The legends were of the Royal Castle of Königsberg. Royal castle Koenigsberg in Kaliningrad Fortress Koenigsberg

Koenigsberg as a fortress

The struggle for Koenigsberg is an episode of the great battle with our Slavic neighbor, which had such a terrible impact on our fate and the fate of our children and whose influence will be felt in the future. This struggle for territory between the Germanic and Slavic peoples has been going on since the time of our ancestors, times barely known to history. By the beginning of the era, the power of the Germans extended all the way to the lower Volga. But the Slavs were just as powerful - around 700 they crossed the Elbe. Over the centuries, the border changed first in one direction and then in the other, for borders are like peoples. This is something living, they change depending on the energy of peoples. After our last push to the East, the return flow of the Slavs was more powerful than ever, it demolished all dams and obstacles. This war captured Koenigsberg, which then served the Germans as a bastion against the East.

Koenigsberg was founded in 1258 by the German Order of Knights in honor of King Ottokar of Bohemia, who participated in the Order's summer campaign to the East. The castle, the construction of which began during the founding of the city, was its first defensive structure. In the 17th century, the city was fortified with a rampart, ditches and bastions, thus becoming a fortress. These structures gradually deteriorated and did not serve much service either in the Seven Years' War or in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1814, Koenigsberg was declared an open city, but in 1843 its fortification began again, and what was then called a fortress fence was erected, that is, a ring of fortifications around the city with a length of 11 kilometers. Their construction was completed in 1873. In 1874, construction began on a defensive belt of 15 forward forts, the construction of which was completed in 1882. To protect the mouth of the Pregel, a strong fortification was built on the right bank near the Holstein estate. Even stronger was the fortification of Friedrichsburg on the left bank of the mouth of the Pregel.

The circumference of the defensive belt of the forts reached 53 kilometers by the time of the final battles. Even during the First World War, the defense was strengthened by the construction of intermediate fortifications between the forts. The forts had, in general, the following design: a main barracks surrounded by a moat and a drawbridge with an entrance device. The main barracks was covered by an earthen embankment, 3-4 meters thick, which protected it from fire even from modern medium-caliber artillery pieces. At the top there was an open position from which the main fire of the fort had previously been conducted. Later, special artillery positions were built nearby for batteries adjacent to the fort. The brick used for construction was fired several times, thereby achieving increased strength. Thus, these old fortifications were quite reliable protection, including from modern artillery. However, their disadvantage was that the ability to observe and fire from there was very limited. Having an entrance from the back, they were a real mousetrap. During World War I, Russian cavalry reconnaissance reached the very gates of Koenigsberg in August 1914; the fortress was not particularly important even then. However, given the very fact of its existence, the Russians at that time were advancing in East Prussia at a relatively slow pace, which created the conditions for the Battle of Tannenberg.

And in World War II, the Russians showed too much honor to the Königsberg fortress. Only after three months of fighting before the fall of Koenigsberg, having gathered 5 armies, did they decide on the final battle. In general, only in combination with the defensive position on the Daimyo Line and in the Heilsberg Triangle, Königsberg was a fortress in the modern sense of the word. It ceased to be such when the defense could rely only on the belt of forts of 1882 (and this is exactly what happened in the spring of 1945). The defensive system of Königsberg itself included the following fortifications:

1. Defensive line of the forefield: in the south: Gutenfeld - Ludwigswalde - Bergau - Heide - Waldburg. in the north: Palmburg - Kleinheide - Trutenau - Moditten.

2. Front line of defense: along the line of old forts in front of the ring highway.

3. Defensive fortifications on the city outskirts.

4. In the city: fortifications for individual and group defense of houses, basements, etc.

The construction of direct defensive structures began, strictly speaking, only at the end of December 1944, when an order was received to focus attention on the fortress itself. Therefore, much of what could have been built during a long war turned out to be impossible. In addition, in terms of providing resources, the front, of course, always stood in the foreground, and for it something had to be given from the reserves of the fortress.

