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CASTLE IN GNIEW, VIEW OF THE EASTERN WING
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he building of brick castle began in 1283, shortly after the Duke of Gdansk Mściwoj II (d. 1294) donated the land of Gniew to Teutonic Order. For the friars, it was the first territorial bridgehead on the left bank of Vistula River, so they immediately began to fortify these very easily conquered areas. Dietrich von Spira, the first commander of Gniew, was appointed to supervise all the work. He decided to use for this purpose the building material obtained during demolition of the brick castle in Potterberg (or Potteberg) in Chelmno Land and transported to its destination by the river. The new seat was located on a steep hill at the mouth of Wierzyca River to Vistula, thanks to which a natural water barrier was used to protect against the attack from the east and providing free access to navigation on Vistula River. The Teutonic Knights marked their presence in Gniew by erecting a wooden castle, where the convent settled, and around 1290 they started working on building a brick castle. This work lasted for more than forty years, with intervals, and proceeded in two essential stages. In the first stage, a 6-metre high external wall was erected in the shape of a quadrilateral, with huge square tower and three slim turrets in the corners. The turrets in the northern and southern sections were connected by the buildings, at that time still relatively low and modestly decorated. Originally, the entrance to the courtyard led through a gate located in the southern wing. It could be accessed through a drawbridge thrown over the moat separating the area of the upper castle from the bailey.
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SOUTHERN ELEVATION FROM THE TOURNAMENT COURTYARD SIDE
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n the second stage of construction works, which began in the first half of the 14th century, the eastern and western wings were erected, and already existing ones were raised, thanks to which all of them reached the planned height of three storeys. They closed the inner courtyard, which was surrounded by wooden cloisters. Almost a hundred years later, after abdication of
Michael Kuchmeister von Sternberg (d. 1423) from the office of Grand Master, the castle was adapted for his private residence, which necessitated some changes in communication and spatial arrangement. The gateway in the southern wing was bricked up and replaced by a new one, made on the eastern side, near the main tower. The building of eastern foregate and relocation of the entrance gate should be associated with the need to modernize the fortification due to the threats resulting from spreading of firearms. Indeed, the southern wing had too many large windows, which made it difficult to defend during the siege. At that time, the chapel was also enlarged, the division of interiors in the northern wing was changed, and a large bailey with towers was established south of the castle.
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The first mention of Gniew in written references comes from the first half of 13th century. One of the documents describes this area as Wansca (Wońsk), but the name Gymeu (1229) was also used. The term Wońsk probably derives from the river Wonia (Wierzyca), at the mouth of which the town was founded, and whose name is associated with something stinking (wonieć = stink). The term Gymeu, presumably derived from the verb 'gnić' (rot, decay), has a similar and also not very pleasant etymology. In the Middle Ages, the name had various forms, including Gymew (1233), Gymene (1245), Gmew (1282), Gemewa, Mewa (1320), Gmeua (1323) and Gmewe. Later on, until 1918, Mewe was written on maps and documents, probably formed as a result of blurring the first, soundless letter G in the town name.
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niew was the first fortified Teutonic Knights' seat on the western bank of Vistula River and in course of time it became one of the most significant military centers in the whole state. In 1407 the commandery owned over 500 horses, including about 100 so-called battle horses of great material value. Perhaps the poor supply of modern weapons caused that during the Great Polish-Teutonic War (1409-11) in the summer of 1410, the crew of the fortress surrendered, presumably without a fight, to the troops of castellan Paweł from Wszeradów, which occupied it until the conflict was over. After the First Torun Peace was declared, Gniew returned to the hands of Teutonic Knights and the castle was immediately rearmed. As a result, as early as 1416, it was equipped with 8 stone bullet guns and 16 lead bullet guns.
