Malbork is not only walls and towers – it is also unique interiors and stories that still come to life. What secrets are hidden in the castle halls and courtyards? In the sixteenth episode of the AmberPodcast, together with the guide, Ms. Katarzyna Czaykowska, we discover the interiors of the castle – amber exhibitions, the armory and places that delight – especially during night sightseeing. We tell you how the attractions for the youngest have been prepared, what you can see in the Maślankowa Tower and why it is worth taking a look at the ceramic tiles and the model of the castle. Turn on the AmberPodcast and see for yourself that Malbork is much more than a medieval fortress!
Anna Kordecka: Welcome to the next episode of AmberPodcast, a series devoted to the tourist attractions of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The partner of this year’s series is the Pomeranian Regional Tourist Organization. In the previous episode, we looked at the history of the Teutonic Order, the everyday life of knights and the architecture of the Malbork Castle.
Today, we will look at this place from a different perspective, as a vibrant tourist attraction. Together with Ms. Katarzyna Czaykowska, we will talk about what sightseeing looks like, what attractions await tourists and what works of art are hidden in the castle walls. So let’s move on to the further fate of this Gothic fortress.
What were the most important moments in the history of the castle after the fall of the Teutonic Order?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: In fact, once people were asked which moment in the life of the castle, apart from the times of the Teutonic Knights, was the most important and I heard a very moving answer – the moment when it became a museum and when it began to be rebuilt.
Yes, it is very important, because thanks to this we can actually visit the castle, we can sit in it until they tell us goodbye, because they are closing. On the other hand, the castle was bought during the Thirteen Years’ War, because this great war from the beginning of the fifteenth century was not the only one, neither the first nor the last. Then there was the Thirteen Years’ War.
Already in the middle, actually in the second half of the fifteenth century, the castle was bought by the Polish king, metaphorically speaking, from the Teutonic mercenaries – and this was an important moment in the history of the castle, because the burgraves and royal elders had their offices in the castle . It was a moment when it was not the capital, it was not the most important building in the country, but nevertheless such a pile of bricks is a fortress.
And it was also a state prison, which was also very important. So he had some rank. Then there was the Swedish visit. Then, of course, there were partitions, so the castle played a completely different role later, it was a barracks. It was such a story, it was this piece of the castle’s history when it was, from our point of view, devastated.
From a military point of view, it was improved, because it was a medieval fortress, it had to be adapted. It would probably have been dismantled and rebuilt anyway, if it had not been for the nineteenth century and romanticism. Because I am not mentioning Napoleon’s visit, which also contributed to a certain devastation – we call it a visit. Romanticism came , and fortunately these romantic ruins fascinated one of the students so much that he wrote a letter in defense.
The action actually began from that moment – we are rebuilding, regothising – I managed to say it, we are restoring the Gothic in the castle, maybe in this way, because it really did look ugly. If you can say that about such a magnificent castle at all, it was ugly, because it was simply supposed to serve, but only for the army, without any grandmaster ambitions.
Then there was World War II and the beginning of 1945, where the Germans turned the castle into a fortress. The Russians were walking, that is, the Red Army was going and shelling the castle, what it looked like can be seen later on the photos that are in front of the entrance to the castle.
And such an extremely important moment, it was a decision that no, we are not destroying it, but rebuilding it out of respect for ourselves, so that we do not turn out to be the same as the barbarians who ran through our land, and also out of respect for medieval builders. The castle, among other reasons, is on the UNESCO list.
Anna Kordecka: From what we hear, the castle had quite a turbulent history, it went through a lot. Does it hide any treasures in its castle interiors that are worth seeing?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes, there are a lot of places that are worth seeing in the castle, just not to run through the castle, because the history of the Teutonic Knights – of course, is fascinating, Polish times, then the times of partitions, but there are exhibitions in the castle. Currently this year in which we are talking, this month – in May, there is an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the Prussian Homage.
This is a very interesting exhibition, worth seeing, but this is a temporary exhibition. There are a lot of temporary exhibitions that appear and disappear, but for someone who will not necessarily visit now, but sometime later, it is certainly worth visiting and to such, as they say, door to door, from display case to showcase, there is an amber exhibition.
We call it Amber Contexts and this is its title. It is a fascinating journey from forty-odd million years ago to the present day and these are artefacts that have been dug up somewhere or obtained in various ways, donations, purchases, exchanges. However, there are lumps of amber, because not everyone knows what amber looks like, most people think that amber is the so-called Hawaiian beads, which used to be worn and they were called grandma’s beads.
Some people still know amber from amber tinctures, which heal this and that. However, not everyone knows that this amber can be so big, that it has about 250 colors and shades. Just like about the fact that Baltic amber is the gold of the north, because this is where the oldest one is and what can be made of it.
