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Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Part 3 of 3 - Fall, Reconstruction and the Present

In the 17th century, Trakai Castle, located in the then Grand Duchy of Lithuania (part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569), was severely damaged by numerous armed conflicts. In 1655, during the Polish-Russian War (1654–1667), when Russian and Cossack troops invaded Lithuanian and Polish lands, both the castle and the town of Trakai itself fell victim to plunder and destruction. Furthermore, between 1655 and 1660, during the so-called “Swedish Deluge,” the Swedes invaded large areas of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including Lithuania, continuing their devastation of Trakai and the castle.

Despite reconstruction attempts in the second half of the 17th century, the fortress fell into ruin. By the 18th century, the structure was abandoned, and towns had developed around the castle. In the 19th century, the castle became an inspiration for Lithuanian Romanticism and symbolized national identity. The first archaeological and conservation work began in the late 19th century, and the first serious reconstruction attempt was undertaken between 1930 and 1935.

After World War II, between 1950 and 1984, the castle underwent a thorough reconstruction, restoring its appearance to that of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since 1984, the Trakai History Museum has operated here, and the castle is one of Lithuania’s most important tourist attractions, symbolizing the region’s rich history and culture.

#troki #trakai #zamek #castle #pilis #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #historia #history #widok #view #landscape #architektura #architecture #photo #photography

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Part 2 of 3 - The golden years and the change of function

After its completion, Trakai Castle became one of the most important political and military centers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1410, after the Battle of Grunwald, the castle’s military significance gradually declined, as the defeat of the Teutonic Knights reduced the threat in the area.

From 1420 to 1430, the castle served as the residence of Duke Vytautas and the site of important diplomatic negotiations.

In 1506, the castle underwent changes under the rule of Sigismund the Old, who commissioned the reconstruction of the residential areas in the Renaissance style. Further modernizations took place in the mid-16th century under Sigismund Augustus, who also adapted the castle for prison purposes.

In the 16th and early 17th centuries, the castle served as a representative residence, although its military significance had diminished. It also served as a storage facility for important state documents and valuables.

#troki #trakai #zamek #castle #pilis #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #historia #history #widok #view #landscape #architektura #architecture #photo #photography

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
Part 1 of 3 - Beginnings and construction

The history of Trakai Castle begins in the 14th century, during a period of rapid expansion for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1323, Duke Gediminas moved the capital of Lithuania to Trakai, which initiated the construction of the first fortress. In 1337, during the reign of Duke Kęstutis, the first brick castle was built on a peninsula on Lake Galve, intended to defend against invasions by the Teutonic Order. Unfortunately, the castle was captured and destroyed by the Teutonic Knights in 1377. Following these events, in 1378, Kęstutis decided to build a new fortress on an island in Lake Galve. Construction began around 1382. After Kęstutis’s death, his son, Grand Duke Vytautas, continued the construction and expansion of the castle. The fortress was ultimately completed between 1404 and 1408, representing the Gothic architectural style. The castle served as a strategic defensive fortress and a princely residence, constituting an important defensive point against the Teutonic Knights.

#troki #trakai #zamek #castle #pilis #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #historia #history #widok #view #landscape #architektura #architecture #photo #photography

The Nemunas River, Birštonas Observation Tower, Lithuania (Part 2 of 2)

The Nemunas was the main river of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but its lower reaches and mouth lay within the borders of the Teutonic Knights and subsequent Prussian states.

After the Third Partition of Poland, it formed the border between the Prussian and Russian partitions. From 1807, when the Duchy of Warsaw, and later the Congress Kingdom of Poland, was established in part of the Prussian partition, the Nemunas formed the border with the territories annexed to Russia.

From September 23–28, 1920, one of the largest battles of the Polish-Soviet War (1919–1921) took place in the Nemunas region between units of the Polish Army under the command of Józef Piłsudski and Soviet forces under the command of Mikhail Tukhachevsky, ending in a Polish victory and the Russian withdrawal.

