fight off the Prussians who went on the offensive. Marienwerder was lost at the beginning of the year, but by the end of the year it was recaptured from the Prussians and rebuilt.

The year 1234 was the year of reclaiming the occupied territories and strengthening ties between the castles. The distance between Kulm and Marienwerder reached 60 km, and communication routes were often interrupted by Prussian attacks, and therefore the intermediate castle of Graudenz was built.

At the same time, a decision was made to build Rehden Castle to cover the right flank from Prussian attacks. The year 1235 was spent repelling the attacks of the Prussians, who again went on the offensive, as well as additional strengthening of the castles.

Then it was decided to expand the narrow strip of conquered territory, which was easily interrupted by the Prussians, and begin to advance into Prussia. The next castle on this route was Alt Christburg, founded 30 km (as the crow flies) northeast of Marienwerder

At the same time, another castle was founded north of Alt Christburg, which received the name Christburg; in the same year, like Alt Christburg, it was captured and burned by the Prussians. In the same 1236, to support Graudenz, the Engelsburg castle was founded to the southeast of it.

Having gained a foothold in Pomesania, in 1237 the Order set the task of accessing the sea. It was not possible to advance further along the Vistula, as the order’s detachments approached the heavily swampy mouth. It was decided to enter the lands of Pogesania. The advanced order detachment, after a tiring, battle-filled 30-kilometer march, reached the Gulf of Frisch. Elbing Castle was built on the shore of the bay at the mouth of the river. The Order coped with the task quite successfully - now it had access through the bay to the sea, since at that time the Frisch Spit opposite Elbing had a strait. Throughout 1237 and 1238, the Order repelled Prussian attacks and consolidated the conquered territory.

During this period, in 1238, the Order carried out a reconnaissance naval expedition across the bay on two ships “Pilgrim” and “Friedland” along the coast of Warmia. These ships were equipped by one of the German princes and handed over to the Order. They discovered the Prussian fortress of Honeda on a steep coastal slope. The ships could not get close to the shore, and therefore they made a landing on boats.

The landing was carried out quite suddenly - the Prussians were defeated in a short battle. But the remnants managed to lock themselves in the fortress and take up defensive positions. The attempt to take the fortress by storm was unsuccessful. The crusaders took trophies from the settlement near the fortress and nearby villages. But before they could load them onto the ships, they were unexpectedly attacked by a large Prussian army. Most of The landing detachment was killed, the rest were driven into the water and partly destroyed, and the rest were captured. The soldiers and crews who remained on the ships, unable (due to the lack of boats) to come to the rescue, watched as their comrades died. Returning to Elbing and reporting what had happened to Landmaster Hermann von Altenburg, they began to prepare for a more serious campaign.

The next year, well-armed ships with a new detachment of knights and equipment for the siege of the fortress moored at the foot of the high hill on which Honeda was located. The attempt to take the Prussian fortress by storm was unsuccessful, and the siege dragged on.

One day the Prussians launched a massive attack from the fortress, but it was unsuccessful. The knights went on the offensive and drove them back. Few of the Prussians were able to return to the fortress. Heavy losses forced the Prussian leader to negotiate with the order. Soon the fortress was surrendered

(in 1239). The Order slightly rebuilt the Prussian fortress and adapted it to its needs, giving it the name Balga.

In the same year, detachments of crusaders, together with the order brothers, moving along the coast of the bay, founded Braunsberg Castle and moved deep into Warmia. Having completed a 70-kilometer forced march, they invaded the lands of the Barts and founded another castle on the Alla River - Bartenstein. To gain a foothold in this land, troops from Bartenstein advanced to a depth of about thirty kilometers and founded the castle of Rössel.

In parallel with this offensive, an attack was made from Balga deep into the territory and Kreuzburg Castle was founded. At this point, the Order’s offensive stopped, and measures began to be taken to consolidate occupied lands. For this purpose, the castles of Shippenbeil and Heilsberg were built. In the future, it was planned to close the semi-environment and occupy the territories inside. In 1239-40, the Order had 21 fortified points.

But the outbreak of the Prussian uprising interfered with the Order’s plans. As a result, many castles were captured and destroyed. Including: Alt Christburg, Christburg, Braunsberg, Heilsberg, Kreuzburg. The cities founded near the castles were almost all burned.

The uprising lasted about 7 years. During this period, the Order built 5 temporary castles, 4 of them were located along the Vistula - 2 of them on the left bank - since the supply through the Thorn was interrupted. In addition, the Pomeranian prince Shventopolk supported the Prussian uprising and to fight it the Order needed bridgeheads on the left bank.