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FRAGMENT OF THE EAST WING WITH THE MAIN GATE
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hen in February 1454 an anti-Teutonic uprising broke out in Prussia, units of insurgents consisting of local knights and townsmen began the first siege in the history of fortress, which ended a week later with the success of the besiegers and escape of the castle crew to Malbork. The Polish knight of Dutch origin Jan z Jani (von der Jane) of the
Ostoja coat of arms (d. 1461) took over the reign in the town. However, it was unable to control the chaos that followed the withdrawal of Teutonic Knights, as a result of which the castle was plundered by the local community, and there was close to being completely demolished, as demanded by the authorities of Gdańsk. But the same year the fortress returned to friars, the main reason for which could be found in the battle of Chojnice, lost by polish army, and the change of orientation of the townspeople to the pro Teutonic Order. The strategic location of Gniew caused that a few weeks later the Poles began to block it, which was helped by the Gdańsk fleet, closing access to supplies provided by the Vistula River. However, it was not decided to attack the castle directly, limiting the warfare to shelling from crossbows and small cannons, which of course could not do more harm to defenders. Despite the difficult situation of the great commander Ulrich von Isenhofen and his crew, caused mainly by diseases, lack of food and water, by Jan Kramnowo's decision, Polish troops finally abandoned the blockade of the fortress. Upon hearing about it, the King
Kazimierz Jagiellończyk ordered an investigation, which established that Polish commander and some knights took a bribe from the Teutonic rittmeister Fritz Raweneck and in return for the money they received, they undertook to abandon the siege. By the king's decision a public trial was organized and the guilty were sentenced to death.
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THE ROAD FROM THE OLD TOWN TO THE CASTLE LEADS THROUGH THE XIX CENTURY NEO-GOTHIC GATE BUILDING
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n the summer of 1463 the Polish troops again made an attempt to conquer the castle. This time the units under command of rottmeister Tomiec from Mlodkowo and chancellor Piotr Dunin (d. 1484) for nine months were disturbing the crew of the stronghold, forcing its commander to capitulate. Undoubtedly, the decision of defenders was influenced by the fall of spirit, chaos and panic, caused by defeat of Teutonic army in the Battle of the Gulf of Snow, as a result of which the Order lost about 30 ships and more than 1000 killed. Such a significant loss led to the paralysis of Teutonic Knights' actions on the Vistula, and thus made it impossible to effectively help the fortress. On Christmas 1463, the great commander Ulrich von Isenhofen and the rottmeister Nikolai von Weissenbach began to make deals with Dunin and the Gdańsk representatives, and on New Year's Day they surrendered the town and the castle, in return for a promise of free passing to Königsberg with all their assets. This way the Teutonic rule in Gniew ended.
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THE TEUTONIC COMMANDERS AT THE CASTLE IN GNIEW
Dietrich von Spira (1283), Arnold Kropf (1284),
Friedrich von Esbeck (1297-99), Heinrich von Eisenberg (1302-1306),
Zigfried (1309-11), Heinrich von Buchholtz (1313)
Gunther von Schwarzburg (1325-30), Albrecht (1332-33) the Duke of Braunschweig,
Rutger von Mewe (1334-35), Heinrich Reuss von Plauen (1336),
Hermann von Kudorf (1347-51), Hans von Falkenstein (1347-51),
Gotfried von Hoslitz (1352), Hans von Falkenstein (1352-59),
Kirsten von Bernswalde (1363), Ludwig von Benfeld (1375-86),
Konrad von Eltz (1386-96), Konrad von Lichtenstein (1396-99),
Arnold von Burgeln (1399-1402), Heinrich von Schwelborn (1402-4),
Johann hr. von Sayn (1404), Friedrich von Wallenrod (1404-7),
Siegmund von Raumungen (1407-10), died at the Battle of Grunwald,
Peter von Lorch (1411-16), Paul von Russdorf (1416),
Hans von Seelbach (1416-22), Michael Kuchmeister von Sternberg (1422),
Hans von Seelbach (1422-31), Ludwig von Landsee (1431-34),
Michael von Nesse (1434), Hans von Pommersheim (1434-38),
Gerlach von Mertz (1438-40), Bruno von Hirzberg (1440-41),