#niemen #neman #nemunas #litwa #lithuania #lietuva #poland #polska #widok #view #landscape #rzeka #river #photography #photo #las #forest #dolina #valley #history #historia

The Nemunas River, Birštonas Observation Tower, Lithuania (Part 1 of 2)

It is Lithuania’s largest river, with a total length of approximately 937 km, of which approximately 475 km flows through Lithuanian territory. The Nemunas originates near Minsk in Belarus and flows through Lithuania, then through the Kaliningrad Oblast, emptying into the Curonian Lagoon on the Baltic Sea.

In Lithuania, the Nemunas forms a valley ranging from 1 to 4 km wide, often meandering, and its current is calm and slow, especially in its lower reaches. The river valley is picturesque, with numerous islands and sandy shallows, and in its lower reaches, attractions such as the “Dydysis Dzukijos Akmuo” erratic boulder – an inanimate natural monument.

The Nemunas Delta, located at its mouth on the Baltic Sea, creates an extensive network of channels and canals, and on the island of Rusnė – Lithuania’s largest island – there is a large town with a population of approximately 2,500.

The most important cities in Lithuania on the Nemunas River include Druskininkai, Alytus, Kaunas, and smaller towns such as Merkini and Nemunaitis.

#niemen #neman #nemunas #litwa #lithuania #widok #view #landscape #rzeka #river #photography #photo #las #forest #dolina #valley

Aleksotas Hill Observation Deck, Kaunas, Lithuania (part 2 of 2)

Here, you’ll find a sculpture depicting Perkunas, the Lithuanian god of thunder. This sculpture draws on ancient Baltic traditions and beliefs, recalling the roots of Lithuanian culture and the region’s original myths.

In Old Lithuanian beliefs, Perkunas was one of the most important deities – he personified the forces of nature, particularly storms, thunder, fertility, and rebirth. The contemporary sculpture, placed at the viewing terrace, is a symbol of the combination of history, local myths and modern urban space.

#kowno #kauno #kaunas #litwa #lithuania #widok #view #landscape #panorama #miasto #city #aleksoto #aleksotas #photography #deity #perkunas #perun #piorun

Aleksotas Hill Observation Deck, Kaunas, Lithuania (part 1 of 2)

The most popular observation deck in Kaunas (Aleksoto apžvalgos aikštele). It is located on the southern bank of the Nemunas River, near the Vytautas the Great Bridge. The deck offers stunning panoramic views of the Old Town, the castle, the church towers, and the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Access to the deck is via the historic Aleksotas Funicular, one of the oldest of its kind in Europe, operating since 1935.

#kowno #kauno #kaunas #litwa #lithuania #widok #view #landscape #panorama #miasto #city #aleksoto #photography

Castle in Kaunas, Lithuania (part 2 of 2)

After the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, the castle lost its strategic importance and served primarily administrative and judicial functions. In the 16th century, it was expanded, including the addition of a bastion on the southeastern side. In the 17th century, floods and warfare caused further destruction. In 1655, the town and castle burned down during the Swedish invasion, and the building ultimately fell into ruin.

Until the 18th century, the castle served as a prison, and after the Third Partition of Poland, the Russians allowed houses to be built on its grounds, further exacerbating the damage.

The castle’s location next to the flooding Neris River contributed to the collapse of sections of the walls. Only parts of the structure survive today, including a four-sided tower, wall fragments, and a bastion from the 16th century.

Archaeological and conservation work was carried out in the 20th and 21st centuries, and between 2010 and 2011, a reconstruction project was carried out, including the reconstruction of part of the tower and walls.

Currently, the castle houses a branch of the Kaunas City Museum, and the building itself is a venue for numerous cultural events, festivals and knightly tournaments, constituting one of the city’s main tourist attractions.