Lenzenburg (1246) - the fifth castle - was a Prussian fortress, which the Prussians voluntarily handed over to the Order. It was located on the shore of the bay, through which reinforcements and supplies went, since Balga was located very poorly and the Prussians blocked it on the peninsula with two fortresses, Schrankenberg and Partagal. Realizing the importance of Lenzenburg, the Prussians laid siege to this fortress, and it was soon captured and destroyed.

After the suppression of the uprising in 1249-50, the restoration of the destroyed castles and their strengthening began. By 1252, the situation had stabilized and the order began to further advance deeper into the Prussian lands. First of all, to repel future attacks from Pomerellen, Dirschau Castle was built on the left bank of the Vistula (1252). By the same time, the Livonian branch of the Order approached Prussia from the north and founded the Memel fortress (1252). Then Kulmerland (Kulm lands) was finally occupied and the Order reached the border with Masuria, founding Bratian Castle (1254). Attempts to attack Samland were unsuccessful and, having been defeated, the Order was forced to retreat. In 1252-5Z a second attack was made on Samland. The commander of Christburg, Heinrich Stange, crossed the frozen bay in winter and reached Girmov (Germau) through Lochstedt. A battle took place here, in which the Order was again defeated.

Finally, great help from the crusaders, led by the Bohemian king Ottokar, arrived. This large detachment, concentrating in Balga castle (1255), crossed along winter ice Gulf, landed on the Samland Peninsula. The offensive was swift and unexpected for the Prussians and ended in their complete defeat. The result of this offensive was the founding of Königsberg (1255).

The following year, moving parallel to Pregel, the Order advanced to Nadrauen and founded

Velau Castle (1256). In 1258, the Order reached the Curonian Lagoon, near which Labiau was founded. A bridgehead was also created for the attack on Nadrauen on the opposite bank of the Deyma River - Laukishken Castle (1258).

To maintain contact with these far-flung castles, already during the second Prussian uprising, a decision was made to build Caymen Castle (1261).

The Order was prevented from continuing its offensive by the already mentioned second Prussian uprising, which began in 1260. This uprising lasted 12 years. Many castles were captured and destroyed by the Prussians. Some were blocked and subjected to many years of siege, including Königsberg Castle. Königsberg held out under siege for about two years; supplies and reinforcements came to him through the bay and river on big ships, which, with a favorable wind, rose against the current. In 1262, sufficiently strong reinforcements arrived and a sortie was launched against the Prussian camp. The Prussians were knocked out, and the siege was lifted on January 22.

Having pushed back the Prussians, in 1264 the Order began building a series of small castles on Samland. 7 castles were built: Pobetten and Kumenen (old Prussian fortresses), Rudau, Medenau (treasury of the Samland bishopric, no longer mentioned as a castle in 1466), Germau, Wargen, and Waldau. The following year, Tapiau Castle was added.

With the help of the approaching crusaders, Brandenburg was built to replace the burned Lenzenburg, which was soon destroyed by the Prussians and then rebuilt by the Order. During the period of the second Prussian uprising in the north of today's East Prussia, as the rebel Prussian troops were driven out and defeated, 4 more castles were built. The most powerful of them were the castles of Lochstedt and Fischhausen. Schaaken and Tirenberg are small castles. Although later, when Shaaken was rebuilt in stone, it looked quite impressive.

After the suppression of the uprising, the Order almost immediately began to conquer Nadrauen. With a blow from Laukishken to the very center of this land, they captured the Prussian fortress and built the castle of Sassau in its place. At the same time, the conquest of Galindia and Sudavia continued.

By 1283, the advanced detachments of the Order and the crusaders reached the Memel (Neman) River and on its steep bank in 1288 they built the Ragnit fortress. By this stage, the bulk of the Prussian lands were already under the control of the Order.

The development of the occupied territory and the tactical improvement of defense against the increasing attacks from Lithuania began. Neuhaus Castle, built in 1283 at the beginning of the Curonian Spit, was decided to be moved around 1290 to the central part of the spit, to Rossiten. By 1310, the situation in Prussia had stabilized relatively and the seat of the Order was moved from Venice to Marienburg (1274).

During the period from 1230 to 1290, the Order and the Crusaders founded about 90 castles, some of which were used temporarily. Of the 90 castles, information is available only about 74; about the remaining sixteen, except for mentions during the campaigns, there is no information. As of 1310, only 19 castles were partially built in stone.