The defensive line of the forefield, which consisted of trenches and some wire fences, was basically prepared for combat operations. However, due to the strong onslaught of the enemy and the impossibility of occupying it entirely, this position was of little justification. From the beginning of January 1945, the main attention was paid to the belt of forts, which was equipped as the front line of defense.

As for construction, due to a lack of forces and resources, unfavorable weather and limited time, it was no longer possible to do anything particularly significant in the old forts. However, we were able to supplement them with field fortifications - machine gun and rifle nests were equipped on the crests of the ramparts, firing sectors were cleared, firing points and wire barriers were arranged on the glacis, pressure mines were placed. The ring of forts was closed with anti-tank ditches. Anti-tank guns, intended to flank the anti-tank ditches and, above all, the glacis of the forts, arrived from Berlin too late.

The barracks of the forts, which even before December were partially occupied by administrative bodies and the like, were in a suitable condition. The roads leading from the line of forts to the city were mined and equipped with electric anti-tank barriers. The following 19th-century fortifications also played a role in the battles on the outskirts of the city on April 8-9: the Haberberg and Friedland ravelins, the Friedland Gate, the Pregel bastion, part of the field fortifications, the Lithuania bastion, the ramparts between Pregel and Oberteich, Sackheim and the Royal Gate, the Grolman bastion with the defensive barracks "Kronprinz", the Rossgarten Gate, the Don Tower, the Wrangel Tower, the forward fortification "Bettgershefchen", the Sternwarte bastion, the sally gate.

In the next chapter, General Lyash recalls the military operations of his troops on the territory of the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944. In 1944 he was sent to the Western Front, to France. In October 1944, Lyash received a five-week sick leave and came to East Prussia, in Osterode.

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2. Koenigsberg - Korolevets

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Chapter 4. KONIGSBERG In Konigsberg, two very different people appeared at the Arsenyevs at different times and independently of each other. Both of them were prisoners of war. Their names were Pyotr Khomutin (everyone called him Petka) and Nikolai Shestakov. The first appeared at the beginning of 1943, the second - before

Koenigsberg The fortified city of Koenigsberg, the capital of East Prussia, was well prepared for long-term resistance to the attackers. As we were told before the assault, the city was surrounded by three lines of defense, the first of which, the outer one, consisted of 15 old forts,

Königsberg Castle or Königsberg Castle (German name Das Königsberger Schloß) is the symbol and pride of Königsberg. It was from this castle that the birth of Königsberg began.

The name of this castle (“Königsberg”) gave the general name for the city that arose near the castle walls - Königsberg (now Kaliningrad).

Königsberg Castle is also called the Royal Castle.

Once upon a time, Königsberg Castle, along with the Cathedral, was the most important and oldest landmark of the city.

The castle has a very long and very rich history, but, unfortunately, the castle has not survived to this day. Currently, on the site of the once majestic and, without a doubt, beautiful Royal Castle, only a small part of the ruins remains (archaeological excavations):

Fragments of the castle dungeons;

A fragment of the South Terrace of the Royal Castle, which can be seen from Moskovsky Avenue.

The southern terrace of the castle was equipped in the 19th century. To build the terrace, a complex of old buildings in the northern part of Altstadt was demolished. A portal with a niche was made in the wall, where a sculpture of King Friedrich Wilhelm I, the work of I. Meisner (1730), was installed. In the summer, tubs with exotic plants were placed along the retaining wall. The southern castle terrace was a popular place for walks and recreation for townspeople.

Now, we can see the past grandeur and beauty of the castle only from the few surviving photographs, some of which are on permanent display.

Castle courtyard

Northeast corner of the castle

Also, the royal castle is depicted on the model of Koenigsberg in 1937, the author is the artist-architect of the Kant Museum - Dyryshchev Albert Mikhailovich. The layout is in .

Foundation and history of Königsberg Castle

At the end of the 12th century, the Teutonic Order was founded in Palestine during the Crusades, along with other monastic orders. The Crusaders in Palestine were defeated by the Muslims and were forced to leave the Holy Land and return to Europe.