#kowno #kauno #kaunas #litwa #lithuania #zamek #castle #pilis #wieza #tower #baszta #pogon #vytis #miasto #city #widok #landscape #historia #history

Castle in Kaunas, Lithuania (part 1 of 2)

Kaunas Castle is considered the oldest stone castle in Lithuania, and also the only preserved one with two lines of defensive walls.

The first stone castle was built in an uninhabited area at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers, around the mid-14th century, as part of a fortification system protecting Vilnius and Trakai from the Teutonic Knights. It was an irregular quadrilateral structure with reinforced double stone walls, measuring 330 meters in length, and included two towers.

First mentioned in Teutonic sources in 1361, the castle was captured and almost completely destroyed after a three-week siege by the Teutonic Knights in 1362, who used catapults and siege towers.

After the Teutonic Knights withdrew, the Lithuanians built earthen fortifications on the spot, followed by a new stone castle. Further battles and sieges in the 14th century, including in 1384 and 1391, led to the destruction and rebuilding of the stronghold. Around 1396, the castle already belonged to the Teutonic Knights, who expanded it as a base for their campaigns.

The castle changed hands several more times as a result of armed conflicts. In 1396, an armistice was signed within its walls between the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order and Vytautas, after which Kaunas became a border town near the territory of Samogitia, which was under Teutonic rule.

#kowno #kauno #kaunas #litwa #lithuania #zamek #castle #pilis #wieza #tower #baszta #pogon #vytis #miasto #city #widok #landscape #historia #history

Białe Augustowskie Lake, Poland

Masuria - Land of a Thousand Lakes - a picturesque region in northeastern Poland, known primarily for its numerous lakes that were formed about 15,000 years ago, during the glaciation period, although in fact there are much more of them - about 2,000. The biggest tourist attraction of this region is the Great Masurian Lakes Trail. It is a more than 100-kilometer trail of lakes connected by navigable canals.

#mazury #jezioro #jeziora #woda #zegluga #zeglarstwo #statek #lodka #lodz #rejs #niebo #widok #krajobraz #masuria #lake #lakes #water #sailing #ship #boat #cruise #sky #view #landscape #polska #poland

The Castle of the Warmia Chapter, Olsztyn, Poland

In the 1470s, a cylindrical, 40-meter tower with a square base was built. A drawbridge on the side of the Łyna River led to the castle, which was surrounded by defensive walls and a moat. The castle walls were partially connected to the city walls, making the castle a powerful bastion defending the town.

The castle belonged to the Warmian Chapter, which was under the military protection of the Teutonic Order until 1454. In 1410, the castle surrendered without a fight to the Polish troops of Janusz I of Masovia. After a few years, it briefly returned to the Teutonic Knights. During the Thirteen Years’ War (1455), the castle in Olsztyn was captured by mercenary troops commanded by Jerzy von Schlieben, serving the Order. In 1466, Olsztyn along with Warmia was incorporated into Poland.

In the 16th century, the castle interiors were rebuilt. From 1516 to 1521, the administrator of the chapter’s estates was Nicolaus Copernicus, who in 1520 led the castle’s defense during the last Polish-Teutonic war.

During the Swedish Deluge, the castle was looted. After the First Partition of Poland, it was taken over by the Prussian administration. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the castle was rebuilt and connected with the city.

Between 1909 and 1911, the castle was designated as the residence of the East Prussian regional president. Today, it houses the Museum of Warmia and Mazury as well as the Knightly Brotherhood with an exhibition dedicated to Copernicus. On the castle’s cloister, you can admire a handcrafted, experimental astronomical table of Nicolaus Copernicus.

#olsztyn #zamek #castle #polska #poland #warmia #architektura #architecture #gothic #gothicarchitecture #widok #landscape #krajobraz #historia #history #kopernik #copernicus #mikolajkopernik #nicolauscopernicus

The St. Mary’s Basilica, Gdansk, Poland

The construction of St. Mary’s Basilica began in 1343 - it lasted 159 years! It was not until 1502 that the works were finally completed. The mighty and solid structure of the cathedral survived the difficult times of World War II, although it lost most of its equipment forever. Looking inside the basilica, we are overcome with delight and amazement. The ceiling seems endless, and the snow-white walls give the temple an even greater optical enlargement. At first glance, the interior is empty, there are no frescoes or special decorations. However, thanks to this, we focus more on the size of the temple and its most interesting works, of which there are really many here.