At the initial stage, the Order often used captured Prussian fortresses, which were earthen ramparts with deep ditches and a wooden palisade running along the edge of the ramparts. At the same time, new castles were built in strategic directions, essentially similar to the Prussian ones, but of a more regular form with the obligatory pre-castle fortification (foreburg). They had wooden blockhouses for the garrison and palisades, additionally fortified with wooden towers.

The reconstruction of castles in stone began immediately after 1309. In 1310, the reconstruction of 6 castles began at once. Subsequently, almost every year one castle was rebuilt, and in 1330 another 6. It should be taken into account that along with the reconstruction of old fortresses, the foundation of new ones continued, which after 1310, as a rule, were immediately built of stone. If we take into account that the castle took an average of 10 years to build, then at the same time there were from 10 to 15 castles under construction.

The construction of castles in stone continued by the Order until 1410.

After the defeat at Tannenberg (Grunwald) and as a result of the destruction of the financial system of the Order, the construction of new castles on Prussian territory ceased. Subsequently, the Order had difficulty maintaining them in combat readiness and restoring them after fires and destruction during the ongoing hostilities.

State Archives employee

Toruń arose thanks to the knights of the Teutonic Order, who were called by the Polish prince Konrad of Mazowiecki to protect the borders from local pagan tribes. Detachments of the crusaders fought with the Prussians and shared the spoils with the prince. At the beginning of the thirteenth century, the crusaders, on the banks of the Vistula River, on the site of a Prussian fortress, founded the castle of Old Thorn (Torun), where the general of the order was stationed.

The castle was built in the shape of a horseshoe; in the fourteenth century, a wide moat appeared here, many outbuildings and even a mill with a dam.

I'll show you the castle itself a little later, but for now a couple of photos of buildings in the area. This is the Bourgeois Courtyard of St. George. Meetings of townspeople and merchants took place here, and it was also the summer residence of the Brotherhood of St. George.

On the other side of the castle is a football field, and the building in the center of the frame is Hotel 1231. This is the restored building of the Old Teutonic Mill.

But let's get back to history. During the Thirteen Years' War, the castle withstood sieges many times and constantly required money for restoration. In the fifteenth century, townspeople, merchants and clergy created the Prussian League to oppose the power of the Order. The siege of the castle begins and due to lack of supplies the castle capitulates. It was plundered and destroyed, and the crusaders were expelled.

True, there is a legend that tells a little differently about these events:

The castle was designed to hold a siege, so there were plenty of supplies there. But often castles are captured due to betrayal, and so it was this time. The merchants persuaded the castle's cook to give the garrison a drink and give the signal for the attack. The cook, after completing the task, when the castle garrison had fallen asleep, climbed onto the tower and waved a huge ladle. The townspeople rushed to the attack, captured the castle, and the cook continued to sit on the tower and look around the battlefield. But in vain, because the Teutons were so tired of the townspeople that they immediately decided to blow up the castle and, without thinking about the cook, planted explosives. An explosion occurred and the cook was thrown by the blast wave onto the Helmn Gate, from where the townspeople removed him and awarded him.

Thus ended the history of the castle and the Teutons in Toruń.

The castle once looked like this:

(antarcticaedu.com)

Now all that remains of the castle is the Gdanisko Tower, to which there was a long passage.

The fact is that the tower served as a toilet. Holes were made in the floor and sewage flowed into the stream below. On the left is the Old Mill building.

And the destroyed castle itself looks like this:

Various celebrations and costume shows are held here.

There is something stone lying against the wall that looks like a millstone. But I had no one to ask. Maybe you have some ideas?

I was lucky, there was some kind of holiday on that day and entry to the castle ruins was free.

Now in this place there is a shooting range where they shoot from bows.

I was walking through the ruins and then I noticed a passage down.

Wow! The basement of the Crusader castle! There is not a single person around, I am with a tripod. No restrictions!

Behind, in the dark passage, some terrible sounds were heard. I carefully looked into the room - a torture room. A dark room with periodically changing weak lighting.

Ancient vampires from the Nosferatu clan also live here. Creepy monsters.

You take a step and someone howls from the darkness.

Cute, isn't she?

Phew...Fears are over. This is the refectory.

Statue of a traitorous cook with a large ladle.

Armor. In such an accessible place that I couldn’t resist touching it. I wonder if they're real?

This is how bricks were made in the Middle Ages.

A clerk with a terrible hand.

Castle layout.

Oh, such beauty was destroyed.

What is this? Clay lamp?

