Polish Gothic - Castles in Poland

Castles in Poland

From the 13th century began to modernize the seat of royal and princely expanding existing buildings functional program (such as Wawel Castle, Legnica), and building castles, which initially could be built only with the consent of the ruler. For this reason, the oldest castles have public character of the building. Initially, in the 13th century, the characteristic elements of the locks were placed in a role within the wood-earth castles, so the first castles were irregular in shape (e.g., in Opole). After the mid-13th century abandoned the construction palatiów to be connected rather with the earlier epoch. Regular shape of castles spread throughout the Polish Kingdom in the reign of Casimir the Great, and built them into this shape, even in areas of previous castles (Rawa, Łęczyca, Koło). Castles and monasteries built by Joannites (Stare Drawsko, Łagów, Swobnica, Pęzino) and the Teutonic Order, in the state created by them in Prussia (Malbork, Radzyń Chełmiński, Niedzica) and bishops (Lipowiec). The castles were built or final defense towers (known as stołp) and residential towers (donżon).

The best preserved Gothic castles are:

• in Małopolska (Minor Polonia), including in Chęciny, Odrzykoń, Czorsztyn, Niedzica, Kazimierz Dolny, Bobolice, Będzin, Lipowiec, Ogrodzieniec and others on Trail of the Eagles' Nests
• in the northern Poland: built by the Teutonic Order in Malbork, Nidzica, Golub, Radzyń Chełmiński, Gniew; or on their strongholds modeled (usually built on the estates of bishops) in Kwidzyn, Lidzbark Warmiński, Olsztyn, Reszel.
• gothic castles in Mazowsze (Mazovia): Castle in Ciechanów, Czersk, Liw.
• gothic castles in Greater Poland (Wielkopolska): Castle in the Koło, Szamotuły, Gołańcz, Łęczyca.
• gothic castles in Lower Silesia: Siedlęcin Tower, Bolków, Chojnik, Żmigród, Świny