One of the greatest monuments of St. Mary’s Basilica are the Gothic altars, whose black and gold color contrasts beautifully with the white walls.

Another unique monument is the 550-year-old astronomical clock. This 12-meter clock shows not only the hours, but also the phases of the moon and the signs of the zodiac. It is the work of the artist H. Duringer from Toruń. Every day at 11:57 you can take part in the figure theater show of this unique astronomical clock.

#gdansk #kosciol #church #basilica #poland #polska #ulica #street #miasto #city #widok #view #streetview #oldtown #staremiasto #architektura #architecture #sacralarchitecture #architekturasakralna

The Old Town, Gdańsk, Poland

On the right you can see The Long Market Square with the town hall tower, on the left - St. Mary’s Basilica - the largest church in Europe built of bricks.

#gdansk #dlugitarg #longmarketsquare #marketsquare #marketplace #rynek #rynekglowny #kosciol #church #basilica #polska #poland #bazylika #city #miasto #street #ulica #widok #view #panorama

The Crane, Gdańsk, Poland

The Crane is a former port crane without which the port would not be able to function. Cranes were used to reload goods from ships to the quayside and vice versa. The first mentions of the Crane date back to the 14th century. It was a 100% wooden structure that burned down completely in a fire in 1442. In the same year, the reconstruction of the crane began, but this time as a brick and wooden structure. Over the following centuries, until the 19th century, the Crane was an essential element of the Gdańsk port. 200 years ago, it lost its function and was used, among other things, to put up masts or as a lift for boats that required repairs to their rudders and propellers. In the 19th century, the interior of the Crane housed, among other things, a hairdresser’s and a shoemaker’s shop.

In addition to its function as a crane, the Gdańsk Crane also served as a city gate. This day, it leads from Szeroka Street to Długie Pobrzeże.

#gdansk #zuraw #motlawa #port #rzeka #woda #architektura #krajobraz #widok #polska #crane #river #water #architecture #landscape #view #poland

The Town Hall in Gniew, Poland

Located in the central part of the market square, was built at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. It was originally a quadrangular structure with an internal courtyard, a tower and stalls on the ground floor. The building was seriously damaged during the Swedish wars in the 17th century. A major renovation of the town hall for 6,150 thalers was carried out in 1853 by master mason Erich Obuch from Gniew. A stylish arcade was built in front of the northern elevation and the town hall was decorated with a balcony.

In 1818, the eastern wing was demolished, and in its place in 1823, an Evangelical church was built. The southern wing and the tower were demolished in 1836, and in their place, residential houses were built, which originate from the times when stalls with goods for sale were placed around it. Today, its oldest parts include the basement and the ground floor.

In January 1920, the residents built a field altar in front of the town hall, on which on January 27, parish priest Ignacy Rosentreter celebrated a holy mass for soldiers from the Pomeranian Front of General Józef Haller, who annexed Gniew to Poland after 148 years of partition.

#gniew #polska #poland #ratusz #townhall #cityhall #architektura #architecture #budynek #building #krajobraz #widok #landscape #rynek #rynekglowny #market #marketplace #marketsquare #city #town #miasto #citysquare #townsquare #square

The Castle of the Pomesanian Chapter, Kwidzyn, Poland (part 2 of 2)

What distinguishes the castle in Kwidzyn from other castles is its characteristic, largest latrine in the world! The dansker, because that is what we are talking about, is a sanitary and defensive tower at the same time, it dates back to 1384 and is 25 meters high. It is connected to the rest of the castle by a pointed arch bridge supported by five brick pillars, under which a stream flowed throughout the Middle Ages, carrying everything that was needed.