There are siege weapons in the courtyard. The big one is a trebuchet, and the small one, too, it seems.

There is an exhibition of posters on the wall.

Door to the Gdanisko toilet tower.

The history of the castle is told on the walls and there are drawings hanging on it. But I didn’t take a picture of the main hall; it was full of schoolchildren and I hastily retreated.

An interesting place where you can touch history.

To be continued...

Other parts of the trip around the city of Toruń.

Started in the 11th century. The Crusades led to the phenomenon of the creation of knightly and monastic associations, “orders.” The first such association to appear in the Holy Land was the Order of the Templars or Templars ( temple - temple. The next knightly order was created on the basis of the Jerusalem Hospital of St. John

The German order was also created on the basis of the hospital that appeared during the Third Crusade in 1190 during the siege of the city of Acre. In 1198, it was decided to create a knightly order, its first master was German Walpot.

With the coming to power of Hermann von Salza (Hermann von Salza 1209-1239), the situation changed. In 1210-11 Hungarian king Andras II (1205-1235), invites the Teutonic Order to defend the Hungarian border from Cuman invasions.

Brother Theodoric was appointed leader of the expedition to Burzenland. Under his leadership, the development of the resulting territory began in 1212. The Order built 5 castles.

In the fight against the Cumans, the order achieved certain successes, inflicting a number of defeats on them. Some of the Polovtsians were forced to recognize his power and be baptized .

In 1225, Andras II expelled the Teutonic Order from Hungary.

The order's successful fight against the Cumans attracted the attention of the Polish prince Konrad of Mazovia. His principality in northern Poland was constantly subjected to devastating raids by Prussian pagans. In 1225, Konrad of Mazovia turned to the German order brothers for help.

After lengthy negotiations, agreement was reached and the order sent its knights to Prussia. In 1230, an order detachment under the command of the Landmaster of Prussia, Hermann von Balck, approached the border.

In the spring of 1231, the order brothers, led by Hermann von Balck, crossed to the eastern bank of the river. On the banks of the Vistula they built a rampart fortification, calling it Thorn. The next year they began to conquer Prussian lands by launching an offensive along the banks of the Vistula. As they advanced, the order built castles to secure their possessions. The first castles were shafted. Earthen ramparts were poured along the perimeter of which a wooden palisade with wooden towers and living quarters for the garrison was installed. The fortress was surrounded by deep ditches. At the initial stage, the order often used Prussian fortresses.

After the founding of Elbing in In 1238, the order carried out a reconnaissance naval expedition across the bay on two ships. Moving north along the coast of Warmia, they discovered the Prussian fortress of Honeda . The attempt to take the fortress by storm was unsuccessful; almost the entire landing force was destroyed by the Prussians.

A year later (1239), well-armed ships with a new detachment of knights moored at the foot of the high bank on which Honeda was located. After a long siege, it passed into the hands of the Order. Having slightly reconstructed the old fortress, they called it Balga .

In 1239-40, the order had 21 fortified points.

In 1242, the Prussians began an uprising in the territories captured by the order, which lasted about 7 years.

After the suppression of the uprising, the order began the further conquest of Prussian lands

Led by the Czech king Otakar (German: Ottokar), Sambia (Samland) was captured. The result of this offensive was the foundation Koenigsberg (1255).

The order was prevented from continuing its offensive by the second Prussian uprising, which began in 1260 and was finally suppressed in 1272.

After the suppression of the uprising, the order almost immediately began to conquer the Prussian lands of Nadrovia and Scalovia.

By 1283, the advanced detachments of the order reached the Memel (Neman) River and built a fortress on its steep bank in 1289 Landshut (Ragnit). At this stage the main territory of Prussia was conquered.

The development of the conquered territory and the tactical improvement of defense against the attacks from Lithuania began.

Due to the virtual absence of roads, the main transport arteries were rivers, in this region it was the Pregel River. From Königsberg along it was built a large number of castles, including Arnau(c. 1302), Tapiau, Velau in 1320 Taplaken(c. 1310), Norkitten(c. 1320), Insterburg(1336).

In 1309, the residence of the Hochmeister (Grand Master) was moved from Venice to Prussia to the Komtur castle of Marienburg, founded around 1270

Immediately after the Grand Master moved to Prussia, the massive construction of castles in stone began. By that time, the order had developed its own tradition of building castles, both for the residence of commanders and for the smallest fortified fortresses. Everything was consistent, despite the large differences in some outlines and location. It is thanks to this systematic and uniform construction that the castles of Prussia form a firmly defined group of orderly building art of the Middle Ages. As a rule, these were quadrangular castles with from one to four wings with bergfried and high defensive walls . These castles had a pre-castle fortification (forburg), also surrounded by a defensive wall made of bricks with a military passage.