By the beginning of the 13th century in Europe, only the population of the South-Eastern Baltic region (the ancestors of the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian peoples, as well as the ancient Prussians) remained pagans. The Polish prince Konrad of Mazowiecki, who fought with the Prussians, called on the Teutonic Order for help. Having secured the support of the Pope, the Teutonic Order began the forcible Christianization of the Prussians. The systematic conquest of Prussian lands began, stretching from the mouth of the Vistula to the mouth of the Neman. During the campaigns, the knights founded castles, relying on which they moved further.

In December 1254, detachments of volunteer knights led by the Czech king Otakar II Přemysl and Margrave Otto II of Brandenburg set out to help the defeated knights of the Order.

At the beginning of 1255, the united army of knights reached the area called Tuvangste by the Prussians. According to legend, it was here, on the high bank of the Liptsa River (German name - Pregel, Russian - Pregolya), King Otakar advised the knights of the Order to build a castle and left “rich gifts” for this. In memory of the king, the castle was named “Königsberg” (“Royal Mountain”).

Construction of the fortress lasted several decades. The castle turned into the center of the command of Königsberg, which included the north-eastern lands of Prussia, and, along with the military, the castle also performed administrative functions.

Since 1323, Königsberg Castle became the residence of the Supreme Marshal of the Order and the organized center of the crusades against Lithuania that continued until the end of the 15th century.

Since 1457, Königsberg Castle has been the seat of the Grand Master, the head of the Teutonic Order.

In 1525, the order state was transformed into the Duchy of Prussia, and the castle housed the court of the Duke of Prussia.

In the second half of the 16th century, the convention house (the western part of the castle) was demolished, and construction of an outbuilding began in its place. This defensive structure had two powerful round towers on either side, the wall between which was reinforced with buttresses. A gate was made to exit into the castle courtyard.

The outbuilding had basements for storing food supplies and, later, ammunition. On the first floor there were service premises, on the second - the castle church.

In 1697, within the walls of a large celebration hall, which was located on the third floor of the castle, then Elector Frederick III received the Great Moscow Embassy, ​​which included Tsar Peter I. Perhaps it was after this reception that the hall received the name “Muscovite Hall”.

In 1701, the coronation of the first Prussian king, Frederick I, took place within the walls of the castle.

After the First World War, the provincial museum “Prussia” moved to the castle, and weapons collections were presented in the Muscovite hall. The round towers housed office space, workshops and libraries.

In August 1944, as a result of air raids, the castle was damaged, calling into question its continued existence.

Photo of Königsberg Castle after the Second Pestilence

The ruins of the castle survived until the second half of the 1960s, when the regional authorities decided that it was impossible for them to continue to be located in the city center and that it was inappropriate to restore an object of a different, non-Soviet, culture.

The ruins were demolished; the foundation was covered with Kaliningrad Square slabs; the remains of the retaining walls of the southern terrace were gradually dismantled to restore other city objects, and at the turn of the 1970s-80s the lower retaining wall was finally dismantled, while the small remaining fragments of the upper retaining wall were covered with concrete and lined with limestone slabs.

This is exactly how, sadly, the full history of Königsberg Castle ended.

Fragments of the dungeons and southern terrace of the castle were discovered during archaeological excavations in 2001 - 2005 and 2016.

In 2018, landscaping work was carried out on the territory of the former castle, funded by a private investor, in preparation for the FIFA World Cup. Conservation of the remaining remains of the castle has been carried out.

Approximately on the site of the southeastern part of Königsberg Castle, the House of Soviets, which was built (and unfinished) during Soviet times, currently stands.

The Amber Room and Königsberg Castle

Königsberg Castle is the last precisely known location of the legendary Amber Room (1942-1945).

During the assault on Königsberg by Soviet troops in April 1945, the Amber Room disappeared without a trace. Her further fate still remains one of the mysteries of history.

Some researchers of the location of the room believe that it is still located in the basements of the castle, although no reliable sources have been found to confirm this information. The search for the amber room was one of the goals (not the main one) of the castle excavations carried out in 2001-2008 by the German magazine Der Spiegel.

