The Castle of the Teutonic Order, Gniew, Poland
The Gniew Castle is the most powerful fortress of the Teutonic Order on the left bank of the Vistula, built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries as the seat of the convent and the commander. During the times of the Order, it was the main political and economic centre of the commandery. During the times of the Polish state (1466–1772), the castle was the seat of the starosts. The starosty of Gniew belonged to the Radziwiłłs, Zamojskis and Lubomirskis. From 1667, the starost of Gniew was the future king of Poland, Jan III Sobieski, and after him the castle was managed by his wife, Maria Kazimiera.
As a result of the First Partition of Poland in 1772, Gniew, together with Gdańsk Pomerania, found itself within the borders of the Prussian state. The Prussian government began a large-scale demolition or, at best, a thorough reconstruction of most of the former Teutonic castles. The Gniew Castle also shared this fate. Initially intended as barracks, but completely unsuited to this function, it found a new use as a granary at the beginning of the 19th century. The castle underwent another reconstruction in the 1850s. At that time, it was adapted to serve as a harsh Prussian prison for recidivists. In 1921, a large fire broke out in the castle in unexplained circumstances, completely destroying three of its wings. The reconstruction took place in two stages. The first, in the years 1968–1974, and the second, from 1992, lasting to this day.
Since 2010, the Castle Hill in Gniew has been in private hands. Today, it is a modern hotel, restaurant and conference complex, offering its guests royal accommodation, exquisite cuisine and an extraordinary business space.
#gniew #zamek #castle #polska #poland #history #architecture #architektura #gothicarchitecture #gothic #landscape #krzyzacy #zakon #teutonicorder #teutonicknights #knights #rycerze #walls #wall #mury #mur #defensivetower #defensivewall #wieza #tower #towers
The Gniew Castle is the most powerful fortress of the Teutonic Order on the left bank of the Vistula, built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries as the seat of the convent and the commander. During the times of the Order, it was the main political and economic centre of the commandery. During the times of the Polish state (1466–1772), the castle was the seat of the starosts. The starosty of Gniew belonged to the Radziwiłłs, Zamojskis and Lubomirskis. From 1667, the starost of Gniew was the future king of Poland, Jan III Sobieski, and after him the castle was managed by his wife, Maria Kazimiera.
As a result of the First Partition of Poland in 1772, Gniew, together with Gdańsk Pomerania, found itself within the borders of the Prussian state. The Prussian government began a large-scale demolition or, at best, a thorough reconstruction of most of the former Teutonic castles. The Gniew Castle also shared this fate. Initially intended as barracks, but completely unsuited to this function, it found a new use as a granary at the beginning of the 19th century. The castle underwent another reconstruction in the 1850s. At that time, it was adapted to serve as a harsh Prussian prison for recidivists. In 1921, a large fire broke out in the castle in unexplained circumstances, completely destroying three of its wings. The reconstruction took place in two stages. The first, in the years 1968–1974, and the second, from 1992, lasting to this day.
Since 2010, the Castle Hill in Gniew has been in private hands. Today, it is a modern hotel, restaurant and conference complex, offering its guests royal accommodation, exquisite cuisine and an extraordinary business space.
#gniew #zamek #castle #polska #poland #history #architecture #architektura #gothicarchitecture #gothic #landscape #krzyzacy #zakon #teutonicorder #teutonicknights #knights #rycerze #walls #wall #mury #mur #defensivetower #defensivewall #wieza #tower #towers
![This image depicts a historical photograph showing a grand, European-style castle with ornate architecture. The building features multiple levels of windows and dormers, decorative cornices along the roofline, and classical statues adorning its facade. In front of the entrance stands an impressive array of sculptures on pedestals, likely representing allegorical figures or important historical characters associated with the establishment.
The courtyard in front is spacious, made up of cobblestones, suggesting a well-maintained area possibly used for formal gatherings or public events. A couple of individuals can be seen walking near one side entrance, adding scale to the imposing structure and giving viewers an idea of its grandeur. The sky above appears overcast with muted yellowish hues, perhaps indicating either early morning light or late afternoon softening.
The photograph is labeled "P.Z." followed by a date in Roman numerals (1893), which could stand for Prague Castle, and additional text that reads "Eingang zum Schloss," translating to the entrance of the castle. The bottom right corner bears another label stating "Práha - venkodou Zámek" with an illustration credit going to Van der Voort & Sons, Amsterdam.
This image is part of a collection showing various views from around the Austro-Hungarian Empire during approximately 1890-1900. It provides valuable historical insight into architectural styles and urban p [...]](https://mastodon.ozioso.online/system/media_attachments/files/113/542/453/921/141/122/original/f5e88c0f693e6d66.jpeg "This image depicts a historical photograph showing a grand, European-style castle with ornate architecture. The building features multiple levels of windows and dormers, decorative cornices along the roofline, and classical statues adorning its facade. In front of the entrance stands an impressive array of sculptures on pedestals, likely representing allegorical figures or important historical characters associated with the establishment.
The courtyard in front is spacious, made up of cobblestones, suggesting a well-maintained area possibly used for formal gatherings or public events. A couple of individuals can be seen walking near one side entrance, adding scale to the imposing structure and giving viewers an idea of its grandeur. The sky above appears overcast with muted yellowish hues, perhaps indicating either early morning light or late afternoon softening.
The photograph is labeled \"P.Z.\" followed by a date in Roman numerals (1893), which could stand for Prague Castle, and additional text that reads \"Eingang zum Schloss,\" translating to the entrance of the castle. The bottom right corner bears another label stating \"Práha - venkodou Zámek\" with an illustration credit going to Van der Voort & Sons, Amsterdam.
This image is part of a collection showing various views from around the Austro-Hungarian Empire during approximately 1890-1900. It provides valuable historical insight into architectural styles and urban p [...]")