Gerlach von Mertz (1441-44), Michael von Geilsdorf (1444-46),
Ludwig von Erlichhausen (1446-49), Hans von Remchingen (1450-54)
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PLAN OF THE CASTLE AND THE TOWN ON ERIK DAHLBERGH'S DRAWING, SAMUEL PUFENDORF DE REBUS A CAROLO GUSTAVO GESTIS, 1656
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s a result of the Second Peace of Toruń, Gniew became the property of the Kingdom of Poland and was established as the seat of the royal starosts. However, the castle was still in partial ruin, as a consequence of the Thirty Years' War. Only in 1565, on initiative of the starost Achacy Czema (d.1576), it was renovated, but the scope of work could not be large, since at the end of the 16th century most of the castle rooms were abandoned, and all the towers also remained in the ruins. Certainly, however, the walls and defensive equipment were in good condition and maintaned on an ongoing basis. In 1623, King
Sigismund III Vasa was staying in Gniew for some time, and he was hospitalized by the starost
Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł of the
Trąby coat of arms (d. 1656). Two years later, the town was occupied by Swedish army of
Gustaw Adolf , and the attempt to take the castle back turned into a great confrontation, which left his mark on history as 'the Battle of the Two Vasas'. The general belief is that this battle ended with the breaking up of the Polish troops by the disciplined Swedish infantry and their muskets, although nowadays the reason for defeat is rather to be found in unfavorable terrain: The enemy was not leaning out of the village much, sitting only by the fences, on the ditches, which were dense there. The defeat of Sigismund Vasa's army was more prestigious than strategic, but it showed the backwardness of the Polish army, which trusted too much in the power of the hussars, an army which was deprived of proper discipline and poorly equipped. The castle was kept by the Swedish army, but soon afterwards, thanks to the clever maneuvers of hetman
Stanisław Koniecpolski of the
Pobóg coat of arms (d. 1646), after a ten-day siege, Polish troops regained it. It was already heavily damaged and plundered by the Swedes, who for two years of the occupation stole the most valuable equipment from here and devastated the interiors.
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LITHOGRAPH WITH A VIEW OF GNIEW, 1855
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he Swedes returned to Gniew in 1655, and although this time their occupation lasted less than three decades earlier, its plundering character had a very negative impact on town's economy, causing it to almost collapse. A year after the Swedish invasion, the castle was regained by the units of hetman
Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski (d. 1667), who arranged military quarters and a jail for prisoners of war. Some of the captured Swedes decided to organize an escape, which was undertaken in 1657. Holes in the cellar walls were pierced into the adjacent rooms, where the wine barrels were located. In such circumstances, the escape could not be successful, as the would-be fugitives got drunk instead of thinking about freedom. They were captured quickly, but according to the references, they avoided punishment after they had won Lubomirski's understanding by claiming that they drank to the health of His Majesty Hetman. Despite the large damage caused by Swedish occupation, after the end of war the whole first floor and the chapel still functioned in the castle, and a large amount of operable artillery weapons and heavy ammunition were preserved. In March 1667, hetman
Jan Sobieski (d. 1696), later King of Poland, became the starost in Gniew. Thanks to his efforts, the castle was partially renovated, although Sobieski himself probably did not live there. For this purpose, he used a house erected in a bailey or a hunting manor house standing in the area between the walls. Presumably at that time also a larch manor house for the future queen and her children was built, by some identified with the so-called Marysieńka's Palace located on the southern part of the slope. Memonka, one of the daughters of Jan and
Maria Kazimiera , was born here, but she died when she was still an infant.
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VIEW OF THE CASTLE FROM THE EAST IN 1887, DIE BAU- UND KUNSTDENKMALER DES KREISE...