There are also other versions related to the location of the amber room (its remains and parts). Some suggest that it was taken to Berlin, then transferred to the United States, other versions say that the room was taken out and buried in the northern part of the Jutland Peninsula, or even hidden in one of the caves near Dresden, or perhaps it was simply dismantled into small parts and transported to various parts of the world.

What to visit near the ruins of the Royal Castle in Kaliningrad

On which are located: the Cathedral, the Honey Bridge connecting the island with the Fishing Village, Kant’s grave and the sculpture park.

Among the most majestic cultural monuments of our country, the Koenigsberg Castle in Kaliningrad deserves special attention. And this is not surprising, since the ruins of this structure excite the consciousness of modern man. This feeling does not disappear even with the understanding that not much remains of the castle, and the Amber Room has not been discovered. Most likely, this is due to the fact that this structure is one of the most ancient in our region or due to the fact that people are still waiting for the Amber Room to be excavated. In any case, such a historical structure surprises many people, which is why they tend to come here.

Currently, the Royal Castle (the second name of the castle) is open to its visitors. Now anyone can visit this place and see the ruins with their own eyes. By and large, such a historical building, or rather what remains of it, is a branch of the Kaliningrad Regional History and Art Museum. The museum gave the name to this place “Royal Castle Ruins”, but the townspeople call Koenigsberg “Observation Deck”. Despite the last name, there is no high rise here; everything is clearly visible from the ground, since the towers could not be preserved.

The history of the appearance of the castle is quite interesting. This structure was erected in 1255. Its creators are considered to be the knights of the Teutonic Order. It was from this Royal Castle that the city of Königsberg began to be built; it grew from a small village that was formed around a majestic structure. Then, the building, along with the city itself, passed to Prussia, everything was rebuilt for the kings of this state. Then the castle began to be used for various needs in Germany. An interesting fact is that two Prussian monarchs were crowned in this building. In addition, Peter the Great himself, Russian emperors and even Napoleon himself managed to visit here. And in the restaurant, which was under lock and key and located in the former court casemate, there were such famous personalities as Richard Wagner, Thomas Mann and many others.

Before hostilities took place, the castle had halls for ceremonial events, local government structures, and collections of rare items. The war almost completely destroyed the castle, and the towers and remains of the main walls were demolished in 1967; the ruins themselves were considered abandoned for a long time.

Königsberg Castle during and after the war:

Amber Room Königsberg Castle

In ninety-three, the Russian Academy of Sciences decided to begin excavations. They were conducted until two thousand and seven. Since two thousand and one, such actions were sponsored by the German concern Spiegel, since this company believed that there was an Amber Room in the basements of the castles.

According to historical reports, such a room was taken from Leningrad to Königsberg. It was here that she disappeared. Yes, it is possible that such a premises was stolen, hidden, or completely destroyed. As a result, the room was not found during the excavations, and the excavations themselves were not completed, they were simply suspended. Although the work that has been done is very impressive.

During the restoration work, underground parts were found, professionals raised what had fallen and collapsed. But the Amber Room was never found. Although a huge number of rare objects from the fourteenth to nineteenth centuries and decorative elements were found. In addition, they found ancient, secret, underground passages and a real treasure.

Königsberg Castle now

Today, Königsberg Castle is an observation deck located at the excavation site. Having visited this place, you can look at the Western Wing, an open area on which guests are presented with various architectural details found during the above-mentioned works. There is also an exhibition on the history of this design.

It should be noted that castles as old as Koenigsberg have been preserved in few places in Russia, but this design is truly amazing. The best day to visit the castle is the day when historical ceremonies are held here. There are quite a lot of them, and they are conducted by the museum administration. These days, knightly battles take place here, there is a medieval military camp, a fair and much more.

Video of Königsberg before the war. Video.

