Golub Castle

In 1977 the courtyard of Golub Castle hosted a knights' tournament — one of the first historical re-enactments in Poland. For 2026 the castle announced its 50th Grand International Knights' Tournament. The fortress itself is more than six centuries older: a Teutonic convent castle from the early 14th century, given its Renaissance parapets in the 17th century by Princess Anna Vasa.

A Teutonic fortress on the Drwęca

The site was once occupied by a wooden stronghold guarding a crossing of the Drwęca river, which passed to the Teutonic Order in 1293. Construction of the brick castle began in 1304–1306 on the initiative of the Order's regional master Konrad Sack. Four wings rose around a courtyard: the southern, most important one held the Chapel of the Holy Cross with its decorated portal and the refectory; the commander lived in the west wing, and the knight-brothers slept in the dormitory in the east wing. Instead of a main tower, whose construction was abandoned, a cylindrical tower adapted for firearms was built.

Sieges and battles

In 1329–1333 King Władysław the Elbow-high tried three times, unsuccessfully, to take the castle. Before the Battle of Grunwald part of the Order's army gathered here, and the local commander Nicolaus Roder was killed in the battle in 1410. In the autumn of that year, Polish troops defeated a much larger Livonian force outside the castle. In 1422, during the so-called Golub War, King Jagiełło's army took the castle by storm after a bombardment from 14 cannons. After the Thirteen Years' War and the Second Peace of Toruń in 1466, Golub became part of Poland and the seat of a royal administrator (starosta).

Anna Vasa and tobacco

From 1616 to 1623 the Golub estate was held by Anna Vasa, sister of King Sigismund III Vasa. She had the castle given late-Renaissance parapets, corner turrets, new windows and a gatehouse building — which is why Golub's silhouette looks so different from austere Teutonic fortresses. According to tradition, tobacco brought from Turkey was grown here for the first time in Poland. In 1623 King Sigismund III himself stayed at the castle. The Swedish invasion of 1655 left it damaged, and in the 19th century a gale brought down part of the parapets. Post-war reconstruction took place mainly in 1959–1966.

The legend of the secret tunnel

According to local legend, a tunnel ran from the castle under the Drwęca to the castle in Radziki Duże. When the Swedes took Golub, the townspeople supposedly escaped through it, and their pursuers were stopped by a boulder that fell into the river and collapsed the tunnel roof. The stone from the story can reportedly still be seen in the river today.

What you'll see today

The castle is open to visitors as a Gothic-Renaissance residence. The former office and a tower house the Anna Vasa Herbal Centre of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region, with displays of herbs, herbaria and equipment for preparing remedies. The second floor contains the "Zamkowe komnaty" hotel with 72 beds.

Tripto tip

Golub-Dobrzyń lies about 43 km north-east of Toruń, so the castle fits easily into a trip around the Chełmno Land. Allow about an hour for the visit. Check the tournament date, opening hours and ticket prices on the castle's website or by phone — it gets crowded during the tournament and is much quieter the rest of the year. The castle stands on a hill above the town; it looks best from below, in the Drwęca valley, where you can see the whole façade with its Renaissance parapets.