Central and Eastern Europe, International Journalism and PR, Tourism

The mightiest stronghold of the Teutonic order on the left bank of the Vistula River

The performances and historical outdoor stagings, a night sightseeing with the ghosts and chivalry tournaments made the Gniew castle to be recognized as one of the main history dissemination centres in Poland. It has become a centre not only for events but also for education about the Middle Ages in Poland. 

Tournament area. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

One of the most powerful Teutonic stronghold

The name Gniew (Mewe) first appeared in written sources in the mid-13th century and to its early 90s the beginnings of the local castle are dated back to. Earlier there was a Pomeranian stronghold. In 1276 the Pomeranian prince Sambor passed it to the Knights of the Cross. Sambor fought against his brother, Swantopolk II (Świętopełk), and allied himself with the Teutonic Order. Sambor willed most of his possessions, including Gniew (Mewe), to the Teutonic Knights. This permanently established them on the left bank of the Vistula River.

In 1283, the Teutonic Knights erected a makeshift stronghold, but it was not located on the site of the later castle, but most likely within the stronghold called Dybów. Same time, the first commander, Dietrich of Spira, was mentioned. In 1290, work began on the construction of a brick castle, which, after completing about 40 years of construction, was, next to the castles in Człuchów and Gdańsk, the most powerful Teutonic stronghold on the left bank of the Vistula.

Courtyard. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

Amber trail

The history of the land on which the town of Gniew lies is connected with the oldest history of Pomorze (Pomerania). The archaeological excavations confirm the presence of a number of strongholds and settlements along the amber trail, which merchants took on their way on from ancient Rome to the Baltic sea.

A long time ago, amber was, along with salt, Poland’s main natural resource and the Gdańsk Bay area was considered to be the centre of the European amber trade and craft industry. Since about 3000 BCE, amber found its way out of the Baltic Coast region to greater Europe and beyond, carried by traders and travelers along a series of routes, intersecting with the salt and silk roads. According to Anna Sobecka, an amber art expert with the International Amber Association, the resinous gemstone made it all the way to Egypt, adorning the breast ornament of Tutankhamun. Baltic amber has also been found at Mycenae in Greece, and in the Royal Tomb of Qatna in Syria.

“It is important to realize that the Amber Road is an archeological concept, and not a road name used by the ancient Romans,” says Anders Hammarlund, researcher at the universities of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Uppsala. “The term was coined in the 1920s by the Cambridge archaeologist José Maria de Navarro to denote a set of trails or paths connecting the Baltic and the Adriatic during antiquity. Here, people have been trading since Neolithic times. Salt from the salt mines of Central Europe—sought after by the peoples of northern Europe—was exchanged with amber from the Baltic shores, which was then sold to Mediterranean peoples. This trade intensified when the Roman Empire expanded north of the Alps, and in some Roman cities the fabrication of amber art wares reached almost industrial proportions.” (source: “Smithsonian Magazine”)

Exhibition in the castle. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

The main political and economic centre

The castle was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries as a seat for a convent and commander. Under the rule of the Teutonic Order the castle was the main political and economic centre for the commandery (Komturei), the basic organisational unit in the Teutonic state. Although the town council enjoyed much independence, the Order’s authorities took great care to rule their subjects. The strategic location, which enabled the knights to oversee the water and land trails, determined exceptional military character of the convent’s house and fortifications of the town and castle. The economic function of that space was reflected by numerous storehouses, stables, manors and breweries situated within the town, the port, near the castle and in the town’s suburbs.

By the end of the 13th century,

the construction of the following structures was already completed: perimeter walls of the castle, square turrets at the corners, huge tower (keep) at the north-eastern corner, and northern and southern wings with an entrance and wicket gate.

Adaptation of the stronghold

In the early 14th century, the walls and turrets were extended upwards; the eastern and western wing, cloisters and porches were erected on the crown of the walls — by the first quarter of the 14th century a quadrangular castle with a moat, fore-wall (probably in the south-western turret of the Gdanisko fore-wall) was already built and a defensive castle settlement surrounded with a wall with a fortified tower and two gate towers were set up.

The Castle seen from the street. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

The Teutonic crew surrendered

At the beginning of the third decade of the 15th century, Gniew temporarily served as the residence of the former Grand Master Michael Küchmeister. At that time, the castle complex was rebuilt, bricking up the former entrance gate; building a new one from the east; building the fore-wall with a bridge over the moat and a small house (extended in the 2nd half of the 17th century and 19th century, so-called hunting lodge). The chapel was extended at the cost of the guardhouses and south from the convent house.

Along the walls of the castle grounds were, among others, bakery, brewery, stables, servants’ house, granary at the foot of the hill, and castle mill, among.