The history of Königsberg begins with the Royal Castle of the same name. The castle was a symbol of Koenigsberg, and it remains so to this day; it is printed on souvenirs, people write and talk about it. But it doesn’t exist...It was founded in 1255 by the Czech king Ottokar II Przemysl and existed until 1968. Until 1945, various administrative and public institutions of the city and East Prussia were located within its walls, as well as museum collections and halls for receptions. The name of the castle gave the general name for the city that arose near the castle walls. Along with the Cathedral, it was the most important and oldest landmark of the city

The royal castle was founded in 1255 - shortly after King Ottokar's campaign in Sambia. It was originally built from wood.
In 1262, an outer defensive wall was built from stones. It covered the entire rectangle of the castle. Later, inside, a second row of walls was built up to 2 meters thick and up to 8 meters high. The castle was built from huge boulders at the base, and then from ceramic bricks and field stones, the so-called “Vendian masonry”. Everything was held together with a special solution. The defensive walls ended with a crenellated top. On the northern side of the castle 4 large towers were built, in the north-west a corner tower was erected and in the east another powerful quadrangular Lidelau tower was built. Further to the east there was another large quadrangular tower - it was called “At the Grain House”.
Subsequently, the Royal Castle was constantly rebuilt and completed, thereby expanding and decorating. And already in the Middle Ages it was a powerful, impregnable fortress. However, when its walls ceased to be protection from cannons, they sheltered a collection of works of art and valuable libraries. Gradually the castle became the cultural center of the Prussian lands.
The turning point in the development of the castle came in 1525, when the palace became the official residence of the first secular ruler of Prussia. Administrative premises, ceremonial and residential quarters for the duchess and the court were needed. The medieval decoration of the premises looked old-fashioned; the Renaissance was coming into fashion.
On January 18, 1701, after the coronation of Frederick III, the castle became a royal residence - and remained so for two centuries, until 1918, when Emperor Wilhelm II was overthrown as a result of the revolution in Germany.
The building had a maximum length of 104 meters and a width of 66.8 meters. The tallest building in the city - the Castle Tower, 84.5 meters high, was rebuilt in 1864-1866 in the Gothic style.

The castle consisted of:

Castle Church

"Bloody Court" - a wine restaurant in the basement of the castle.

The Muscovite Hall is a large reception hall above the castle church.

"Silver Library" - a collection of ancient books and manuscripts

The Oat Tower is an ancient octagonal tower in the north-east corner of the castle. It was destroyed by the latter in the 60s of the twentieth century.

Castle tower with clock on the southwest corner of the castle. The tallest building in the city.

Fridrihcsbau - royal chambers, throne room with ceremonial portraits of all kings except William II. Ahnensaal - ancestral hall, Birth Room of Frederick I, Hall of Mirrors, Leather Hall, former Imperial Salon, Hunting Hall, Queen Louise's rooms, Ceramic (fleece) Hall, former chambers of the Crown Prince, Hall of the Order of the Black Eagle, former Imperial wardrobe, former Imperial bedroom, The room of banners and standards, the emperor's office, the dining room.

Firmari - shelter

Castle Pond.

In 1924, the castle was converted into a museum complex. It housed the city art gallery, the Prussian Museum and the Museum of the Order, and the Office for the Protection of Monuments.

Institutions and museum collections located in the castle (as of the first half of the 20th century)[edit | edit wiki text]

archaeological collection of the Prussia Society

Prussian Supreme Court

Royal Public Record Office

Amber Room (located in the castle during World War II)

Museum of the Province of East Prussia

Administration of East Prussian Museums

There are many photographs left of this magnificent work of architectural art, there are even photos of its interior decoration. Here are some of them.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that war against pagans was a godly deed and participation in a crusade contributed to spiritual salvation. And the wars against the Prussians were also crusades. At the turn of 1254-1255, a significant number of crusaders gathered under the flag of the Hochmeister, the former Landmaster of the Order, Poppo von Ostern. The most notable of them were Margrave Otto III of Brandenburg and his brother-in-law, the Bohemian king Ottokar.