The covered bridge leading from the dansker to the castle at the height of the first floor is 54 m long and houses an interesting ethnographic exhibition with material treasures of the Lower Powiśle. It tells about the Mennonites - the Dutch people who settled in Żuławy in the 16th century and were co-owners of this land until the end of World War II. Very hard-working, they contributed to the creation of a specific landscape here - architectural and cultural.

#kwidzyn #zamek #castle #gdanisko #dansker #kapitula #chapter #biskupstwo #bishopric #polska #poland #historia #history #architecture #architektura #gothicarchitecture #gothic #widok #landscape #krajobraz #krzyzacy #zakon #teutonicorder #teutonicknights #knights #rycerze #walls #wall #mury #mur

The Castle of the Pomesanian Chapter, Kwidzyn, Poland (part 1 of 2)

Construction began at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. Most of the construction work on the castle was completed in the years 1340–1350, and in the 1380s, dansker was completed.

Initially, the castle was an independent structure, and only later was it connected to the cathedral, and its south-eastern corner tower was transformed into a bell tower. The completion of the new cathedral church is dated to the period of Bishop Jan Mönch’s rule (1377–1409). At that time, a unique architectural complex was created in Kwidzyn, which included two castles (bishops’ and chapters’), the cathedral and the town. The individual sections had their own fortifications, and connected by walls, they created a defensive system perfectly integrated into the natural conditions of the area. The castle became the seat of the Pomesanian chapter, as well as a religious and political-administrative center.

Under the provisions of the Second Peace of Toruń, Kwidzyn, together with the bishop’s dominion, was granted to the Teutonic Order. In 1478, Polish troops captured Kwidzyn. The townspeople took refuge in the chapter’s castle and set fire to the town. During the war, the castle was seriously damaged – during renovation works carried out in 1487, the damaged corner towers were demolished.

In 1520, as a result of further military operations, Polish troops completely destroyed the bishop’s castle and most likely damaged the chapter castle.

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#kwidzyn #zamek #castle #gdanisko #dansker #kapitula #chapter #biskupstwo #bishopric #polska #poland #historia #history #architecture #architektura #gothicarchitecture #gothic #widok #landscape #krajobraz #krzyzacy #zakon #teutonicorder #teutonicknights #knights #rycerze #walls #wall #mury #mur

Courtyard of the Teutonic Castle in Sztum, Poland

The photo shows a view from the preserved part of the castle onto the courtyard with the 19th-century Prussian court building.

The castle, built by the Teutonic Order in the years 1326-1335, was intended to protect the route to the more important fortress in Malbork, which had been built earlier.

The stronghold was burned and recaptured by Polish troops heading for Grunwald in 1410. Then, as a result of the Thirteen Years’ War, the castle in Sztum became the seat of Polish starosts.

The most important history of the castle can be actually concluded in the 17th century. As a result of the Swedish wars, the castle was reduced to ruin. During the Deluge, it was destroyed by a two-hundred-strong Swedish force, and the ruins were additionally partially demolished by the Prussian authorities.

Two wings of the castle have survived to this day, along with the remains of the towers and the peripheral walls. They were rebuilt in the 19th century. In the most characteristic of them, you can see the stump of the prison tower. You can also admire the peripheral walls, the remains of the gate tower, and the courthouse and prison building added in the 19th century. The castle in Sztum, unlike other Teutonic strongholds, is not built on a quadrangle plan, but an irregular pentagon. This is related to the shape of the island on which it was located. The island between the Sztum and Barlewickie lakes provided natural protection.

#sztum #zamek #castle #polska #poland #historia #history #architecture #architektura #widok #landscape #krajobraz #krzyzacy #zakon #teutonicorder #teutonicknights #knights #rycerze #namiot #namioty #budynek #zabytek #sad #court #building #dziedziniec #courtyard

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