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t the beginning of 18th century the risk of a building collapse, led by the progressive erosion of the Vistula escarpment, appeared. During the work to stabilize and strengthen the soil, mysterious bones were found, probably the remains of a dinosaur. In later years, the remains of animals unknown to the inhabitants of those lands, including the bones of a hairy rhinoceros, were repeatedly iden&tified in this area. At that time, the castle no longer performed any significant military function, it was also neglected by larger investments, as a consequence of which its technical condition systematically deteriorated and in the middle of the 18th century the building was already partially abandoned.
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VIEW FROM THE NORTH, ON THE RIGHT WE SEE THE NEO-GOTHIC BUILDING OF THE FORMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 1900
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n 1772 the Prussian military entered Gniew and with them the German administration, staying here until Poland regained its independence. Initially, the castle was arranged in the barracks, but soon it was transformed into a huge granary, which entailed radical changes in the environment, facades and interior layout. The Gothic vaults were demolished, some of the windows were bricked up, the latrine tower - dansker - was also dismantled, and an additional gate in the west wing was forged to facilitate the transportation of grain from the town. In 1854 the stronghold was purchased by the Prussian Mimistry of Internal Affairs for the purpose of a heavy prison for Lutheran recidivists. In order to adapt the building to its penitentiary function, the walls of the bailey were partially demolished and the main tower was demolished too, replacing it with a smaller one, like the other corner turrets. As part of the construction action carried out in the 1850s, the damaged vault of the chapel was reconstructed, but its original height was reduced by about 2.5 meters, and a new altar, pulpit and benches for officials and prisoners were placed inside. In the northern, eastern and western wings a new division of storeys was made, creating four floors of equal height. The original, sharp-edged shape of several windows in the southern elevation was also restored and the tops of the corner towers were rebuilt. The castle well was cleaned and restored to use, by installing a system of pumps supplying water to the northern tower, which took over the function of water tower. The castle's purpose at that time influenced the decision about neo-Gothic reconstruction of the bailey walls and liquidation of medieval moats, which were completely unecessary from the military point of view.
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THE CASTLE FROM THE SIDE OF VISTULA RIVER ON COLORED POSTCARDS FROM THE TURN OF XIX AND XX CENTURY
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fter the end of World War I, as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, the left-bank part of Kwidzyn County, including Gniew, returned to reborn Polish state. Soon afterwards the offices of the starost were placed in the castle, and in 1920 it was handed over to the army for barracks and ammunition storage of the 1st Infantry Regiment, which was part of the Siberian Brigade. However, already in July of the following year the building was destroyed by a fire, which completely burned down the roof and three Gothic wings. The circumstances of this great disaster were never clarified, and although no conclusive evidence could be obtained, it was not without reason that people spoke of a deliberate arson by a German saboteur. In the following years, despite the conservators' recommendations to carry out the restoration works, the military administration managing the castle evaded such action. According to the then decision-makers, the castle rebuilt in Prussian times was not of great historical significance, and the lack of interest of the army in its reconstruction influenced the decision to temporarily leave it in a state of permanent ruin, because the castle is a monumental object of too much importance to be renovated in a cursory and ad hoc way.
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GREAT FIRE OF THE CASTLE IN JULY 1921
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uring World War II, in a partially ruined castle, the Nazi German authorities organized a paramilitary school for Aryan youth, and then a temporary camp for two thousand Polish families, who were expelled from Tczew and its surroundings. After 1945 a battalion of sappers was stationed in the southern wing and Marysienka's Palace, and for a short period of time also a prison was functioning here. The first works aimed at saving the Gothic castle were carried out in 1968-74, when the engineers of the Monuments Conservation Workshop in Gdańsk and workers of FAMA Ship Mechanism Works repaired the walls with four corner turrets, raised steel and reinforced concrete structures of the roof and its covering, and also build part of the ceilings in southern wing and the ceiling over the basement in western wing. The basic argument for obtaining funds for this project was, that in case of a war, the underground part of the castle meets the requirements of a safe shelter. After the reconstruction, the building was to serve as a cultural center, but the organitional enthusiasm and financial resources were already lacking in the mid-1970s, which caused the investment to stop. And it was only in 1992, when the second stage of reconstruction began as part of public works. It included the debris removal from the cellars, restoration of ceilings, as well as adaptation of the castle's interiors for exhibition and accommodation purposes. In 2010, the castle became the property of private company Polmlek and since then it operates primarily as a hotel and conference center.