Tuvangste settlement

To the north of the island of Kneiphof, the wide rounded peak of a mountain called Tuvangste rose twenty meters above the valley. There was a settlement on it, a shelter for refugees, in which residents of the surrounding Prussian villages gathered for their festivities, as well as for sacrifices. The Master of the Order and King Ottokar had not yet been here, but with the experienced eye of a soldier they noted that the fortress with which they intended to strengthen themselves in conquered Sambia needed to be built precisely on the spot where, thanks to the advantageous position of the Kneiphof Island, it had already operated in ancient times crossing the river, and the Prussian fortification on Twangsta begged for the foundation of an order fortress.

Middle Ages

The castle was built of wood on the site of the Prussian settlement of Tuvangste and throughout the 13th century it was repeatedly attacked by rebel Prussians and Lithuanian troops. The castle was founded in January 1255 as a wooden structure, two years later the construction of a brick castle began. The castle served as the residence of the Marshals of the Teutonic Order and was the gathering center of knightly campaigns in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th century. From 1457 to 1525 the castle was the residence of the Grand Master of the Order.

Construction continued in the 14th century. In contrast to the existing construction order, the Convention building was not built next to the entrance part of the fortress, the so-called foreburg, dividing them by a moat, but inside the main fortifications. The eastern part, which previously belonged to the bishop, became the entrance part of the fortress and, in addition, served for economic needs. The main fortifications, which had the shape of a rectangle elongated from west to east, occupied the entire plateau of the mountain. The outer fortification consisted of a double ring of stone walls with a parham between them, with nine projecting towers and four corner towers - two on the north side and two on the south. Of these towers, only one has survived to modern times - the octagonal Haberturm tower on the northeast corner. Part of the stone wall was preserved as the outer wall of the later rebuilt southern wing and the lower floor of the main Schlossturm castle tower, which rose above the southern parham. It was built at the end of the 14th century as a watchtower and bell tower, crowning the entire fortress ensemble. The external fortifications also included the impressively sized Danzker Tower, which rose at the southwestern corner on four stone supports above the fortress moat and was connected to the fortress by a passage.

Castle tower

The buildings in the courtyard of the fortress adjoined the inner ring of the fortress wall: a hospital and a shelter for elderly veterans of the Order - the Herrenfirmarium (Firmarie), as well as a large barn and other premises. In the western half of the large courtyard stood a castle - the building of the Convention, the Conventhouse. It was surrounded on three sides by a courtyard, but was not separated from it by a wall or a ditch. It contained in all its four wings all the rooms important for the fortress, primarily the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the refectory. There was a well in the center of the courtyard. The Herrenfirmaria and the Conventhouse were connected by a basement passage under the fortress courtyard and a transition bridge above it. When, after the Hochmeister moved to Marienburg in 1309, a reform of the Order's administration was carried out, and Königsberg became the residence of the Order Marshal, the so-called marshal's house with residential and service premises for the marshal and his clerks. But when the Hochmeister moved into these premises in 1457, the entire building was called the Hochmeister wing. Later, the East Prussian higher departments were located in it: the court court, the budget ministry, the chamber of military and state property, and the state archive. In recent years, before its destruction, the exhibition collection of the Königsberg State Library was kept there.

In 1525, after the secularization of the Prussian possessions of the order carried out by Albrecht of Brandenburg, the castle became the property of the Duke of Prussia.

In January 1656, the signing of a military-political alliance between the Swedish king Charles X Gustav and the Elector of Brandenburg-Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm, took place in this castle.

It was rebuilt in several places. By this time it had lost its defensive function. In 1697, the Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, Frederick III, received the Grand Embassy of Peter I at the castle.

In 1701, the coronation of the first Prussian king, Frederick I, took place in the castle church. Although Berlin became the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, Königsberg played an important role in the life of the kingdom during the first two-thirds of the 18th century. The castle was maintained in good condition. The Prussian Museum was opened there in 1844.

Coronation of Frederick

In 1861, Wilhelm I, the future first emperor of Germany, was crowned in the castle church.

The castle is the last location (in 1942-1945) of the famous amber room. Some researchers of the location of the room believe that it is still located in the basements of the castle, although no reliable sources have been found to confirm this information. The search for the amber room was one of the goals (not the main one) of the castle excavations carried out in 2001-2008 by the German magazine Der Spiegel.

