Kętrzyn

State of preservation:		The building has survived as the whole
Admission:		You can enter the courtyard for free, but admission to the museum is paid
Parking:		By the very castle there is a free parking lot
Searching difficulty:		The castle stands by the main road so it is very easy to find
Access difficulty:		You will not walk your legs off
Subjective rating:		The building of an average looks

Driving directions:

Driving from Giżycko down the road no 592 to Kętrzyn, after entering the town you need to head for PKP railroad station first (signposts), and after you drive past it, make for the church. The castle stands by the main road.


Historical outline:

Former name: Rastembork (pol.), Rastenburg (ger.)

Originally in Kętrzyn existed a wooden-earth defensive structure raised about 1329, and destroyed in 1347 by Lithuanians. Unfortunately, its situation is unknown. A preserved up to this day – the Teutonic castle was begun to be constructed after 1350. Its building lasted according to one historians till the end of the century, whereas according to the others it fell on the years of 1360-1370. In 1454 the castle was seized by burghers of Kętrzyn. In the subsequent centuries it was converted repeatedly while in the first half of the XVIIIth cent. a disassembly of exterior fortifications was started.
Before the World War I the castle was a seat of quarters of a commanding officer, and then of the Internal Revenue Service. In 1945 the castle burnt down, and in the years of 1962-1967 it was rebuilt for museum and library purposes. Then it was restored a medieval external appearance.


Pictures:




Nearest castles:

Barciany

Reszel