During the 14th century, a large number of expensive castles were built.

Of great importance was the question of building materials. Prussia is poor in stone reserves; there are also no quarries on its territory, and therefore piles, columns, and some building blocks were made from imported granite and limestone blocks. Therefore, the main building material for Prussian castles was hand-molded burnt brick. In addition to ordinary bricks, shaped bricks were also required for the internal surfaces of vaults, windows, doors and for vault supports. Glazed brick was also used in large quantities. When laying, a mortar was needed, which required large quantities of lime, mined in Noenburg. Lime of better quality was imported from the island of Gotland.

Along with the reconstruction of old castles, the founding of new ones continued, which after 1310 were often immediately built of stone.

The construction work of the castles was enormous not only in volume, but also in complexity. From the material spent on the construction of the castle, it was possible to completely build medieval city medium size.

Small castles were also built, which served as residences for order officials (vogts, pflegers - managers, cammerarii, etc.). In addition to the costs of materials, there were also labor costs (production of building materials, construction itself). The Order also paid for highly qualified specialists.

Komtur castles (Conventburg)

The territory of the Order state was divided into commanders, large administrative units, which were the centers of the military and economic organization of the Order. This unit was headed by the commander, with a knightly convention, their residence was the castle. The castle itself Hochburg) had from one to four wings , in the shape of a closed quadrangle. Often with a large tower (bergfried) and small towers in dangerous areas.

The main floor in the castle was considered the second, which could be reached from the courtyard through a covered gallery; on the floor there was a chapel (chapel), a chapter hall (a room for meeting brothers of the order), a remter (dining room), and a dormitorium (bedroom), as well as but definitely a danzker (toilet). In winter, living quarters were heated by heating stones in the basement, warm air was supplied through air ducts, and through holes in the floor. On the ground floor there were utility rooms (kitchen, etc.). Food and other materials necessary for defense were stored in the basements. The third floor also served as storage; it was mainly used as a grain barn. Under the roof of the main castle along the perimeter there was a military passage and loopholes for shelling both outside and into the courtyard. (Particularly large castles had four or even five floors). There was always a well in the courtyard. The yard itself was paved with untreated field stone, and to prevent rainwater from stagnating, it had an inclined appearance with water drainage into a well.

The security of the castle complex was ensured by large ditches and walls with a military passage surrounding the castle itself. Between such a wall and the castle there was a platform called parham.

The construction of large massive buildings, which represented a well-fortified complex, also had a pre-castle fortification ( Forburg), and often several forburgs, with high walls, and numerous warehouse buildings for storing food, fodder, weapons, all kinds of workshops, stables, as well as living quarters, etc.

These castles were built not only as purely military structures, but also as symbols of the status of the knightly community and territorial power. Komtur castles were architecturally full of dignity. Rich decorative forms and building elements gave Northern European Gothic its unique features. In many cases, high-end artwork was used. Elements of architectural decoration were used, such as openwork stone carvings, multi-layer capitals, friezes with inscriptions, and glazed panels. The most beautiful work of order architecture are the halls with ribbed vaults. The castles were also decorated with reliefs and bas-reliefs, for which limestone imported from Gotland was used .

There were 4 Komtur castles on the territory of the Königsberg region:

Balga, Brandenburg, Königsberg, Ragnit. Temporarily served as commander's castles: Labiau, Tapiau, Lochstedt, Insterburg.

Firmari

At commander's castles there were very often firms for sick and old order brothers and order priests who, due to old age or injury, could not serve. In large Komtur castles there were two types of firmari, for order brothers-knights, order priests, gray cloaks and separately for servants. Sometimes there were separate firms for gray cloaks (serving brothers of humble origin) and simple bollards, as in Osterode Castle. But for the separate treatment of gray cloaks - half-brothers, this is perhaps the only evidence . Usually they were treated in the same room with the knights. The firmari table, at least in some castles, was provided with its own kitchen, where better and more plentiful dishes were prepared, as required by the order's statutes. Given the great importance of food diet in medieval medicine, we can talk about dietary cuisine. The kitchen had its own cook, and sometimes (in Königsberg) two cooks. In large castles with a convention of 30 to 60 brothers, there were large rooms with their own remter (dining room) for sick and elderly knights, with a separate bathhouse. Order statutes recommended bathing for sick brothers. The firmari were built in such a way that each knight of the order had his own room (cell) and a common room for rest. In most cases, this complex included a chapel, a kitchen and a basement. Everything looked like a small hospital in which life proceeded in isolation .