The ruins of the townhouse from the 2nd half of the 15th century. reconstructed at the turn of the 17th – 18th century. Warning for pedestrians: coming closer is forbidden. The object is in danger of collapsing. Entering the site may cause disability or death. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

 The residence of governors

The first warfare affected the castle in Gniew probably during the Polish-Teutonic war in 1410, although the Teutonic garrison probably gave up without a fight at the news of the defeat at Grunwald and death of the commander of Gniew, Sigmund von Ramungen, on the battlefield. Like most other Teutonic strongholds, after the war Gniew returned to the hands of the order. During the Thirteen Years’ War, the castle was besieged at the beginning of military operations in 1454. The Pomeranian knights, with the help of the burghers and peasantry, after a week of fighting led to a fire, as a result of which the Teutonic Knights escaped and the castle was devastated. After a few months Gniew returned to the Teutonic Knights again, although the retreating townspeople set fire to the outer baily’s grounds. Another siege occurred in 1463, when the Polish army under the command of Piotr Dunin (led the Polish army to victory over the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Święcino) spread under the castle. After six months of isolation, the Teutonic crew surrendered, and Gniew remained in the Polish hands until the end of the war.

Soon-to-be Polish king, John III Sobieski became the governor of Gniew

In 1466, under the Second Peace of Thorn, the castle was seized by the Poles and became the seat of the Polish eldership, a local governor known as starosta. The administrative district of Gniew was owned by nobel and powerful families of Radziwiłł, Zamojski and Lubomirski.

In the 16th century, only temporary repairs were carried out on it (outer walls of the castle, a foregate), and most of the unused rooms fell into neglect.

In 1667 soon-to-be Polish king, John III Sobieski became the governor of Gniew. He was succeeded in the office by his wife, Maria Kazimiera. That was her whom Sobieski before becoming the king, built a new baroque building in the castle settlement. Marysieńka – as the Poles used to call her – never liked the atmosphere of the castle.

The Palace built for Marysieńka by her husband Jan III Sobieski, later king of Poland. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

Partial regothisation

Following the first partition of Poland in 1772, Gniew as well as Pomorze Gdańskie were incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia. The Prussian government commenced a broad-scale demolition or, at best, reconstruction, of most of the former Teutonic castles. Such was also the fate of the Gniew castle. It was first intended for military barracks but since it was completely unsuitable for that purpose, the castle was earmarked for storing grain; the interior layout was altered; vaults were removed; the storys were again partitioned; the façades were covered with plaster.

Another adaptation of the castle buildings took place in the 1850s when it became a high-security Prussian prison for hardened criminals. In 1855, the main tower was lowered and the walls of the castle grounds was partly demolished. Fortunately, soon after, in the years 1856-1859, the first renovation works and a series of activities aimed at partial regothisation began, although no importance was given to the faithful reconstruction of the original buildings. In 1857-1859, the original complex was partially restored, plaster was removed, corner turrets underwent renovation (fourth turret was erected on the former main tower), the chapel vault and the walls of the castle grounds were reconstructed; a number of new windows were created; Gothic Gdanisko was demolished; and the remains of the moat and well in the courtyard were filled in.

The reconstruction to be continued until today

Gniew returned to Poland in 1920, when Polish troops commanded by general Józef Haller (Polish national hero) entered the town. When the castle was seized by the Poles first it became the starosty seat and next the Polish authorities earmarked it for military purposes, placing an ammunition storage on the site.

In 1921 under mysterious circumstances, a great fire broke out in the castle and devastated completely three of its wings, only the southern wing survived.

During the Nazi occupation the castle served as a paramilitary school for youth and after that a temporary prison for Poles.

The reconstruction of the castle ran in two stages. The first stage lasted from 1968 to 1974, and the second one began in 1992 to be continued until today.

Chapel. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

***

The modern look of the Gniew castle is awe-inspiring. Historical spectacles and events as well as shows of knights in combat, having been organised at the Gniew castle since 1992, have made it one of the major centres for Medieval studies and promotion of historic knowledge in Poland. Guests can take a journey back to the 15th, 17th or early 20th century. For groups of young visitors, the castle prepares Educational Weeks, one day or longer stays at the castle to attend “Live History Lessons” with a visit paid by the Ghost of Gniew Castle (huge attraction for young visitors), winter and summer holidays with magic and witch spells (also very popular), and many other attractions.

Torture tools. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

If you decide to visit Gniew, you will find several Teutonic castles in the neighbourhood. Teutonic knights built the network of 120 castles during 200 years of their reign. The castles are situated one from the other not further than 30 km away which was one day of the horse ride, since the strict Teutonic rule did not allow Teutonic travelers to spend the night outside the castle. The tight network of castles also simplified the communication between the knights in different castles. The knights could send light signals between the castles in the case of danger.

View from the castle. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.
Old townhouses. Photo: Michał Stanisławski. © Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

Teutonic rule makes things better even today. You can visit more than one castle during your stay in Poland. The nearest castle is located in Kwidzyn. It’s only a stone`s throw from Gniew.

Poland has got a lot to offer so I kindly recommend you discover my country. You will never be disappointed.

I hope to meet you there!

By Agata Szostkowska

Photos: Michał Stanisławski.

© Copyright www.communications-unlimited.nl, 2020. All rights reserved.

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