That is why we consider the amber exhibition to be a treasure, because there are works of art of incredible value, usually from the seventeenth century, because this is how amber was appreciated then. Besides, the first amber workshop, for example in Gdańsk, which is very closely related to Malbork, because Gdańsk and Malbork are not far away, and besides, it was in Gdańsk that there were amber workshops, also in the times of the Teutonic Knights, but they were subordinate to the Teutonic Knights. On the other hand, the first such independent one was established in Gdańsk only after the Thirteen Years’ War, when there was such an explosion of the discovery of this amber. And at the Malbork Castle there are absolutely unique works of seventeenth-century amber art. There are caskets that are made of amber. There is amber glued to wood, but there is a casket of Christoph Maucher. You have to pay attention to it, because it is unique, because it is transparent. This is amber glued with amber. This is a unique work of art, it is a treasure.
However, for men there will certainly be an interesting exhibition of weapons, armor – the so-called armory, because although the Malbork Castle lost a lot of works of art, because it was a museum, there were very large collections there before World War II. It is known that the turmoil of war meant that these large collections are no longer available, but nevertheless, we have part of the collection, we acquire it and it is worth seeing.
We have amber in the so-called ground floor, and you have to go upstairs and we have an armoury. These specimens of weapons, even Persian armor, are worth seeing, because they are extremely popular throughout Europe. People come from all over the world to see our armory.
So this is very interesting. It is very, I should actually say small, but interesting, because it is not the quantity, but the quality that counts in this case, the exhibition in the infirmary, that is, in this wing, where once there was a hospital and a home for elderly monks, for brother knights, there is an exhibition devoted to Polish times.
Although there are not many of these showcases, it is worth paying attention to them, there is a spoon with a handle ending like a hoof, so the way in which these works of art were chiseled is, for example, – I call it a ladle, of course – the same spoon of this scooping tool is made of half a coconut. And it’s all sculpted. So these are works of art, these are the treasures that you have to see.
Such a huge treasure is the rebuilt church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, because indeed, who was in the castle some 20 years ago, probably remembers such a disgusting ceiling and such a ruin, nothing like that, some squirrels were sneaking somewhere sideways. A few years ago, the vaults were rebuilt and it was a unique undertaking, not only on a Polish scale, but on a global scale. And it is indeed a treasure that it was rebuilt in this way.
Anna Kordecka: So it’s worth remembering that not only walls, but also amber, armor, and other spoons. It is worth looking for them while in the castle.
Castles, especially those from stories and legends, usually hide secret passages, undergrounds that hide secrets. Does the Malbork Castle also have such mysterious nooks and crannies?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Of course it is. First of all, there are some nooks and crannies that, unfortunately, arouse… I mean, unfortunately, because they will not be open to the public for safety reasons, because they are basements.
So there is only one entrance to the basement – entrance and exit. Unfortunately, this will not be made available, but there are legends about various secret underground passages. It is a great story. There is a book about the legends of the Malbork Castle – I highly recommend it, it was written by Mr. Marek Stokowski. There is also an excellent book by the same author. The book is called “The Jester”. This is a very philosophical book, but there you can meet Ulrich von Jungingen, the one who died at Grunwald, you can delve into such castle secrets. However, there is a chamber, a cell, we call it Witold’s cell, which, since the castle was made available to the public, that is, since it became a museum, that is, since the 1960s, has been causing a sensation and new legends are being created every now and then.
This is where Witold’s cell was – whether it was a bathhouse, whether it was a cell, whether Kęstutis was sitting here, whether there is no entrance somewhere walled up, you can hear all sorts of things. There is no castle without secret passages, and besides, we know perfectly well that the storage places in the cellars are also secret to us, secret by confidential.
Anna Kordecka: Exactly. Are there any attractions besides the castle?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes! They are waiting and there are a lot of them, because, of course, I am well aware that most people come to the castle. However, I always recommend a walk around Malbork, because Malbork has developed a lot in terms of tourism at the moment, it is clean.
In any case, it aspires to such a place, which would also be interesting not only within the walls of the castle.
Anna Kordecka: Are there any other attractions besides the castle itself that await tourists in Malbork?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: There are. There is a model of the castle. Of course, some criticize it, others are delighted, but it is worth seeing because before you enter the castle, before you go to this huge enormity, it is worth seeing, comparing the scale.
On the other hand, a place that is gaining more and more popularity, that is, it is even called the Ceramic Workshop Ceramika Malborska. And it is in Malbork at 26 Mickiewicza Street. This is a unique place, because you can make an appointment with the lady who conducts the workshops here. This lady specializes in tiles, or the so-called Dutch tiles, as we call it unprofessionally.
To prepare for a visit to her, it is worth going to the first floor of the castle, where we have a wall with tiles. Only then can we get those so-called tiles from Delft, which are not from Delft at all. This lady does various things, she also does workshops, so this is undoubtedly such an attraction of Malbork, because we do not live by the castle alone.
