Malbork Castle, Located in the city of Malbork, in northern Poland, on the banks of the Nugat River and 50 km from Gdansk, it is today the largest fortification in Europe. Built by the Order of Teutonic Knights in 1274 was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
 |
| Malbork Castle Poland |
History
In the 13th century, the great order of warrior monks, "The Teutonic Knights" decided to move one of their monasteries to the banks of the Nogat River, where they would build a first castle called Sanctmarienburch ("Castle of Saint Mary"). Once the knights were installed to the 1280 construction would begin two new castles along with the first, the conventual castle also called high, and middle castle the main castle was built around. 1331 - 1335 at the time of the great master Luther von Braunschwieg, which in turn adapted the conventual castle for the functions related to the headquarters of "The Sovereigns of the Malbork order."
 |
| Malbork Castle Poland |
In 1457the Polish king Casimir Jagellon redeemed the castle from the Czech mercenary troops, and from then on the castle would be in the hands of the Poles for more than 300 years; until in 1772 with the first partition of Poland it would pass into the hands of the Prussians.
 |
| Malbork Castle Poland |
Current era
Throughout its existence, Malbork Castle was the headquarters of the Teutonic Order, the scene of commercial exchange between ships and barges that arrived from the Vistula River and the Baltic Sea, it was the residence of the Polish kings and a strategic place for the army during the Napoleonic era.