Baths

Baths were a fairly common phenomenon in Europe, and accordingly the Order built baths everywhere in its castles. They were available not only in castles with a large convention, but also in the castles of the Vogts, Pflegers - managers and Kammeramts. The baths were built in the same way as in firmari: a plank floor laid on a stone floor, glass windows. Stones were placed on the stoves, being hot, they were poured with water to produce steam. Water for washing was heated in boilers, and people washed in “baths” (wooden barrels). Leafy brooms were also used for bathing procedures. Sometimes there was a special well in the baths .

Water supply

According to research by B. Schmid ( B. Schmid

) there were 19 wells in the Marienburg castle complex. The well in the high castle was up to 27 m deep and lined with stones. Above it is a wooden canopy with tiles and a wheel for pulling out a container of water; the well was obviously built back in the 13th century. In the Grand Master's quarters in the middle castle there was a round hole in the floor that led through the floors into the basement to a well. Usually the well was located in the center of the castle courtyard, as in Königsberg in the courtyard of the Convention House.

Dantzker A characteristic feature of the order's castles were danzkers (toilets), these were impressive towers standing outside the aisles of the castle building, most of them on water flow .

(stream, bay, river, and in a flowing ditch), They were connected to the castle by a covered passage on powerful columns (in Marienwerder this passage was 54 m long). They often combined defensive functions and architectural beauty and formed a striking castle complex. But, first of all, they served as a latrine for the inhabitants of the castle. In addition to the tower danzkers, there were also small rooms hung on the outer defensive wall with external hatches for sewage. Königsberg Castle had two dancers, one for the Convention House and the other for the firmari. As a rule, dancers had several places

Heating The heating system was also carefully thought out. In the 13th and first half of the 14th centuries. the castles were heated by open fireplaces and coal fires. Later, calorific heating (heating with warm air) is found everywhere, the oldest is found in Marienburg. Under the heated rooms there was a special furnace in which large boulders were heated, then thermal holes were opened and warm air from the hot stones was channeled through thermal channels and the rooms were heated through holes in the floor. The chimney was also used for open fireplaces. Thanks to this heating system, the harsh Prussian winters were tolerated quite comfortably

. Later, indoor ovens began to be used in castles. The room stove, combined with ventilated fireplaces, finally took its final form in Prussia around 1370.

Small castles

Along with the large castles of the conventions, the order knights also needed numerous small castles to manage the lands.

The purpose of small castles was very diverse.

Komturstvos, with their often huge territories, needed smaller units (administrative units). They were headed by individual order brothers or order officials. and existed in the form Pflegamt – care, (administrative department),Waldamt - “staircases” andKä ammer . mter Led them respectivelyPfleger - caretakers (managers),Waldmeister - “foresters” and camerarius

- chamberlain. The territory adjacent to the convention castle was governed as a separate administrative unit , similar to cammeramts. Along with the commanders, there were other administrative districts that were subordinate to the landmaster or master; these were Vogtoien

Differences in the purpose of the small castles had little effect on their architectural form; in all these castles approximately the same conditions were available: an order official needed residential, representative and office space. The castle was supposed to have a chapel intended for the entire pre-castle area. These few rooms could well have been located in a building like a one-wing convention castle. In addition, a courtyard and other premises were needed for various military and economic needs. The fortress walls expanded the area of ​​the castle; buildings under their protection could be adjacent to the main building and even form a multi-wing structure. Therefore, there were one, two, three, and even four-wing castles, for example Tapiau, Labiau, Insterburg. In the initial period, these castles were used as komtur castles, and when they were rebuilt in stone, from the very beginning they were built as pflegerstvos. The scale of the castles was not related to their purpose. Most likely, they depended on the size of the subordinate territory, or the importance of the castle as a military point.

Small order castles begin to form when the development of convention castles reached its peak highest point, this happened after 1320. Before that time, not a single small castle built of stone had been identified. At the initial stage, castle buildings were completely influenced by the standard convention castle. But, in the end, they acquired their own special form .

Zwischenwerke – advanced and intermediate fortifications, built to protect the border or as cover between larger fortifications. They were small in size and, as a rule, rarely received architectural decoration. The numerous ramparts of order castles preserved in Prussia may, for the most part, be the remains of the smallest defensive structures.