On the other hand, we have a lot of such remnants of the Middle Ages, such as gates, such as the Old Town Hall, which I hope will see some kind of revitalization, as it is said today, because it is in such a sad condition. After the war, it was known that it was the odium of the Teutonic Knight, the German, the bloodsucker, it somehow functioned like that.
Anyway, the Old Town does not actually exist, because it is a new city. There is the Latin School, today it is the Malbork Centre of Culture and Education on the Nogat. This is an interesting thing, because the extremely criticized building, which blended perfectly into this castle entourage and next to it, right between the Latin School and the castle, is the Church of St. John.
During Midsummer Days, night tours are organized in this church. In the evening, at night, entering the church is not a small thing, there is a great candlestick hanging there, which is called melusine, this is a very mysterious name and you have to visit the church to find out what it is. Of course, gates, because gates, I have already mentioned.
There is also… One of the towers, the Buttermilk Tower, and it is near the castle, actually on the castle grounds. Buttermilk because at the very top there is not a chanterelle, but a lady churning butter in a butter churn. Great fun. However, there is also Kazimierz Jagiellończyk Square. Today it is called the Town Square, where there is a monument of Kazimierz Jagiellończyk on horseback.
I must admit that this is an interesting place. It is criticized that there is no greenery there – the greenery is next door, and the king’s area was also cleaned. There is a fountain that children like extremely in the summer, so this is definitely the biggest attraction. There is a Dinopark – because dinosaurs, then they say that aha dinosaurs, then they became extinct and the Malbork Castle was created, so it’s very interesting.
There is the Jerusalem Hospital, but you have to walk a bit towards Sztum. There are barracks buildings that are from the 19th century, they have survived mostly and are very, to put it simply, beautiful. This nineteenth-century architecture has indeed been preserved and they have beautiful ceramic tiles, so there is a lot to see in Malbork, because not the whole city has been destroyed, so you have to delve into the streets on foot.
Anna Kordecka: So we invite you to Malbork to wander around the streets a bit, look for some architectural discoveries of our own, and more. Let’s go back to the castle, because it is a fortress worth returning to. In addition to visiting the castle, can we mention a little about how to visit the Malbork Castle? I know that you can only do it with a guide, but we seem to have two options here.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: We have a guide as a living person. This is a great option, because you can pull such a person by the sleeve and ask a question, and this person will answer. But we also have another option, because I must admit that there is a shortage of guides during the season. The best sightseeing is probably from September to April, because then the castle is relatively empty, there are more guides who can devote more time to us.
You can also order a guide. Of course, this is a slightly more expensive option, because you have to pay for this guide, but you pay for knowledge, for quality, that’s obvious. You can order such a person and this person will be just for you. Regardless of whether there is one of us or ten of us, the one who will show us around, will show us around – only us.
There is another option, where we join a group of up to 30 people, a guide stands and gathers the group, but it is known that then we are one of 30 people. The third option is that we can rent an audioguide, it is called very beautifully, i.e. a set that will whisper in our ears, he points out. It is very well prepared and I must say that he has a nice language, the voice is pleasant to the ear.
Fortunately, it is arranged in such a way that it leads us one by one. Some like it, others don’t, but because it is well prepared, so you can try, you can always come back to the castle one day and join, for example, a guide. So there are actually three options.
Two options with a live person, one only for us, and the other for us and for the whole group, and this option with an audioguide.
Anna Kordecka: I understand that when we enter the castle, there is only one path that we can follow, we cannot enter selected places?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: To be honest, this is the path that a guide, an audioguide, or a living character will take us.
But very often it happens that after the time allocated for sightseeing, the guide says goodbye, but we bought a ticket, so we can actually sit until the museum closes and politely asks us to go away. And then people really go in different directions, to different places, where they want, where they can, because this is the so-called time for them.
So basically you have to stick to this path, because later we disturb others, but since we have already walked one part of the castle, or part of the day with a guide, then we know where to go, because, for example, we want to see something for the second time.
Anna Kordecka: Are there any other events at the castle that are worth attending?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: There are a lot of these events, because, for example, there are educational activities that you have to order, of course, but these educational activities are very interesting, they are listed on the castle website and it is worth taking a look there. There is a description, a very accessible one, so it is easy to find it and, for example, such topics as “The Teutonic Order and its heritage against the background of European history” or “Gothic style in architecture and art. Characteristics”.
Our Gothic is completely different. If someone has been to France or England, our Gothic is completely different, because it is Teutonic Gothic. On the other hand, all these classes, they are conducted, there are a few such topics, there, among others, these times of reconstruction, that is, the 19th century and after World War II, because it is also extremely interesting, distinguishing colors and bricks and sizes, such variations.
