Malbork

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Malbork coat of arms

Malbork (pronounce: ['malbork]; German: Marienburg (help·info); Latin: Civitas Beatae Virginis) is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region, with 41,000 inhabitants (2001), capital of Malbork County. Situated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship (1975-1998).

1 History of the castle
2 History of the town
3 Famous residents
4 External links

[edit] History of the castle

The town was built around the fortress Ordensburg Marienburg which was founded in 1274 on the right bank of the river Nogat by the Teutonic Knights. Both the castle and the town of Marienburg were named for their patron saint, the Virgin Mary. This fortified castle became the seat of the Teutonic Order and Europe's largest Gothic fortress. In 1314 Werner von Orseln, until then Komtur of Ragnit, became Komtur of Marienburg. Von Orseln died at Marienburg in 1330 and was buried at nearby cathedral in Marienwerder. During the War of the Cities, or Thirteen Years War, the castle of Marienburg was pawned by the Teutonic Order to their imperial soldiers from Bohemia. They sold the castle in 1457 to king Casimir IV of Poland in lieu of their pay. This separated the castle from the city in political terms, as the citizens there did resist Poland.

Under continuous construction for nearly 230 years, Ordensburg Marienburg is actually three castles nested in one another. A classic example of a medieval fortress, it is the world’s largest brick castle and one of the most impressive of its kind in Europe. The castle and its museum are listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Panorama of Malbork at River Nogat, with the Ordensburg Marienburg.

[edit] History of the town

Malbork flag

The village of Marienburg grew in the vicinity of the castle. The river Nogat and flat terrain allowed easy access for barges a hundred kilometers from the sea. During Prussia's government by the Teutonic Knights, they collected tolls on river traffic and imposed a monopoly of the amber trade. The city later became a member of the Hanseatic League, and many Hanse meetings were held there.

When the castle was sold to the king of Poland in 1457 and the Teutonic Knights left, the city of Malbork under mayor Bartholomäus Blume resisted the Poles for three further years. When the Poles finally took control, he was hanged. The city then shared the history of Royal Prussia.

After World War II, Marienburg was put under Polish administration under the name of Malbork.