Przezmark Castle: A Historic Teutonic Fortress in Poland

Visitor Information

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Official Website: zamekprzezmark.pl

Country: Poland

Civilization: Crusader, Early Modern

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

Przezmark Castle lies in the municipality of Przezmark in present-day Poland. It was originally constructed by the Teutonic Order, a military and religious organization active in the region during the Middle Ages.

The earliest fortification on the site was a wooden stronghold erected in the late 1200s atop the remains of a previous Prussian fortress. Between 1316 and 1331, the castle was rebuilt using brick under the direction of Luter of Brunswick, a commander of the Teutonic Order who also held the position of grand chamberlain. Initially, the castle served as the official residence of lower-ranking Order officials, including a steward, and from 1320 onward, a procurator management role. Starting in 1359, it accommodated a vogt, also known as a bailiff, indicating its administrative importance in the area.

Przezmark Castle occupied a strategic position on a peninsula between two lakes, the Motława Wielka and Motława Mała, which enhanced its natural defenses. In 1410, during a significant conflict, Polish forces led by King Władysław Jagiełło captured the castle without engaging in battle. However, under the terms of the First Peace of Toruń in 1411, control of the castle was returned to the Teutonic Order. Just a few years later, in 1414, Polish troops regained the castle and caused substantial damage before it was rebuilt and expanded, particularly after the destruction of nearby Dzierzgoń Castle increased Przezmark’s regional importance.

By 1437, Przezmark Castle became the seat of a komtur, an Order commander, and functioned as a location for the regional court, demonstrating its role in governance and justice. During the Thirteen Years’ War (1454–1466), the castle changed hands multiple times. Citizens of the nearby city of Elbląg captured it briefly before the Teutonic Order regained possession. Polish forces then laid siege to the castle but succeeded only in taking the outer courtyard, known as the outer bailey.

Ownership shifted in the early 16th century when, between 1508 and 1521, the castle passed into the hands of the bishops of Pomesania. Afterwards, it entered private ownership by the von Egmon and von Werdte noble families. In the late 16th century, the castle underwent significant transformation, transitioning from a defensive fortress into a residential palace through extensive renovations and expansions, reflecting changing needs and tastes.

During the mid-17th century Swedish Deluge, a period of warfare in the region, Przezmark Castle was repurposed as a Swedish military quarter and supply base. Although in the 18th and 19th centuries the castle remained the seat of the local Land Office, neglect set in. Starting in 1793, portions of the castle were dismantled to reuse masonry for construction in nearby communities.

Conservation efforts began in 1935 but were not completed. In 1958, parts of the remaining tower and outer bailey were adapted for use related to tourism, including the addition of wooden cabins. Today, Przezmark Castle remains privately owned and is the subject of ongoing restoration and partial rebuilding work.

Remains

The Przezmark Castle complex originally consisted of two primary sections: the middle castle and the upper castle. The entire ensemble was constructed mainly from brick, a common building material in medieval Northern Europe, with granite employed for structural supports such as pillars and foundations. A wide moat separated the castle from the adjoining village, with access provided by a drawbridge resting on two brick pillars. This drawbridge led directly to the foregate and the gate tower, both integral to the castle’s defensive system.

The gate tower formed the center of a fortified entrance flanked by defensive walls culminating in two corner towers. Among these, the eastern corner tower has survived particularly well and is called the Prisoner’s Tower; it rises to a height of 35 meters, making it the best-preserved feature of the complex. Within the defensive walls of the middle castle lay a courtyard that once contained several economic buildings, now in ruins, and a residential building located on the western side of the courtyard.

The upper castle was encircled by a four-sided defensive wall measuring roughly 50 by 75 meters. Located along the eastern wall stood the main castle house, stretching at least 65 meters in length and rising two stories high. This building featured a cloister—a covered walkway surrounding part of the courtyard—and included an external latrine bay constructed with timber framing, a design detail allowing waste disposal away from the living quarters.

Attached to the southern wall of the upper castle was an octagonal tower with an 8-meter diameter, adding to the complex’s fortifications. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the castle’s upper section was further expanded with the addition of three residential wings on the northern, southern, and western sides. These wings enclosed the inner courtyard, creating a more enclosed living space. Today, only small wall fragments remain from these wings, including the outline of a hall with granite pillars in the eastern wing and evidence of the main gate’s location.

Beyond the main castle, the layout included multiple outer baileys or courtyards. The first outer bailey was separated from the main castle by a neck ditch and reinforced by a large gate complex along with a round tower, the foundations of which have been preserved. A second outer bailey occupied a hill nearby, the site of which now hosts a church. The surviving tower of the outer bailey is currently used to exhibit historical displays and host events, preserving a portion of the castle’s heritage.

These remains reflect the castle’s evolution from a medieval fortress into a noble residence, displaying a layered history through surviving brickwork, defensive structures, and architectural adaptations over several centuries.