They are run by the education department. And they are conducted in such a way that people of all ages are fascinated, they are delighted, because it is a different castle. There are activities for children above all, but there are also activities for teenagers and children with different needs. There is a department that deals with this.
So, in fact, you can visit this castle on many levels in completely different ways. And something that has always been an incredible sensation and that’s why it has now entered as a permanent offer – night sightseeing. It lasts an hour and a half, but it’s such a quintessence, because it starts when it’s dark.
Anna Kordecka: It can be romantic and scary.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes, and it’s fun, because I must admit that in the evening, when it’s dark, sometimes you can see more, because nothing distracts us. And when we meet a ghost, because if we have a castle, we have a ghost, right? That’s it. In addition, there are a number of such events that have already entered the calendar, to put it ugly, nationwide events, because the whole of Poland is coming, so please do not park your cars near the castle, because you will not get in, this is the siege of Malbork.
And it’s always July, between July 18 and 20, and it’s a frenzy. This is a revelation.
Anna Kordecka: And how often are such night tours of the castle organized?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: I think it’s best to take a look at the castle’s website and find out there, because there was a time when they were organized every few days. And it’s fun, I don’t know who has more fun, the visitors or the guides, but it’s worth it. It’s in the visit tab and there is a whole page dedicated to night sightseeing, so it’s worth reading it and, for example, gathering your friends and coming.
Anna Kordecka: A night tour of Malbork.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes.
Anna Kordecka: You mentioned that such a night tour takes about an hour and a half, but what if we decide to visit the castle in a traditional way, how much time should we devote to it?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: And this is a question…
Anna Kordecka: It depends.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes, the answer is simple – it depends. Such guided tours also vary, because there are groups that have very little time and it is an hour and a half. There are two and a half, there are three hours. But then you can stay in the castle, sit on a bench, eat a sandwich, gain strength. There is a toilet that is free in the Middle Castle – not medieval, absolutely not, no. And you can move on. So all this depends on our legs, on the capacity of our head, how much more we are able to, on the state of the battery in the camera or in the cell phone, because not only the castle as a High or Medium Castle, but we have terraces and moats, so there is a place to walk.
Anna Kordecka: It’s about sightseeing, what it’s about watching. Since we have already talked about sightseeing at night, castles are always legends and stories associated with them. Does Malbork also have such stories?
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Oh dear, yes. There is a saying that you don’t fight a legend, you tell a legend. And no matter what anyone thinks about it, legends have been, are and will be.
There is a legend about a tunnel to Nowy Staw, which is, of course, sorry, but utter nonsense. But there is a legend that it was supposed to make it possible to escape if necessary. I think we could have jumped to the Nogat faster. But the legend is there, it’s doing great, because I’ve heard it myself many times.
There is a legend about a treasure in a well. I don’t recommend it to anyone, because the well has no water, so if someone somewhere, anyway, it is fortunately secured, but you know that if there is a well anywhere, it must be a treasure. This treasure of ours is a treasure of gold coins. I don’t recommend shouting into the well, because the guards won’t let us, but the legend holds up great.
There is a legend about eccentric brothers, that there were brothers who were one fat, the other skinny, both of whom were known for jokes, but for their lack of courage on the battlefield. The legend goes so far that when they went to the toilet together, the one who was more heavier in weight sat down in the toilet in Gdańsk and, unfortunately, the seat collapsed under him and he fell. A bad death.
However, there is indeed a book “Legends of the stories of the Malbork Castle: and there are a lot of such legends there, because actually if we have such an area… And there is a legend about the Buttermilk Tower, about Żuławy, about frogs in Żuławy, because our tourists often ask about this frog that is between the castle towers, these towers, gate towers, this is also one of the legends.
So I think that wherever you visit the castle, a legend will surely resonate.
Anna Kordecka: So before visiting Malbork, it is worth getting acquainted with at least some of the legends and then try to visit the castle in the footsteps of legends.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes. I think that this book about the stories and legends of the Malbork Castle will be excellent, because you can run in the footsteps of legends around the castle.
Anna Kordecka: Unfortunately, this is the end for today. I would like to thank Mrs. Katarzyna Czaykowska for today’s meeting, who shared with us her knowledge about the largest Gothic castle in the world inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. We invite you to discover the nooks and crannies of the castle all year round, but we suggest that it is worth doing it outside the main season, i.e. from April. In April, in autumn.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes.
Anna Kordecka: Avoid summer. Then you can calmly …
Katarzyna Czaykowska: That’s when there are the most people and there really isn’t even the time and space to take a picture. And more ghosts are out of season.
Anna Kordecka: And at night.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Yes, and at night.
Anna Kordecka: We invite you to Malbork and the castle, and we will hear you with you, dear listeners, in the next episode of AmberPodcast, in which we will visit the Hel Spit.
Katarzyna Czaykowska: Thank you.