At the end of the war, the castle burned (in August 1944 during an Anglo-American air raid and in April 1945 during the assault on Königsberg), but by 1956 the main towers and walls were still preserved. Despite the protests, in 1967, by decision of the first secretary of the regional committee of the CPSU Nikolai Konovalov, the ruins of the castle were blown up. The top of the mountain on which the castle stood was torn down several meters. Approximately on the site of the south-eastern part of the castle, the House of Soviets, which was built (and unfinished) during Soviet times, currently stands.

From 1993 to 2007 (with interruptions), archaeological work was carried out in the castle, financed by the German magazine “der Spiegel” since 2001. The work was carried out by the Baltic expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences together with the Kaliningrad Regional History and Art Museum. After the end of the 2007 field season, work was stopped, funding was stopped, and the excavated ruins of the castle are in a state of destruction due to weather conditions. The reason for this, according to Der Spiegel magazine, was misunderstanding and lack of interest on the part of the city mayor's office and the regional government. The real reason for the cessation of work was the lack of a scientific project, within the framework of which archaeological research should have been carried out on the ruins of Königsberg Castle, as well as the lack of funds for the conservation of architectural remains uncovered by excavations.

Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow is an entire architectural complex, which is the most important symbol of the country.

The history of Wawel begins in the 10th century. The castle at this time became a symbol of both political and spiritual power. For quite a long time, from the 11th century to the 17th century, Wawel Castle had the status of the main residence of local rulers, since the capital of Poland at that time was located in Krakow. The best time for the royal palace came in the 14th century, during the reign of Casimir the Great and then the Jagiellon dynasty. Later, after Poland and Lithuania concluded a historic agreement, the Wawel complex began to be geographically located on the very border of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as a result of which its position began to deteriorate, and the importance of another Polish city - Warsaw, located in the geographical center of the country - on the contrary, to grow. At the same time, a large fire occurred in Wawel, after which a decision was made to move the capital. In 1609, during the reign of Sigismund III, Warsaw actually finally became the capital of the state, and the city was officially given this status in 1795. In the same year, Wawel Castle became the property of Austria.

This complex has experienced many vicissitudes over the centuries of its existence. For example, after Napoleon's invasion in 1815, Krakow was defeated and became a separate free city that did not belong to any country. In 1846, the Austrians settled in these places again and built barracks here for their military. In 1905, the Polish government bought the lands and territory of Wawel and returned them to its historical ownership. After this, the castle began to be restored, and in 1930 it again acquired the status of a state residence for special occasions, and part of the Wawel territory became a museum. During wartime, Wawel Castle was the headquarters of a German general.

Inside the castle

Wawel Royal Castle includes many architectural historical landmarks. The most famous and visited of them are: the castle itself, the cathedral, and the castle fortifications. Entrance to the complex itself is free, but each exhibition has a separate entrance fee (there is no single ticket for all exhibitions).

Sights of Wawel:

• Cathedral House
• the Royal Castle
• Royal cuisine
• Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Cathedral of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas
• Church of St. Gereon
• St. Michael's Church
• Church of St. George
• Sigismund's Chapel
• Fortification
• Administrative building
• Wikarówka
• Gate of Bartolomeo Berrecci
• Hospital
• Seminary building
• Bastion of Vladislav IV
• Bernardine Gate
• Vazov Gate
• Armorial Gate
• Villain Tower
• Panenskaya Tower
• Sandomierz Tower
• Senator's Tower
• Tenchin Tower
• Nobles' Tower
• State Art Collection
• Wawel dragon
• Wawel Chakra
• Courtyard of Stefan Batory
• Royal Gardens
• Unpreserved Wawel
• Monument to Tadeusz Kosciuszko

At the entrance to the complex there is a main gate, which is reached by an ancient paved path. To the left of the entrance there is a wall on which are engraved the names of people and companies (as well as the year and amount) that at one time donated a certain amount for the restoration of Wawel. Just outside the entrance you can see a monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko, a famous Polish hero who led a popular uprising in 1794. During World War II, the statue was destroyed, but then restored and placed in its original place.