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CASTLE BEFORE RECONSTRUCTION, PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 1930S
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he Gothic castle was erected on the western, high bank of Vistula River, near the mouth of Wierzyca River. For this purpose, the highest part of the cape was chosen - this area was protected from the south by steep slopes of the river valley, and from the north and west by the walls of the bailey, led along natural ravines, which were later transformed into moats. The main building of the convent was made of brick and consisted of four wings on a plan similar to a square of 47 meters. All wings had the same height, but depending on their purpose, each of them had different internal divisions. A particular function was performed by the southern building, where on the second floor there was a starry vaulted chapel with a sacristy, and also a three-spanned chapterhouse, which served as a meeting place for the monastic community of friars. These large, representative chambers were separated by a small room, probably intended for the guards and the mechanism that operated the portcullis, which was later incorporated into the chapel. The western wing was occupied by a cross vaulted refectory, a place where meals were eaten, and the eastern wing was used for dormitories, i.e. sleeping quarters of the brothers. The friars' beds were probably separated from each other by light wooden curtains. They slept in them in clothes and shoes, as the regulations stated that knights should be constantly ready to fight the enemy. The purpose of the chambers in the northern part of the castle is not clearly explained. They could have served as the commander's office, and perhaps also as a Teutonic infirmary, a space for the sick or a shelter for the older members of the convent. The entrance doors to the representative castle rooms was located on the second floor level. To reach them, one had to climb a wooden staircase and cloisters, which for safety reasons were also made of wood.
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PLAN OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE HIGH CASTLE ACCORDING TO C. STEINBRECHT (AT THE BEGINNING OF XV CENTURY):
1. CHAPEL, 2. CHAMBER OVER THE GATEWAY,3. CHAPTERHOUSE, 4. REFECTORY, 5. COMMANDER'S OFFICE,
6. DORMITORIES, 7. MAIN TOWER, 8. CORNER TURRET, 9. WELL
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he castle's cellars housed storerooms for goods, as well as prison cells and torture chamber. Weapons and ammunition were also stored there, which in Teutonic Knights' times included mainly crossbow bells and stone or lead bullets for artillery. The first floor played an economic role. Here there was a pantry, a kitchen and a bakery, as well as some craft workshops and depots of necessary tools and equipment. The access to fresh water for the castle's crew was provided by a 36-meter deep well situated in the central part of the square. The well shaft hides one of the local secrets, as it leads to a obscure passage to the northern wing. All Gothic wings, except the southern building, were equipped with a low storage and military storey, occupying space directly above the residential and representative part. In this location there is a porch running around the entire quadrilateral of the high castle, equipped with individual overwatch positions. All the buildings were covered with gable roofs.
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CROSS-SECTION OF THE CASTLE ON THE EAST-WEST AXIS ACCORDING TO C. STEINBRECHT:
1. REFECTORY, 2. DORMITORIES, 3. WAREHOUSE AND MILITARY STOREY, 4. CLOISTERS, 5. WELL, 6. MOAT
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he elevations of the castle were finished with a Gothic architectural detail, particularly decorative in the southern wing, demonstrating its dominant and representative character. It was the only one to be distinguished by its stylish gables on the east and west side. The facade of the southern building is decorated with four sharp-edged chapel windows and three equally slender capitular windows, and the entire decor is complemented by ornamental rhombuses and zigzags, composed of zendrówka brick. The headquarters of convent was flanked by three square turrets, protruding slightly outside the walls. The dominant feature of the castle was a huge bergfried ca. 50 (probably) meters high, located in the north-eastern corner. It was a square tower at the base and an octagonal tower above, topped with a platform surrounded by blanks, which served as a convenient observation and signal point, as well as a place of last defence during the siege. This part of the fortress was demolished in the middle of the 19th century and replaced with a turret similar to the other three, and nowadays the only relict of this construction is a stone base clearly visible in the corner of the building. The gateway to the courtyard was initially situated in the central part of southern wing (see below). In the 15th century, however, it was bricked up and the new entrance was made in the east wing, preceded by the neck of the foregate reaching the bridge over the moat.