The Order built small fortifications to protect the population. Simultaneously with the settlements, he founded castles, the military purpose of which was to ensure the safety and protection of the population. Later, they began to perform the functions of the previously castled conventions: they became military castles, bastions on which the defense of the country was based.

Village (city) castles predominated within the country; as a rule, they were located next to settlements or cities and represented two separate fortified places (city and castle) separated by walls and ditches.

Castles of the Sambian Bishopric

On the territory of Kal region. The Sambian (Zamland) bishopric was located, and three separate parts were allocated to it. Two of them were in Sambia, one in Nadrovia.

After the start of the Order's offensive into Prussia, Pope Gregory IX On August 3, 1234, he issues a bull in which he gives permission to a similar “golden bull” of Frederick II for the conquest of Prussia and the subordination of these territories to the Order, but on the condition that a third of these lands would be transferred to the church. The papal legate Wilhelm von Modena arrived in Prussia in 1243 and divided it into four bishoprics. Since Sambia had not yet been conquered by that time, the bishopric on its territory was only in partibus infidelium.

After the conquest in 1255 Sambia (Zamland), it was soon divided. In 1258, a treaty was drawn up between the first bishop, Heinrich von Strittberg, and the Landmaster of Prussia, Gerhard von Hirtzberg, according to which the bishop chose the southern and northwestern parts of Sambia.

Until 1260, the center of the bishopric was in Königsberg, but already in 1264 the bishop founded his residence Fischhausen on the shore of Frische Haff (Cal. Bay). After the Order conquered Nadrovia, a third of the territory was transferred to the bishop. To manage the border lands in Nadrovia, a castle was founded in 1350 Georgenburg.

In their architecture and form, they were practically no different from the order’s castles. In total, on the territory of the Königsberg region there were 11 castles of the Sambian bishopric: Fischhausen, Rinau-Galtgarben, Medenau, Laptau, Tierenberg, Neuhausen, Povunden, Ziegenberg, Saalau, Georgenburg, Quednau. Of these, 2 fortifications Rinau-Galtgarben and Ziegenberg served as fortress shelters. They did not have a permanent garrison and were used only during Lithuanian raids. The local population flocked to these refuge fortresses, which had rampart fortifications, and took part in the defense.

On November 19, 1190, the Teutonic Order was founded, from which many have survived to this day. architectural monuments. Today we will talk about the most famous of them, both those that are well preserved and those that lie in ruins.

Malbork Castle, Poland

Malbork, the largest seat of the Teutonic Order in Europe, is located in what is today Poland. The master of the order moved to the Polish residence from the Venetian one at the very beginning of the fourteenth century. The gigantic red brick building, which cannot fail to impress with its size and grandeur, is located on twenty hectares of a green hill surrounded by a protective moat. After the fall of the order, the castle still served as a residence, but for Polish kings. Modern Malbork is one of the most famous architectural attractions of Poland, which several hundred thousand tourists from all over the world come to see every year.

Balga Castle, Russia, Kaliningrad region

The Balga Castle, the construction of which began on the orders of the Grand Master of the Order in 1250, is led by a cobblestone road old road with powerful trees on both sides. Life was once in full swing here, and fierce battles took place. But by the beginning of the 18th century, the fortress had lost its strategic importance and began to decline. It was finally finished off by the bombing of 1945, after which it was never restored. Today, the secluded building stands in the forest on the seashore, with a five-meter fortified ditch visible nearby. The best preserved of the fortifications is the tower, which served as a lighthouse. Unfortunately, the word “preserved” is not entirely appropriate here: what remains of the tower can be climbed using some fragments spiral staircases, and even then not very high. Only the once four-story convention building looks good.

Schaaken Castle, Russia, Kaliningrad region

According to the order's chronicles, Schaaken was founded in 1261 on the site of a Prussian fortress, while defensive ditches were deepened, the rampart was strengthened and new palisades were built, where the garrison's living quarters were located. The castle was necessary for the Teutons to defend the coast of the Curonian Lagoon (Kurishe Gaf Bay). Subsequently, Schaaken was used for the order’s campaigns on Prussian territories. The castle survived many wars and survived even the terrible meat grinder of World War II. But by the end of the 20th century, due to the lack of timely repairs, the ceiling and walls collapsed, and all the buildings turned into ruins. Today there is a private museum on the territory of the castle, the owners of which are raising funds for restoration.

