Nidzica Castle

Nidzica Castle was completed in the spring of 1409, and just a year later, on 12 July 1410, the Polish army took it without a fight on its way to the Battle of Grunwald. This mighty brick fortress of the Teutonic Knights, on a hill above the town, survived fires, Napoleon's troops and bombing in 1945, and today houses a museum, a hotel and a restaurant. It is regarded as one of the most valuable historic monuments in Masuria, and you can walk into its courtyard without a ticket.

History: seat of a Teutonic official

The castle was built around 1400 as the seat of a Teutonic procurator, an official who ran a district for the military order; the main west wing was finished in 1405. After its capture in 1410, Polish knights took it again during the so-called Hunger War, on 6 July 1414, after an eight-day siege. In 1455 Bohemian mercenaries under Jan Kolda of Žampach beat off an attack by the Teutonic army here. The outer bailey was enlarged in the 16th century and burned down in 1784. The worst damage was done by French soldiers, stationed here on and off between 1806 and 1812.

Gregorovius and the rebuilding

The castle was saved from total ruin by court official Ferdinand Timotheus Gregorovius, who in 1828–1830 converted it into a courthouse, apartments and a prison. His condition was that the townspeople should put up a monument to him; it was erected in the castle park only some 70 years later. His son, Ferdinand Gregorovius, born in Nidzica (then Neidenburg) in 1821, became a renowned historian of medieval Rome. In the winter of 1945 the castle was bombed and burned, losing its ceilings and part of its walls. A full reconstruction, including the conservation of the wall paintings, took place in 1961–1965.

What to look for

• Defensive galleries running through the thickness of the walls at attic level, both on the outer side and facing the courtyard.
• Gothic frescoes from the early 15th century in a hall ending in an apse, plus a painting of St Veronica adored by angels in the former refectory.
• Large pointed Gothic windows and dark brick on the west façade.
• Towers with pyramid roofs, decorated with niches; their cellars once held a prison.
• An old oak growing on the site of the outer bailey that burned in 1784.

The castle today

The castle is home to the Nidzica Cultural Centre. Inside are the Museum of the Nidzica Region with historical and ethnographic displays, a library, a sculpture studio, a gallery of works by Hieronim Surpski and a knightly brotherhood, as well as a hotel and a restaurant. The complex is surrounded by a dense 19th-century park. Entry to the outer bailey and the courtyard of the main castle is free, while the museum charges admission.

Tripto tip

Allow 1–1.5 hours for the courtyard, the museum and a walk around the walls. Museum opening hours and ticket prices found online vary, so check them with the Nidzica Cultural Centre before you go. The best view of the castle is from the park below the hill, especially in afternoon light on the brick façade. Staying the night in the castle makes a good base for trips around southern Masuria, and in season the courtyard hosts a variety of outdoor events.