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SOUTHERN ELEVATION OF THE CASTLE, YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL GATEWAY (WALLED UP HERE),
DANZIG - WESTPREUSSEN EIN DEUTSCHES KULTURLAND, VERLAG DANZINGER VERLAGS-GESELLSCHAFT, 1895
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he castle-monastery was surrounded by a perimeter wall, also set up on a square plan and protected by three corner turrets. The zone between the castle and the wall provided an additional buffer during the siege, and in peacetime it was used as a space for walks and personal prayer of the friars. This place was also used to store heavy war equipment, and one of the residential houses for the servants was located here. In the south–western corner a latrine tower was erected, connected directly to the south wing of the castle at the height of its second floor. The outer line of fortifications consisted of walls surrounding an extensive bailey, separated from the castle by a moat about 15 meters wide. The entrance to this area from the town led through Dybowska gate. The second one, called Wodna gate, led from the castle towards the port on the Vistula River, where two brick granaries and a tower protecting them stood. The bailey served as a military and economic back-up for the convent. It housed farm buildings, among them stables, a smithy, a brewery, cowsheds, warehouses and craft workshops, as well as granaries, a mill and lodgings for servants. Probably also a small fruit orchard grew here.
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RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CASTLE FROM THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD ACCORDING TO J. SALM, LEKSYKON ZAMKÓW W POLSCE
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or more than a decade the castle has been in the hands of private owner, who doesn't spare the funds for its renovation and ongoing maintenance, which we can see very well after crossing the gate leading to the bailey. The surrounding of the fortress seems to be very neat, and this feeling is intensified when we enter the beautiful courtyard, which is already devoid of the spirit of the medieval strict monastic rule for the purpose of the guests who entertain here, but certainly still has a lot to offer for the history and architecture enthusiasts. Today, this place serves primarily as a hotel and as a platform for the organization of various types of commercial events. However, it is still open to visitors, although due to its main function, tourism is clearly subordinated to business objectives and one should not expect here impressions similar to those in Malbork. The sightseeing route, provided under the care of guides dressed in historical costumes, leads through the
castle chapel ,
defensive porches and several chambers with expositions dedicated to the Battle of Grunwald and the events of World War II (among others, the
wreckage of the German Nazi bomber Heinkel He 111 ). The exhibitions also included a
torture chamber , arranged in a slightly kitschy style, with colourful illumination and moaning coming from the speakers. The tour of the castle takes about 40 minutes.
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MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS: CHAPEL, EVERYDAY LIFE AND CRAFTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES, ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXHIBITION, WORLD WAR II
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n the summer, numerous battleground stagings, knightly tournaments and historical performances are organized at the castle. Among them stands out the project called Vivat Vasa!, which is a loose reconstruction of the events of 1626, when Polish hussars under the command of Sigismund III Vasa yielded to Swedish cannons and muskets of his cousin Gustav Adolf. Another interesting event is the Jan III Sobieski Knightly Tournament taking place in July, whose quality and performance level classifies it among the best shows of its sort all over Europe. The Gniew Castle also organizes lively history and craft lessons, allowing its participants to get to know the living conditions of the old ages and experience 'time travel'.
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niew is located on the left bank of the Vistula River, about 40 kilometers southwest of Malbork and about 50 kilometers north of Grudziądz. The A1 highway runs 10 kilometers west of the town, so getting there by car should not be a problem. We can park it on Wąska Street, near main entrance to the castle. Gniew can also be reached by regional buses, for example from Tczew. Those, who need to use the train, should be worried about the fact that the nearest railway station is located in Morzeszczyn, over 10 kilometers away from the castle.
