Klaipėda Castle: A Historic Teutonic Fortress in Lithuania
Visitor Information
Google Rating: 4.6
Popularity: Medium
Official Website: www.mlimuziejus.lt
Country: Lithuania
Civilization: Crusader, Early Modern
Site type: Military
Remains: Castle
History
Klaipėda Castle, also historically known as Memelburg, is located near the mouth of the Danė River in Klaipėda, Lithuania. It was originally built by the Teutonic Knights during their military campaigns in the mid-13th century.
The first fortification on this site was a wooden castle constructed around 1252 within a marshy area on the left bank of the Danė River. Due to the difficulties posed by the terrain, the wooden structure was soon replaced between 1252 and 1253 by a stone castle built on the right bank. This stone fortress became the focal point of the Klaipėda commandery, serving as a strategic outpost in the region. Over the next several decades, it was frequently targeted and destroyed during attacks by Lithuanian and Samogitian forces, with recorded assaults in 1307, 1323, 1360, 1379, and 1393. After each destruction, the castle was rebuilt, reflecting its ongoing military importance.
In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, Klaipėda Castle underwent significant expansions. A large defensive tower was added in 1393, and further improvements occurred under Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen around 1408–1409. Despite the defeat of the Teutonic Order at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, the castle continued to hold military significance due to contested territorial claims between the Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The 16th century brought notable transformation as the castle was converted into a bastion fortress, a style designed to better withstand artillery attacks. French military engineers were involved in upgrading the defenses between 1529 and 1559. Despite these improvements, Klaipėda Castle faced damage during the Polish-Swedish War in 1629 and suffered further losses due to fire and conflict during the Seven Years’ War in 1757. The final reconstruction efforts were completed in 1763.
By the late 18th century, the strategic value of the castle had diminished. It fell into disrepair and was partially dismantled. Between 1872 and 1874, remaining structures were demolished, marking the end of the castle’s active use.
Archaeological interest in Klaipėda Castle began in 1968 with excavations led by Adolfas Tautavičius. These efforts have continued at intervals, despite challenges posed by urban development close to the site. In 2002, a museum was established beneath one of the bastion’s chambers to display the archaeological finds and tell the history of the castle. Restoration work on the site was completed in 2021. Today, the castle grounds serve as a venue for cultural events and initiatives aimed at linking the historic area to the Old Town and the nearby Curonian Lagoon.
Remains
Klaipėda Castle was originally laid out in a roughly square form, featuring strong red brick walls with Gothic design elements both inside and out. Defensive walls stood approximately 11 meters high and were thick enough to endure artillery fire. The northern wall alone stretched about 102 meters, reinforced by four main towers positioned at the corners. Among these were two large cylindrical towers—the Great Powder Tower and the Duke’s Tower—measuring around 12 meters in diameter. A smaller rectangular tower stood at the southeast corner. The principal tower likely rose six floors high and reached about 15 meters in diameter.
Surrounding the castle was a complex system of water defenses. A 6-meter-wide road ran along the outside of the walls, followed by a wide moat filled with water, measuring between 8 and 9 meters across. Behind this moat lay a broad rampart over 20 meters wide, rising roughly 2 meters above the courtyard level. Beyond the rampart, there was an additional dry moat approximately 6 meters wide and 1.5 meters deep. Together, these layers created a formidable barrier against attackers.
Inside the castle’s courtyard were a mix of brick and wooden buildings. By the 15th century, the fortress included a prison located within one of the towers, established by 1438. The defensive structures also incorporated embrasures—openings in the walls designed for cannons. In the early 17th century, the castle’s defenses were further adapted to artillery warfare with the addition of bastions designed according to the Dutch system, named after royal princes: Prince Charles, Prince Fredric, Prince Ludwig, and Frederick William. These bastions featured underground passages called poternes, used for troop movement and storage. The poternes were expanded and rebuilt during the 16th century.
After damage sustained in the 17th century, a two-winged Commandant’s house was constructed on the Prince Charles bastion in 1670, adding a residential and administrative element to the fortress. By the 19th century, only two of the castle’s original five towers remained standing. During demolition efforts between 1872 and 1874, key structural features such as entrance vaults and tower remnants were removed or collapsed.
Today, the remnants preserved within the restored Prince Fredric poterne form the core of the museum. This underground chamber once functioned as an artillery storage area. Visitors can see excavated foundations and authentic fragments of the castle’s walls, as well as the oldest paved street in Klaipėda, dating back to the 16th century. These remains provide tangible connections to the castle’s long military and administrative history, revealing a site that evolved over centuries to meet the challenges of warfare and governance.