To the right of the entrance there is a ticket office and an information center for tourists, where you can order excursion support, including in Russian.

When entering Wawel Castle through the coat of arms gate on Kanonicze Street, the Cathedral in honor of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas will be located on the left. It is easy to recognize by the real mammoth bones hanging right above the doors, which, according to legend, bring happiness and good luck. The cathedral building was erected in the 11th-12th centuries; Polish rulers were crowned there at one time, and it also served as a tomb for them in the future. To this day, a small part of the old cathedral remains from the tower of Silver Bells and the crypt of St. Leonard, in which the remains of Józef Piłsudski are buried. The Cathedral acquired its modern Gothic appearance in the 14th century. Inside, the Altar of the Fatherland occupies its central position, and nearby are stone sarcophagi and the tomb of Casimir Jagiellon. The cathedral tower houses the Sigismund Bell, which is one of the largest bells in the country. At the farthest north-eastern end of Wawel there is a beautiful old medieval tower, which, due to its seclusion and inaccessibility, throughout its existence served as the personal apartments of local rulers, and was therefore called the “Chicken's Foot”. If you go a little further, on the right side of the gate you can visit the Cathedral Museum.

In the courtyard of the architectural complex of Wawel Castle on the right there is a huge lawn on which the ruins of ancient castle buildings are located. Among the buildings that have survived to this day, you can see the palatium of the 11th century, which was the residence of the princes, stone fortifications, a small castle in the Romanesque style built in the 12th century, rebuilt in the 14th century into a large Gothic castle. To the left is another exhibition “Lost Wawel” (which, among other things, includes the oldest surviving building in the city - the rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary), and right there is a small cafe where you can take a break from walking around the castle. To the left of the cafe, if you follow the road that winds between the brick building and the tower, you can get to the entrance to the dragon's cave. According to legend, a ferocious dragon lived here, taking away the most beautiful representatives of the city. He was defeated only by the clever son of King Krakow, who founded the city of the same name Krakow.

Further, after the ancient arch, is the central royal courtyard. On its right side there are three floors of royal chambers and royal rooms, in the chambers of which the main value is large canvases depicting historical events and antique furniture, and in the main hall there is a ceiling decorated with carved “Wawel heads”. On the left side you can visit the armory (with a collection of Polish and European weapons of the 15th-18th centuries, as well as many ancient swords and armor) and the treasury, as well as an interesting exhibition called “The Art of the East”.

In the central square of the complex there is also the Sigismund Chapel, inside of which there are the tombs of the Polish rulers: Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus. Nearby stands the 16th-century Jagiellonian Chapel with the tomb of Anna Jagiellonka. To the left of it is a chapel from 1676 with burials of the Vasa dynasty.

Ticket to Wawel Castle

How to get to Wawel Castle in Krakow

The Wawel architectural complex can be reached on foot from the Krakow railway or bus station. To do this, you need to go left along Lubicz, Pijarska or Flopianska streets, then through the underground passage there will be access directly to the city walls. Walking along the walls, the road will lead to the Market Square and Grodska Street. At the very end of this street on the right side is Wawel Castle. You can also use taxi services in Krakow: Radio Taxi Mega, Eco Taxi Krakow, Radio Taxi 919 and many others.

You can get to Wawel Castle by public transport. To do this, take trams 1, 3, 6, 8 and 18 and get off at the Wawel stop - this is the stop closest to the complex. If you go a little further, you can take trams 10, 19, 22 and 40 and buses 128 and 184, their stop will be called Stradomska. A little further away is the Jubilat stop of tram 2 and buses 103, 114, 124, 144, 164, 169, 173, 179, 194, 279, 289, 409 and 424.

Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow on Google panoramas

Architecture of the Wawel Royal Castle complex in Krakow inside

Bird's eye view video of Wawel Castle

Video inside the Wawel Royal Castle complex in Krakow