(map of castles in Pomeranian Voivodeship)
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1. M. Haftka: Zamki krzyżackie w Polsce, 1999
2. I. T. Kaczyńscy: Zamki w Polsce północnej i środkowej, Muza SA 1999
3. L. Kajzer, J. Salm, S. Kołodziejski: Leksykon zamków w Polsce, Arkady 2001
4. P. Lasek: Prywatne zamki polskich dowódców z czasów wojny trzynastoletniej, Komunikaty Mazursko-Warm.
5. T. Olszacki, A. Różański: Zamek w Gołańczy, Gołaniecki Ośrodek Kultury 2015
6. M. Pratat, K. Zimna-Kawecka: Konserwatorskie i społeczne aspekty ochrony ruin zamków...
7. M. Stokowski: Zamek Gniew – siedziba krzyżackich komturów i królewskich starostów, TopSpot Guide
8. J. Struczyński, J. Rusinek: FAMA jako mecenas dóbr kultury
9. A. Wagner: Murowane budowle obronne w Polsce X-XVIIw., Bellona 2019
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THE FORMER GRANARY IS NOW CALLED THE 'MARYSIENKA'S PALACE' - THE HOTEL IS LOCATED HERE
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VIEW OF THE UPPER CASTLE FROM THE SOUTHEAST
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Castles nearby:
Kwidzyn - castle of Pomezanian chapter from 14th century, 18 km
Nowe - ruin of Teutonic castle from 14th century, 23 km
Sztum - Teutonic castle from 14th century, 26 km
Osiek - relics of Teutonic castle from 15th century, 31 km
Malbork - castle of the great masters of Teutonic Order from 13-15th century, 42 km
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The Old Market Square and its vicinity with preserved medieval layout, cobbled streets and arcaded tenement houses dating back to the 15th-19th century. In the middle of the square there is a Gothic town hall, erected at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries and still used as the seat of the town authorities. In one of the tenement houses in Gniew, famous polish painter
Leon Wyczółkowski lived and worked for a short time.
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The Gothic parish church of St. Nicholas from the 14th century, located in the south-western corner of the Market Square. It is a three-nave building of the hall type, with a separate presbytery and a bell tower integrated into the central nave. The apse is adjacent to the nave from the east, which is the oldest part of the temple. The interior of the church is covered with a Gothic star vault, and the Baroque decoration includes a beautiful pulpit, five altars and two chapels. It is worth paying attention to the late Renaissance stalls for ten priests set along the walls of the presbytery and the 14th-century stone baptistery standing near the entrance. A crypt with human remains found during the archaeological work is available under one of the chapels.
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The Garden of History on Sambora Street, which is a complex of figures and monuments depicting the most important events in the history of the town. There is a column with a bench shaped like volumes of books commemorating the granting of town rights, a statue of the Radziwiłł's Treasure Guard, a two-meter high match reminding of the great fire of the castle in 1921, and a
stone door with two keyholes , reminiscent of Jan Sobieski's stay in Gniew. There is also a wall with three
funhouse mirrors and stones commemorating the no longer existing sacral buildings. However, the most important and most popular element of the Garden is Teddy Bear called Maciuś. His bronze statue stands near the St. Nicholas Church, on a pedestal built into the front wall of one of the tenements. The figure comes from a town legend referring to the battle with the Swedes in 1626, during which the animals living in the surrounding forests gathered in the temple...to pray together for peace (?). They were to be led by a bear named Maciuś. Today he is the official mascot of the town and the only man in Gniew who has his personal dressmaker, who sews his clothes for various occasions. I am willing to bet that at the moment when I am writing these words, teddy bear is fighting a fake pandemic, protecting his nice muzzle under an obligatory textile cresset.
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text: 2020
photographs: 2015
© Jacek Bednarek
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