Koenigsberg Castle, Russia, Kaliningrad

This castle marked the beginning of the history of the city. Czech king Ottokar and Grand Master Poppo von Ostern founded it in 1255, and the castle existed relatively safely until 1967. It was originally a wooden structure, later rebuilt into a brick fortress and then into a castle. Over the seven centuries of its existence, it housed both the residence of the Teutonic Order and the residence of the Duke of Prussia; it was the place where Prussian kings were crowned. The castle was seriously damaged during the Great Patriotic War, but its walls survived. They fell in 1967 - the castle, despite the protests of city residents, was not restored, but blown up by decision of the regional committee of the CPSU. Today, in its place there is the House of Soviets and a pile of stones with signs indicating which part of the castle belongs to certain fragments.

Velau Castle, Russia, Kaliningrad region

One of the most important castles of the Teutonic Order was Velau Castle. It was located where the village of Znamensk is now located, belonging to the Gvardeysky district of the Kaliningrad region. The castle was destroyed in 1280. Later it was built again, but in a new place, where the Pregoli and Lava merge, on eastern island. 1347 is the year the castle was burned, after which it was no longer restored. Today, part of the village is located on this site, and even the technical parameters of Velau Castle are practically unknown.

Active holidays in Poland are a pleasure. Mountains, sea, bike trails, tourist routes. What's not here? A separate item on this list is traveling to Teutonic castles in the northern part of the country.

During the several hundred years of its rule, the Teutonic Order built about 90 castles and fortresses on these lands. Some of them did not survive to this day - they were destroyed, burned or demolished. Those that remain amaze with the grandeur of their Gothic architecture, boast a rich history, and are shrouded in numerous secrets and legends. All this exclusively testifies to the unsurpassed skill of medieval builders. Teutonic castles are eagerly visited by tourists from all over the world. We invite you to follow in the footsteps of the crusaders.

Crusaders are knights of the Teutonic Order.

We begin the expedition route in the footsteps of the crusaders from Toruń. This city was founded by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1230. boasts the wonderful Old Town, full of historical attractions, and the not much younger New Town. From the mighty Teutonic castle, destroyed during the 13-year war, only colorful ruins remain.

Ruins of a Teutonic castle in the city of Toruń.

About 15 kilometers southwest of Toruń is the Bezgłowski Castle, a small village with a well-preserved fortress. Bezhglov Fortress is one of the oldest Teutonic buildings (1270). It was in it that the residence of the commander (commander of a separate detachment of the knightly order) was located. The castle was destroyed several times during battles, but in the middle of the 19th century it was completely rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style.

The Bezhglov fortress is one of the oldest.

We cross the Vistula and head north to the town of Świecie. Already from afar one can see the massive ruins of a Teutonic castle, which was built on an artificial island, not far from the confluence of the Vda and the Vistula. Svetsky Castle has preserved part of the medieval wall and a high, more than 30 meters, cylindrical tower, from the top of which a delightful panorama opens.

Tower of the Svetsky Castle.

Now we will have to go along the banks of the Vistula in a northerly direction in order to reach the city of Wrath. Most beautiful view the city will open to us from the eastern side. Gniew Gothic Castle was built in the second half of the 13th century. Especially luxurious castle looked like during the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Michal Kuhmeysiter, within its walls.

Gniew Castle.

Far to the west, near the ancient borders of the Teutonic State, stands the majestic Czlukhov Castle. It has survived to this day only partially - a fragment of the city wall and a high 46-meter tower, which offers an amazing view of the city of Czlukhov. One of the commanders of the Chlukhov stronghold was the famous Konrad von Wallenrod, the 24th Master of the Order and the greatest commander of the Middle Ages.

Teutonic fortress in Czlukhov.

Another attraction, located far to the west, is the Teutonic castle in Bytov. This is one of the best preserved fortresses, whose history begins in the 14th century. The architect of the Bytovsky castle was Mikolaj Fellenstein - the same one who built the fortress in Malbrok. Today the castle houses a museum and a hotel.

Bytovsky Castle.

We return to the Vistula valley, and then follow along its eastern tributary Nogata to see the most significant landmark of the Teutonic traces. Castle in Malbroc. This, the largest brick building in the world, was built with the aim of establishing the capital of the Teutonic State in it. Every year thousands of tourists come to admire this treasure of Gothic architecture.

Malbork is the most famous castle Crusaders.

Now we head south to see the castle in Sztum. On the isthmus between two lakes, in a place occupying an excellent defensive position, stands the Štum Castle, built in the mid-14th century. The building has perfectly preserved underground floors, defensive walls and a moat. Currently, the Association of the Knights' Brotherhood of the Land of Sztumov is located in the Sztumov Castle.